Firearms on Federal Property
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:15 am
I recently sent the following letter to the NRA-ILA. No response so far.
"As a Texas concealed handgun license (CHL) holder, it galls me to find that almost all federal facilities prohibit firearms. As a military veteran with over 31 years of active Army service, to not be able to bring my CHL carry firearm onto the military installations which I defended is insane… in fact, in some foreign countries and in all combat zones I had more freedom to carry a firearm than in the United States. I note that National Forests, in which some allow hunting in season, do not allow my CHL carry of a firearm for personal and family protection. National Parks likewise do not permit CHL firearm carry. Try to protect yourself on a Corps of Engineer’s lake while fishing… nope, no firearms allowed!! None of these federal facilities guarantee my or my family’s protection while within their confines nor enroute to and from.
I recently traveled by car from Texas through the western parts of our great country and found that it was tougher to lawfully enter federal property with a firearm in my vehicle than even in the sovereign country of Kalifornia or its most western county, Nevada.
If the NRA-ILA has sought to end such without success or the above is not a matter of current concern, then you need not read further. Otherwise, I submit that we should not surrender our 2d Amendment right just because we enter federal territory, but rather such a Constitutional right should be much stronger.
I propose the NRA-ILA sponsor legislation to permit concealed firearm permit holders to carry lawfully in all federal facilities within a state where such carry is permitted under their resident state or reciprocal state concealed carry license. For those facilities whose boundaries cross multiple states, the least restrictive state concealed firearm carry provisions should apply."
"As a Texas concealed handgun license (CHL) holder, it galls me to find that almost all federal facilities prohibit firearms. As a military veteran with over 31 years of active Army service, to not be able to bring my CHL carry firearm onto the military installations which I defended is insane… in fact, in some foreign countries and in all combat zones I had more freedom to carry a firearm than in the United States. I note that National Forests, in which some allow hunting in season, do not allow my CHL carry of a firearm for personal and family protection. National Parks likewise do not permit CHL firearm carry. Try to protect yourself on a Corps of Engineer’s lake while fishing… nope, no firearms allowed!! None of these federal facilities guarantee my or my family’s protection while within their confines nor enroute to and from.
I recently traveled by car from Texas through the western parts of our great country and found that it was tougher to lawfully enter federal property with a firearm in my vehicle than even in the sovereign country of Kalifornia or its most western county, Nevada.
If the NRA-ILA has sought to end such without success or the above is not a matter of current concern, then you need not read further. Otherwise, I submit that we should not surrender our 2d Amendment right just because we enter federal territory, but rather such a Constitutional right should be much stronger.
I propose the NRA-ILA sponsor legislation to permit concealed firearm permit holders to carry lawfully in all federal facilities within a state where such carry is permitted under their resident state or reciprocal state concealed carry license. For those facilities whose boundaries cross multiple states, the least restrictive state concealed firearm carry provisions should apply."