Court decision blocks concealed guns in national parks!Even if it couldn't come from the Obama administration, I'll take it as a decision from the Federal Court Bench.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly halts a change in regulations issued in the waning days of the Bush administration and orders further review. She set an April 20 deadline for the Interior Department to review the rule and indicate its course of action in response to the injunction.
Bush's rule, issued in December and teking effect on Jan. 11, allowed visitors to carry a loaded gun into a park or wildlife refuge as long as the person had a permit for a concealed weapon and the state where the park or refuge was located allowed concealed firearms. Previously, guns in parks had been severely restricted by the Reagan administration in the early 1980s.Bush's rule would have allowed concealed weapons even in parks located in states that prohibit the carrying of guns in state parks. Some states allow concealed weapons but also ban guns from parks.
The Obama administration was clueless in this situation saying it was reviewing the Bush rule and, in the meantime, had defended it in court. A spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar declined to comment Thursday, citing the ongoing court case.
Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, one of two groups that sued to block the rule, called the judge's ruling a victory for the people.
We're happy that this headlong rush to push more guns into more places has been slowed.Bryan Faehner, associate director of the National Parks Conservation Association, which also brought suit, said he was extremely pleased.
We're especially glad to hear that the court is agreeing with the park rangers and the public who are concerned that there will be negative impacts from the (now-overturned) regulation and increased likelihood for opportunistic poaching of wildlife and increased risk of violence to the public.A group representing park rangers, retirees and conservation organizations protested the Bush rule change, complaining that it could lead to confusion and increased danger for visitors, rangers and other law enforcement agencies.
The NRA opposed the suit.
One of my brothers is a NRA type who fears every aspect in controlling personal weapons. We have had really long discussions over these matters and with no common ground able to be reached. I own two weapons but I guess my military experience has long removed from me whatever glorification my brother and his cohorts see in them.
ReplyDeleteThis court decision is just basic commonsense. As I said somewhere before most of the people who have a carry concealed permit I know are the absolutely last people I would allow to own a weapon.