When I woke up this morning and read the news that the public was being barred from entering our national parks, I was more than a little bit irritated. I not only pay taxes for these parks, but I pay for my yearly membership to use them as well. I fish, hunt, hike and camp through and near these areas; so to find out the government will be locking and barricading the gates is more than infuriating.
Is this who we’ve become as a country? Have we become so subdued as a people that we now let the government tell us we can’t visit our own national parks?
As I sat here reading the news this morning, I wondered how we’ve allowed the government to take away so many of our freedoms. I wondered how this once great country has allowed a small group of bureaucrats to tell them they can’t enter our own God-given land just because some idiots in congress can’t figure out the budget.
I pay my taxes, I purchase my hunting and fishing license every year, I pay my fair share to take care of these parks. So if that means having to park outside the gates and hike in, that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.
After wondering if there was any hope left for this country, I read another article this morning that somewhat restored my faith.
WWII Vets Knock Over Barricades to Visit Memorial
After being told they could not enter the World War II Memorial, a group of World War II veterans knocked over the government’s barricades, refusing to let Congress or the President tell them they couldn’t honor the men and women who bravely fought and died for this country.
Leo Shane a Veterans Affairs reporter for Stars and Stripes documented what was happening this morning, via his twitter account, at the WWII Memorial.
Honor flight vets just knocked over the barriers at the WWII memorial to get inside, #shutdown or no. pic.twitter.com/T4bx8kvFYj
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) October 1, 2013
Tons of applause as the WWII vets from Miss. storm their memorial. Park police on the way. #shutdown pic.twitter.com/31UGU7MRry — Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) October 1, 2013
I had a vacation planned this week in Yosemite. At first I was mad as hell. I was sure I would have to cancel it. Then I read about how you will be hiking in, and about the vets in D.C. and realized these are our parks. To hell with the government and their roadblocks.
You go Joe! I am a camper…this wouldn’t stop me!
If the founders could see us now!
Welcome to …big brother …..
as much as i hate the idea of the parks denying entrance because the gov is shut down?? i have to give a thought that because there are no park workers, rangers or law enforcement present, of all the bad things that could happen. out of season hunting, unruly campers, auto accidents, lost hikers and injuries to many people. it might sound rather silly? but not all the people who go to, thru or utilize the parks are good people. tho i don’t believe they are all that great in numbers they could cause horrific damage and cause extreme danger to other. i live right next to the great smokey mountains nat park. i don’t even want to think of some jerk and his buddies playing rambo games and causing a forest fire because there are no patrols being done or no one to answer the door at the ranger stations.
The Government has plenty to cut before they cut these parks. Add up the food served in any one month and it will probably pay to keep the parks open. Let’s consider not using the airplanes for The congressmen. I know that would be enough. Take away all the plush things and reduce their salaries to nongovernmental workers. I am 55 and that would keep the parks open until I die. They are our servants, not our royals. They need to have an attitude adjustment and the budget would be easy to reduce, not just balanced.
The reason they are closing the parks first, is so that the dumdacrats can point and say, see what your fellow repubs have done.
Uh… no. Nice try, but your buddies on right did this in 1996 and lost their shirts because of it.
When the Republicans lose, the people lose. The Republicans are standing firm against the President exempting himself,
Congress, corporations, and his union buddies from Obamacare.
I am neither far right nor anything to the left, i try to read, watch and listen to as much media as i can, and make my own decision, it just happens to be as of now to te right,,,I make my decisons on what i think is best for my family now and future, and giving every baby a bill for several thousand dollars is not what is good for them,,,,we do not need obumblecare nor do we need big govt.
Now that we have more takers than makers in America i am glad to see somebody stand up to the dumdacraps and do what is right……..
There is no right and there is no left, just up or down, can’t you see that ??? What direction do you want to go, concentrate on that and let it be your guide…
why not get a few of your buds (not the drinking kind) and keep out the riffraff yourself, may as well start practicing for the future.
I agree with this 100%.. It’s high time we stepped up and showed our government that we can do this without their help. Too bad not everyone thinks this way though. Too busy sucking off the government teet.
new tee-shirt slogan,,GET OFF THE TEET
Not to mention “Lions and Tigers and Bears…Oh my!” Geez Louise, how did our ancesters ever live long enough for us to be here without the nanny govt taking care of them in case of “accidents and unruly campers. Get a grip, Echo!
What would happen if in the next elections all of us like minded people wrote in the name Smith for every open slot???????
I’m going to write in the name Common Sense the next time I vote.
I realize that the staff at parks is useful, but I also believe we could do with them if we HAD to. This statement assumes that hunters and hikers are all just bunch of rabblerousers that need “policing”, or that “lost hikers” are the governments problem. It’s time we think more independently and take care of ourselves. Common sense would go a long way. I don’t live in fear, and honestly have met many “strangers” in the woods that have never done me any harm and in fact have helped me. Even if the National parks are fully staffed, people generally help each other instead of relying on paid staff…because there just isn’t enough security to go around.
