Yesterday the US Senate backed an amendment to allow people to carry concealed handguns into national parks.

On the surface, I’m pleased with this. Evil by definition doesn’t follow the rules. We good, well-intended folk might draw a line somewhere and say “sorry, you can’t cross this” and other good, well-intended folk will obey that… but evil won’t. When people go hiking in the backwoods of our national parks and risk running across people engaged in illegal activity (e.g. illegal drug operations, such as marijuana cultivation), those criminals tend to shoot first and ask no questions at all. Why should we good folk be disadvantaged, and forcefully so, by the laws that we cherish and obey?

If the measure becomes law “it would not only put park visitors and wildlife at risk, it would change the character and the peaceful and safe atmosphere in our parks,” [Bryan Faehner, associate director of the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group that opposes guns in parks] said.

So tell me how visitors are not already at risk? Tell me how evil is already warded off and parks are 100% safe havens. And wildlife will be at risk? How? This law only permits lawful concealed carry of a handgun by a segment of the population that are statistically more law-abiding that your average citizen. So now they’re going to break hunting and other game laws? I mean, you can hunt in national parks, per hunting laws, which means wildlife isn’t any more or less at risk because of this. How is this going to change? Oh that’s right… once you put a gun in someone’s hand they turn into bloodthirsty killers bent on shooting everything they see. The law no longer applies. We’re above the law! MUHAHAHA!  That’s right… I forgot. Silly me. 🙄  Gosh, and you’d think that with all the years of data we have regarding concealed carry would mean something… the fears of OK Corral shootouts and how the streets would be flowing with blood… gosh, none of that has yet come to pass; in fact, violent crime went down. Golly gosh jeepers, what to do.

But while I’m happy to see this, I’m not happy to see how it’s being done. It’s being attached as an amendment to a credit card reform bill. This is a bill that many feel needs to pass into law, given our current economic climate. So attaching this amendment — which has nothing to do with the bill — really doesn’t fly with me. The bill is one that needs to become law and likely will, which is part of the (sneaky) strategy in putting the amendment on this very bill. This strategy is sneaking the concealed carry stuff in through the back door, with a high chance that will allow it to become law (no line-item veto, so we’ll have to see how it fairs in committee when House and Senate reconcile). Folks, we bitch when people do this about things we don’t favor, so we need to bitch even when they do things in our favor. We can’t like the backdoor when it favors us and dislike it when it doesn’t.

Updated: Yea! It’s nice to see another gun blogger with mixed emotions over this one. It’s really interesting to watch most of your “pro gun blogs” out there, that bitch and moan about such legislative tactics, but now that the tactic is favoring them are oddly silent on the tactic and all happy to see legislation favoring them.

Or at least, this 25 year veteran cop doesn’t. (h/t to Linoge)

Pens and pencils don’t make you misspell words; cars don’t make you drive drunk, run red lights or speed; and, no, not even a “morning star” can swing itself.  

The logic behind banning firearms in order to lower crime is as ridiculous to me as banning cars because so many people are injured and killed every year in accidents and drunken driving crimes. It is not the car that is at fault; it’s the driver who is at fault. And, by the same token, it isn’t the gun … It is the criminal who commits the crime and it is the criminals who need to be addressed and dealt with, not any device they use in the commission of their crimes.

As our government steadily changes more and more to the Left, gun control and outright gun ban issues will become very hot topics. So, I think it’s imperative Americans use some common sense in this area and realize gun control is in no shape, form or fashion crime control.  

If someone commits a crime with a gun, follow the law and punish the person, but leave the Second Amendment alone, it is in the Constitution for a reason.   

Howard Nemerov provides some perspective on the rumors of an ammunition ban.

Bottom line: Buyers help keep prices high because of concerns over what might happen in the future. As prices spiral and demand clears the shelves, people worry about getting ammunition in the future. Add a few rumors, people worry more and demand goes up even more. It may be best to stop stockpiling ammunition for now to reduce demand. Instead, spend your energy on convincing Congress that the civil right of self-defense is an idea whose time has come.

The NRA is running a promotion where you can join free for one year.

If you live in Texas, you should also join the Texas State Rifle Association. If you don’t live in Texas, you should join your equivalent local/state organization.

If you choose to do neither, at least be politically active. With the Internet, it doesn’t take long to find your Congresscritters and send them a quick email. When you contact them, keep it polite, respectful, to the point.