The Federal Government is restricting your Second Amendment rights on nearly 12 million acres of public land, and most Americans have no idea it’s happening.
At a Glance
- The Army Corps of Engineers currently bans carrying firearms on its 11.7 million acres of land, including popular recreational areas
- Multiple legal challenges, including GeorgiaCarry.org v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have failed to overturn these restrictions
- The Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017 (Bill S 1460), sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), aims to prohibit these gun restrictions
- Courts have ruled that the Second Amendment “does not guarantee an unrestricted right to carry firearms on military property”
- Americans who legally carry firearms elsewhere risk fines and imprisonment when camping on Army Corps land
Your Second Amendment Rights Vanish on Corps Land
Imagine this: You’re a law-abiding gun owner with a valid concealed carry permit, planning a camping trip with your family. You’ve packed your firearm for protection against wild animals and potential threats. But the moment you step onto an Army Corps of Engineers campground, you become a federal criminal facing serious penalties. This isn’t some hypothetical scenario – it’s the reality for millions of Americans who visit Corps recreational areas each year, many without realizing they’re entering a Second Amendment-free zone spanning almost 12 million acres of American soil.
The Corps’ regulations under Title 36 § 327.13 prohibit the possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, and other weapons unless you’re a law enforcement officer or participating in specifically authorized activities like hunting. This means that while you may have the right to protect yourself virtually everywhere else you go, once you drive into a Corps campground, you must surrender that right. According to these bureaucrats, your constitutional right to self-defense somehow expires at their property line.
Failed Legal Challenges and Judicial Overreach
Back in 2014, GeorgiaCarry.org challenged these unconstitutional restrictions in court. Their argument was straightforward: Americans shouldn’t lose their Second Amendment rights on public recreational lands. But in a stunning display of judicial gymnastics, the court ruled against them. The Eleventh Circuit’s decision claimed that the Second Amendment “does not guarantee an unrestricted right to carry firearms on military property” – completely ignoring the fact that these are public recreational areas that happen to be managed by the Corps, not active military installations.
The court’s ruling applied “intermediate scrutiny” – a fancy way of saying they gave the government the benefit of the doubt instead of holding them to the higher standard that should apply to fundamental constitutional rights. They accepted at face value the Corps’ argument that they have a “substantial interest in ensuring safety” without requiring any evidence that law-abiding citizens carrying firearms actually pose any threat to public safety. It’s the same tired argument gun control advocates always make – punish everyone because of what criminals might do.
Legislative Solutions on the Horizon
Thankfully, some lawmakers recognize this absurdity. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has championed the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017 (Bill S 1460), which would prohibit the Corps from restricting firearm rights on their lands. This bill acknowledges what should be obvious – that Americans don’t surrender their constitutional rights when visiting public recreational areas. The irony is that many other federal lands, including National Parks, already allow legal carry in accordance with state laws.
The current situation creates dangerous scenarios where campers must either leave their means of self-defense at home or risk federal charges. This is particularly alarming considering that many Corps recreational areas are in remote locations where law enforcement response times can be measured in hours, not minutes. Wildlife encounters, including aggressive bears and mountain lions, are not uncommon in many of these areas. And let’s be honest – criminals don’t care about Corps regulations against firearms.
Take Action to Restore Your Rights
This issue perfectly illustrates the relentless creep of government overreach into our constitutional rights. It’s not enough for anti-gun bureaucrats to restrict your rights in cities and states – they want to ensure you can’t exercise them even while camping in the great outdoors. The Corps’ regulations treat law-abiding citizens like criminals while doing nothing to deter actual criminal activity. It’s security theater at its finest, with your rights as the sacrifice.
If you value your Second Amendment rights, contact your legislators today and urge them to support the Energy and Natural Resources Act and similar measures that would end this unconstitutional gun ban. Remind them that the right to self-defense doesn’t end where Army Corps property begins. Americans shouldn’t have to choose between enjoying public recreational areas and maintaining their ability to protect themselves and their families. It’s time to end this ridiculous infringement on our constitutional rights.
