[Barkley]

The Virginia citizens Defense League (VCDL) placed a petition before the National Park service two years ago and they recently basically said piss off. Now it's come up that the Secretary of the Department of the Interior is highly peeved that this was rejected out of hand. We MIGHT have a chance to get this overturned. Please read the attached below from the VCDL president and do as he suggests. This is a nationwide issue, not just a Virginia issue.

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 be
allowed to protect themselves and their families while visiting 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 (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 should be
allowed to carry a handgun to defend themselves while visiting a
National Park if the state in which the park is located allows such
carry!"

PLEASE MAKE THAT CALL - WE WANT CONGRESS' TELEPHONE LINES TO LIGHT UP
AS BRIGHTLY AS DOI'S!

********

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 allow law-abiding citizens to carry a handgun for
self-defense in a National Park as long as the state in which that
National Park is located allows such carry.

The National Park Service's rejection letter was not only asinine,
but condescending towards America's gun owners.

My family member 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.

********

4. After calling and leaving a message for DOI, follow up with an
email to Secretary Kempthorne:

Email address:

exsec@ios.doi.gov (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 allow a
law-abiding citizen to carry a handgun for self-defense in a National
Park as long the state in which the park is located allows such carry.

The National Park Service sent a rejection letter to VCDL listing
four very poor 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, was basically
rejected out-of-hand.

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

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]