On the day after Christmas, I decided to do a hike Pass Mountain Trail at this park a few miles from my house.

However, as I entered the main gate I saw that there was a delay in getting in.  The vehicle in front of me contained two men who wished to pay the entry fee and fire their guns within the park.  This despite the fact that there is a prominent gun range less than a mile away from the park where they could shoot.  Apparently when one of the men was told he would have to shoot his guns at the range and not in the park, he got angry at the park ranger.  The vehicle turned around and left the park.  After I pulled up, the ranger was a little bit scared by the incident because the men were acting aggressive towards him.  He told me he supports the right to bear arms but was a bit afraid of these guys due to their demeanor.

Whether we like it or not, firearms owners are ambassadors that represent the shooting public.  When a gun owner acts like a jerk or is belligerent towards a ranger doing his job, it gives responsible firearms owners a bad name.  Furthermore, angry men in camouflage (yup, this guy was wearing it) reinforces a negative stereotype that some people have of gun owners.

As Kevin wrote a while back:

A nice person with a gun makes guns nice for everyone. A jerk with a gun makes everyone’s gun seem scary.

If you are a firearms owner, be kind and gracious in your interactions with others.  This will help the cause of responsible firearm ownership by encouraging supporters and allaying the fears of opponents.