Guns in the NP

I've written more than a few times that the law allowing people to legally carry guns in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, unless reasons exist where it's for the protecion of visitors (eg. Alaska and Florida Everglades) and then with a permit or a guide with a gun, should be repealed.

But even the most vocal advocates against the amendment put into the Credit Card Reform Act of 2009, where there was obvious, Obama wasn't going to veto the bill over this one "small" amendment, cowered before the NRA and right wing gun rights members in Congress and were afraid to stand up for all of us and all visitors to NP's and WR's.

Today (1/1/12) a law enforcement officer in Mt. Rainier NP was shot and killed by a man with gun considered a suspect in the shooting of four people in south Seattle last night. The NP and law enforcement found other weapons and a bullet proof vest in his car when he fled into the snow after shooting the NP ranger.

Now I'd like to ask all those assholes in Congress if this is what you wanted with this amendment because you can't argue around the fact and reality this is what it has lead to, the first death in Mt. Rainier NP from guns. Over the years since Reagan implemented the ban on guns in NP's and WR's - his idea - to the new law not one person has been injured or killed in the NP.

All because gun owners had to be responsible to secure guns unloaded in their vehicles. Since the start of the new laws (2/22/10), there have been several reports of visitors openly carrying guns, even into facilities which is banned. True guns owners followed the law then and this one didn't, but as they say, when it comes to guns, it only takes one.

But tell that to the ranger's family, her two kids. Tell them you still like the idea because you're in the pocket of the NRA and believe the Second Amendment to the extreme, gun owner rights trumps the rights of all the rest of us. Our safety and security and all those visitors from other countries isn't important. The employees working in all the NP's and WR's isn't important.

Just guns and gun owners. Fuck the American people. Well you got your example today of what that means. You can't explain it away now. A ranger is dead and her family is without her. All because of a legal gun owner exercising his Second Amendment rights.

Maybe all of you in Congress should volunteer to go hunt for him. Or are you afraid of someone legally having a gun in a NP? Maybe you could convince the 150 law enforcement officers in the NP now what a good idea you had with the law? Maybe you could tell us this made all of us safer.

And when you answer, we'll nod and say, "Yeah, right. Tell that to her children."

Now will the Democrats have the balls to fix this and repeal this law to what Reagan implemented? It's time you did. It's time you stood up for all of us and hold the assholes in Congress who supported this amendment accountable for this death. It's time you represented our rights.

Will you do that? Or will you call it an anomaly or cower in fear of the NRA? Will you leave the advocacy against guns in NP's and WR's to the people and those in the media demanding change? And it's time President Obama ordered the change from Congress. Put the repeal in a bill the Republicans like and won't go against like they did to get this law passed.

It's time now to do the right thing for the American people, for America's NP's and WR's, and for this ranger's family.