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National Parks Service Rejects Petition PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jeff Garvas   
Wednesday, 07 February 2007

Two years ago Ohioans For Concealed Carry joined a formal Petition for Rule Making with the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). The goal of the project was to encourage the Department of the Interior (DOI) to allow local jurisdictions to adopt local laws with respect to carrying a firearm. In other words, if the National Park was in a state where it was legal to carry a firearm, it would be legal within that National Park, whereas it is a crime today to do so.

On Tuesday, the VCDL announced that the NPS has responded with a resounding "No!", citing some of the most arrogant and ignorant reasons imaginable to deny the two-year old request. You're going to want to be sitting down when you read this response from a division of the Federal Government.

Like most misguided opinions on concealed carry the DOI justification not only states unsubstantiated claims against "right to carry", but answers issues that were not even raised in the initial petition. For instance, the reasons for denial included:
* Parks are safe places
* "Right to carry" laws do not reduce crime
* Firearms already may be transported in a vehicle through any park area
* "Right to carry" laws do not protect visitors from wildlife
The VCDL petition, which OFCC formally signed two years ago, never specifically sought protection from wildlife. In the words of VCDL President Philip Van Cleave, "These people disgust me."