Okay I might do that.  Keep in mind I come from Java which isn't using the getter/setter syntax of C# properties so it's not the way I automatically think.  If you don't have getter/setter properties, then using "protected" as your automatic default unless there's a reason to change it makes a lot of sense.  Denying subclasses the right to ever change the behavior is just as big of a decision as allowing everybody in the whole world to do so.