I'm a new member, but I wanted to comment on this thread. I have a concealed carry permit and have never carried in a national park, because it's against the law. I have a friend who asked for my advice when he purchased his first handgun. He wanted it for home protection and to carry in parks when he goes hiking. I advised him that it is illegal to carry in the parks, and I suggested he take the CCW class to learn the various aspects of the laws regarding the use of deadly force. As has been stated, most the class is spent teaching that deadly force is only a last resort and that it will result in lengthy, expensive legal problems.
That said, if this measure is approved, I will probably quietly carry a small handgun in the parks of my state for my own protection and that of my family. We all like to think of the parks as a safe refuge from the ugly parts of life. Unfortunately, there have been too many crimes against hikers to believe that anymore.
To get a concealed carry permit you have to be fingerprinted and undergo the same background check as a LEO. It's not a simple process. I believe those with CCW permits are among the safest and most law abiding folks you can be around.
This is a prime example. Anti-gun laws only effect law abiding citizens. They have no effect on criminals other than to embolden them in knowing that their prey can not protect themselves. When the CWL law passed in Texas, it was partly due to one of our legislators passionate support. Her parents were victims of the Luby's masacre in Kileen, TX, where the gunman rammed his car into the building, then mythodically waked around and shot the defenseless people.
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