Rangers lead the way...

..in stripping you of your right to protect yourself from two and four legged predators on property that you pay for with your tax money. The park rangers are doing this by trying to stop the Department of the Interior from allowing firearms to be loaded if they are transported on park property.

Prior coverage here. I still feel the same way, poachers are criminals who are going to shoot animals regardles of laws. Poachers also shoot and kill people and park rangers, so it would be nice to be able to protect yourself from those individuals.

A classic remark from the guy who used to be the only one armed in the park:

Retired ranger Bill Wade served as superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and said, "How many of you would want to go out there if you knew that people were running up and down the Appalachian Trail with guns?"

I for one Mr. Wade. Or how about these eight woman who were killed in Shenandoah National Park Mr. Wade? Or this guy. Also consider this:

"The National Park Service says there were 116,588 reported offenses in national parks in 2006, the most recent year for which data are available, including 11 killings, 35 rapes or attempted rapes, 61 robberies, 16 kidnappings and 261 aggravated assaults."

If people don't feel like carrying a firearm in a park, or anywhere for that matter, good on them. Very few feel the need and that's their business. The few of us who will carry are not the people shooting wildlife or signs in the park, so do us a favor and get rid of this stupid law that has a habit of making good people into felons.