Your attention please

Two Republican senators voted against HJ 14 (guns in National Parks) today. I worry about what these senators will do when HB 246 and HB 228 come before the Senate this week.

The two Republican senators voting against HJ 14 were Senator John Esp (R-Big Timber) and Senator Ryan Zinke (R-Whitefish).

John Esp is an old hand who probably understands our issues pretty well. Besides, he always votes against resolutions, as HJ 14 is. So, I’m not really worried about Esp in re HB 246 and HB 228.

Ryan Zinke is another matter. Ryan actually spoke against HJ 14 on the Senate floor today. What about Zinke?

Not only is Zinke a freshman in the Senate, he has never served in the Legislature before, unlike many senators who served in the House before getting elected to the Senate. Politically speaking, my son would say Zinke is “fresh out of the box.” Zinke has earned a reputation in the Senate for not having learned yet what he doesn’t know.

Zinke is (if my memory serves me correctly) a former Navy Seal. His attitude about firearms seems to have been formed in the military. I know he told me very forcefully that he’s seen in the military what damage .50-caliber arms can do and that civilians absolutely should not be allowed to own them. He is adamantly opposed to .50-cals in non-military hands.

I am told that his opposition to HJ 14 today is pretty typical of his making arguments on the Senate floor, arguments that he has not thought through very well. He seems more interested in announcing his opinions than in listening thoughtfully to the opinions of others.

Senator Zinke gets his email at ryanzinke@yahoo.com

It would probably be good for Senator Zinke to get an email from you about HJ 14. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to carry guns in National Parks? After all, in all the Park-like Forest Service lands in Montana people can carry guns for self defense, and THAT doesn’t result in any mayhem. Why should it be any different in a National Park?

Be polite. Don’t offend Zinke, but he needs to know we are watching and paying attention. I’d hate to think he might go off on a similar tangent when our Self Defense bill, HB 228, comes before the Senate in a couple of days. For now, talk to him about HJ 14. Give him some good reasons to switch his vote and vote FOR HJ 14 when it comes up on Third Reading on Monday. Ask him to vote FOR HJ 14 on Third Reading. Let me know how he responds to you.

Thanks loads for your help with this.

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com