Just talked to a friend who was camping in the Canyonlands Park near Moab, UT., and was rousted by US Park Police (I guess they thought he was a terrorist).
For the probable cause (they really need NO probable cause in a 20 national park) of having coolers set 6 inches into the ground (violation of non excavation laws in the park, and leaving full beercans in the stream (some littering regulation), they searched his entire camp, car,
his wife's underwear (they require no warrant in the park) coolers (fishing for dope?).
By the way, my friend is a CPA and his wife is a teacher and they are in their late 50s.
The Smokey cops found his guns in the truck and confiscated them and the female officer was going to take his two knives, but the male officer told her that would leave them with no weapons or tools at all. She was the one that was particularly interested in the wife's
underwear.
He was cited for guns in the park and excavating for a total of $150.00. When he pays the fine, it goes to GA where they process it and in 8-10 weeks he can pick up his guns in Moab.
Moral? Don't carry guns in a national park. Other morals (no pun intended)? Don't patronize national parks unless you like being unarmed and will also gladly surrender your 4th, 5th, 2nd and 14th amendment rights to do so.
And my question, of course, is, in a FEDERAL/national park, where all of the sections of the Bill of Rights have to apply by definition, how can this be possible?
I do know that they ban guns in the national parks but I have never understood how they get away with that. This is not like a Federal facility/Federal property situation wherein I can justify a gun ban under a "private property prevails" type of legal explanation although, admittedly, a lot of my friends think my theories on Federal private property rights are as wrong headed as can be. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
***GRJ***
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