By: Curious on 7/5/09
Perhaps Mr. Ritchie could serve us well if he worked with the Police Department to help organize a trained, armed citizen patrol, which would be given vests designating them as such and who would be on duty only when they are out for recreation. Only the citizen patrol would be allowed to pack heat in public parks and greenways. That mom in his letter could go through the training and be able to protect herself and her son. The rest of us wouldn't have to be concerned if we come upon a person holding a gun on another.

That sign could then read, "Attention: The Greenway system is patrolled by trained Armed Citizen Patrol and Law Enforcement Officers.”

By the way, there are distance markers on the Greenway to help pinpoint where you are. Maybe not enough for Mr. Ritchie's extreme example, but helpful just the same for emergencies.

I keep wondering what the statistics are for annual crime on the Greenway since its inception.

By: jg13 on 7/9/09
How about a sign that says: "Hey Criminals, only 3% of TN citizens have the proper permits to carry concealed weapons and they've most likely never been on the Greenway because that would require exercise and because it has green in the title so they think it's a left wing conspiracy that doesn't actually exist. And this whole argument about guns in parks is a total farce because again, only 3% of the population is effected by it and just because there hasn't been major crime on the Greenway doesn't mean that gun nuts won't pretend like it's a crime riddled ghetto full of psychopathic thugs and vagabonds that must be shot on site. And then they'll post overly dramatic and unrealistic depictions of hypothetical situations to further their fear mongering cause on the Murfreesboro Post."

Too wordy?

By: deelew on 7/12/09
This piece is a poor example of ridiculous scare tactic.

By: Intheboro on 8/3/09
To jg13,
Somehow I do not think that us "gun nuts" are actually the nuts at all. We are the well thought out citizens who believe in the Constitution and our right to bear arms. I am sure that if you get into a situation with someone trying to rape or rob you, you will welcome one of us "gun nuts" to come along and save you since you obviously do not own a firearm to protect yourself from criminals who tend to prey on people exactly like you. You may as well tattoo "Hey criminals, please attack me because I don't believe in defending myself but rely on luck that a cop may be near by to save me!"
I use the greenway quite frequently and agree with Aaron Ritchie, I have never seen a policemen anywhere near any part of the greenway trail. So you might want to reconsider your derogatory statements about us "gun nuts". And you are wrong in assuming only 3% of people are affected by this. Everyone who enters that trail with no thought to their protection from actual criminals are affected by this. Be careful, your liberal views are showing loud and clear with such an ignorant statement as to call gun owners "gun nuts." Look around the state you live in we are in Tennessee and 99% of us have grown up with guns and hunting for our food and being taught to protect ourselves just as our ancestors did. You might want to go back over your history book before spouting off opinions such as these.

By: cyclenut on 8/30/09
I am considering moving my family to Murfreesboro and near the Greenway as we are avid cyclists, but the reader input gives me pause for thought...is there actually a crime problem on the Greenway?

By: mikepirtle on 8/30/09
My daughter walks on the Greenway about five days a week.

My wife walks it frequently.

Neither has ever felt unsafe.