Well, it's "Public Lands Day," which means you can get into your favorite national park for free. Newspapers across the country are heralding this rare event, but I find it hard to jump on the bandwagon.

Frankly, I wish they'd focus on the substantial issues the national park system is facing. More public pressure, such as that exhibited in Oregon and California that succeeded in derailing planned entrance fee increases for Crater Lake and Yosemite national parks, perhaps would get the folks we send to Washington to pay a little more attention to the park system.

And, really, isn't it a bit ironic that we have to have a "Public Lands Day" to gain free entry onto public lands our tax dollars supposedly support?