Gun Rights Restored to U.S. National Parks

On February 22, a new federal credit card bill became law. The law included a rider that restores the right to carry concealed firearms in most of the nation's national parks by people who have a permit to Carry a Concealed Weapon (CCW) for the state in which the park is located. This is good news for law-abiding citizens who have had to risk attacks by violent criminals or aggressive animals while visiting the nation's parks. The gist of the law is that if the state in which the national park is located allows for citizens to carry firearms, then that same right is extended into the park.

Not all parks are included in the list; The Statue of Liberty, for example is exempted by the law, although it would have been exempted anyway for all regular people, because although New York City allows for concealed carry with a permit, only a few wealthy or politically connected people actually have them.

Is the law important? Yes, in 2006, there were 11 murders, 35 rapes, 61 aggravated assaults in national parks. it may seem a low number compared to some cities, but if you are one of the victims, then your statistic is 100 percent.