I agree with this dude whole-heartedly.  I am concerned about my safty in national parks.  That's why I don't want people to have concealed guns.  Seems pretty logical to me...

Bikes can save us!!

Uh, have you done a check recently with your local drug-dealer's association? People who are into breaking the law, thus those who would be a threat to your safety, DON'T OBEY LAWS. That's why we call them criminals.

The only people affected by laws banning the possesion of firearms, under whatever the circumstances, are the law-abiding. If you wish to be a disarmed, helpless victim of crime, that's your right in a free society. Taking away the option of self-defense is not your right.

Nor is it the right of the several thousand of innocent children who accidentally shoot themselves with their parent's handguns every year.

National Parks used to be on the short list of places you could go in the wilderness without being hazarded by gun nuts with automatic weapons in cammies. Ask any woman how she would feel about backpacking if she knew that guns were being allowed into the backcountry.

Put the Carbon Back

As much as people would like to believe otherwise, allowing loaded firearms in the National Parks will result in a less-safe environment -- for people and animals.

Unfortunately, many people who come to these parks can get bored and some consume alcohol and then you can actually see when some peoples brains turn off.

I have seen the aftermath when one group of jerks hacked at a live aspen tree with a knife until they practically cut it in two. And even in areas where guns are permitted, I've seen evidence of them shooting up trees, etc.

This is a very dangerous practice, I guess go ahead and allow guns if you must, but confiscate peoples alcohol at the park gates. I think if they had to choose between booze and packing heat, they'll leave the guns at home.

"For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world." - Shantideva

If you really want to do something to improve safety in parks and free up some of the rangers' time so they might actually get back to interpretive work w/ the public, consider the funding shortfalls that the Park Service is facing: 35% or $600 million per year ( http://www.npca.org/media_center/reports/analysis.html ). This doesnt include land acquisition shortages which have increased the complexity of management and left large gaps in parks open to potential development ( http://www.npca.org/landforsale/ ).