Front Sight, Press

VCDL has just learned from our sources on Capitol Hill that the Department of the Interior (DOI) is **livid** over the National Park Service’s (NPS) asinine rejection letter sent to VCDL concerning VCDL’s Petition for Rule Making!
(http://www.vcdl.org/pdf/NPS_Denial_of_VCDL_PRM.pdf)

That petition would apply state and local laws regarding firearms carry to National Parks within their borders so anyone legally carrying in the state could also legally carry in the park.

Apparently the National Park Service DID NOT CLEAR that rejection letter with their parent - the Department of the Interior!

The Department of Interior had been telling VCDL and key Congressional members that DOI would seriously consider VCDL’s petition.

The ensuing NPS rejection letter made DOI look like fools and liars. DOI doesn’t like that at all, and I don’t blame them.

The word that I am hearing is that the Department of the Interior is investigating how to OVERTURN that rejection letter and soon!!!

We have an incredible opportunity to save TWO years of work and pull off a victory for all gun owners!  But we must make our voices heard LOUD AND CLEAR.

I need all of you to do the following FOUR things NOW and URGENTLY no matter where you live, as this this is a NATIONAL effort:
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1.  CALL the DOI Legislative Affairs and leave a message for the Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne.
Say something like this:

“I encourage Secretary Kempthorne to implement the Virginia Citizens Defense League’s Petition for Rule Making that the National Park Service has rejected out-of-hand.  Law-abiding citizens should not be forced to disarm just because they choose to visit a National Park.”

PLEASE MAKE THAT CALL - WE WANT DOI’S TELEPHONE LINE LIT UP BIG TIME!
Mr. Kempthorne’s telephone number in Washington, DC is:  202-208-7351
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2. Call your U.S. Senators and Congressman.  Their names, phone numbers and email addresses can be found by clicking here and entering your zip and address:
http://capwiz.com/nra/officials/congress

Say something like this:

“Please have the Senator [Congressman] contact the Department of the Interior’s Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne, and ask him to overturn the National Park Service’s rejection of the Virginia Citizens Defense League’s Petition for Rule Making.  Law-abiding citizens in compliance with state and local laws should not be forced to disarm in order to visit a National Park!”
PLEASE MAKE THAT CALL - WE WANT CONGRESS’ TELEPHONE LINES TO LIGHT UP AS BRIGHTLY AS DOI’S!

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3. After calling your Senators and Congressman, follow up with an email.Here is a sample email you can use:

Please ask the Department of the Interior’s Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne, to overturn the National Park Service’s arbitrary rejection of the Virginia Citizens Defense League’s Petition for Rule Making and to implement that petition!
VCDL’s Petition for Rule Making, representing over ONE MILLION gun owners, would stop the Park Service practice of disarming law-abiding citizens who choose to carry a handgun for self-defense, even though these citizens are in compliance with all applicable state and local laws.

The National Park Service’s rejection letter was not only asinine, but was completely unfounded and condescending towards America’s gun owners.
My family members and I are given but one life each.  I ask that you make sure that I can defend those lives while visiting a National Park!

Please let me know what you are going to do.
(Be sure to include contact information)
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4. After calling and leaving a message for DOI, follow up with an email to Secretary Kempthorne:
Email address:
exsec@ios.doi.gov

Suggested email subject:
Please approve VCDL’s Petition for Rule Making!

Suggested email text:
Dear Secretary Kempthorne,

I ask that you approve and implement the Virginia Citizens Defense League’s (VCDL) Petition for Rule Making that would preclude the National Park Service from restricting the rights of  law-abiding citizens to carry a handgun for self-defense while in a National Park.  Citizens legally carrying self defense firearms in accordance with state and local laws should not be forced to disarm just because they choose to visit or pass through a unit of the National Park Service.
The National Park Service sent a rejection letter to VCDL listing four unsubstantiated reasons for the rejection.  None of the reasons listed legitimately justifies denying a person the right to defend the only life they have been given.

The Petition, representing over ONE MILLION gun owners, and the rejection was capricious and unjustified.

Please let me know what the Department of the Interior is going to do regarding this matter.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]
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OK, ladies and gentlemen - let’s ROLL!
Please spread this alert far and wide!  We need gun owners from all over the country to make this happen!
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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL).VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated todefending the human rights of all Virginians.  The membership considers theRight to Keep and Bear Arms to be an essential human right.
VCDL web page:  http://www.vcdl.org