Freedom to Fascism! Welcome to “Big Corporate America” America.. and Obama was the perfect puppet to bring it to you!! Congrats!!
Dear Echo, What are you thinking? The people who will “storm the gates” of our national parks are people just like you. Mayhem is not on the agenda. When did this land of ours become a place where folks can not coexist without armed guards? Peace to you. This crunchy old hippie believes in the good of all people – love one another.
Cathy i bet you think the golden rule, is do onto others,,,,,well wake up the rule is he whom has the gold makes the rules,,,but i love your outlook smoke another one.
Sniper…I get your point. But sometimes those with Gold are good people. We have to support them if they wish to serve humanity and not themselves. In the end, those who serve others will not only be happier, but they will be the ones who are blessed. I guess I report to a higher authority. Oh and Im not high on anything but life!
I’m sorry you are right, but i see to many with the gold make the wrong rules that i forget about the few good ones.
Well the next thing will be the way they plan to control us! Read this article in Yahoo news,
Why the hottest new police car is a bomb-proof military SUV
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/why-hottest-police-car-bomb-proof-military-suv-184502872.html
Police are buying mine-resistant, ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles the Department of Defense to control us and take us all to the FAMA camps.
Henry if you read the article it says that the police departments are getting them for free, also that they are only getting a single SUV not a whole regiment of them. You’re simply over reacting
They are not BUYING the MRAPS…. the DoD is giving them away to LE agencies…the only cost involved is the cost of transporting them from Texas…that is, until they discover how maintenance heavy these vehicles are…
I wonder what park officials would do if several hundred citizens decided to go on in and enjoy their parks? All peaceful, mind you, but a strong show of our own awareness of how the Constitution is supposed to work as well as the public servants that are paid to maintain these parks. You’re absolutely right, there are countless ways of reducing the debt and having enough money for parks and all the other public services that should always be running. They only shut down the areas that will get the most attention, not the ones that show fiscal responsibility. When will we get adult supervision in D.C.?
I think what we should be concerned about is that these bastards in congress continue to get paid for not doing their jobs..they are always acting like children and not taking responsibility. corporations and big agriculture has taken control with their lobbyists. this is just a taste what will happen.
This has slowly been coming. The government wants to take away everyones “freedom of choice”, and tell us when, where, how & why we are “allowed” or “not allowed” to do something, go somewhere, eat, or even live for that matter.
Just because the government deems it unnecessary to fund the park staff — doesn’t mean they are not still our parks. They belong to the people and we have paid handsomely to conserve these lands for our use. I would like to see someone stop the masses from using their parks — even if it results in a Supreme Court test of the government’s right to exclude us from our lands.
I Agree that the parks belong to us but I would be worried about a protest or rally in the park to stand up to big government not for fear of what the government would do but for fear of all those people in the park at once. If you have ever cleaned up a stadium for any kind of event you would agree that people are dirty and they do not clean up after themselves. I would hate to see our parks in that manor.
How can the government keep its own citizens out of National Parks, but cannot keep illegal aliens out of of the country.
OMG- you hit the nail on the head with that one! Wish I could share that…oh wait, I just did!
that was an awesome remark.
I think its brilliant that this group of vetrans did what they did ,if they after paying thier taxes,serving thier country cannot pay their respects to fallen comrades (because of poloticians)?I live in England ,respect to those vets.
If it wasn’t a somewhat larger group of WWII veterans they probably would have been pepper sprayed, beaten and arrested.
My greatest respect for their action on this!
At least we still had a moment of liberty, but probably only due to the bad press it would receive if it went “in the usual way”.
I say we TAKE BACK our land! There are enough people willing, we can run them ourselves! We can collect the money and use the land. Research projects may have to be put on hold…but do we really need a robotic squirrel??
Maybe if we cleaned up after ourselves it would be easier. Since some of ‘us’ leave a trail of garbage in our wake, there are not the funds to clean up after us.
Litterbugs should be arrested and made to spend a few days picking up trash in parks and waterways,, we the people should be allowed to detain theese people untill local law can take them, do not need feds for this job.
I agree with Tina, I say we take back our land. We are being forced to back down by a small group of bureaucrats, who by the way will not change their way of living regardless of what laws are implemented. What is it going to take before we wake up. It’s almost to late right now, soon we will wake up and everything we believe in, or deserve will be taken from us.
Agenda 21
It’s just the beginning you see now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzEEgtOFFlM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3qW2XJZdSA
It all sounds ridiculous unless there is a serious threat of some kind in every park? Ha.
I had no idea the government could or would do something like this.
I doubt closed signs and a few roadblocks will discourage many…