Law horrifies park employee

Published 8:21 am Friday, September 11, 2009

This is in reference to the Saturday, “Gun law makes areas less safe”: I agree whole-heartedly with the writer.

Let me begin by saying that guns have always been allowed in national parks. They just had to be unloaded and cased. I work at the entrance station of a small national monument, and I’m horrified of the repercussions of this new law. I’m willing to bet that nearly none of the zealous NRA crazies who have been lobbying hard for this legislation have ever worked in national parks.

We have dedicated federal law enforcement officials whose soul purpose in the parks is for our protection. The proponents of this gun law will say: “Well now I’m safer if I meet a bear.” When the truth of the matter is that most bear attacks occur because the human is being a stupid tourist by taking too close a look, leaving food out in their camp, or trying to pet baby bear while mama bear looks on. It’s the same with bison, moose, mountain lions, etc. If you just remember that you are a visitor in their home, then you’ll be fine. But I digress. My point is that guns are not necessary for the general public in national parks.

I also need to add that out of the 391 units in the National Park Service, most of them are in urban areas. The way I see it, with the gun legislation as it was before, these places were actually safer than the surrounding area. Now who knows? I guess we’ll find out what a good idea this is when someone goes on a shooting rampage from the top of the Statue of Liberty.

Brittany Parker

Everett