Yesterday, four busloads of World War Two veterans arrived at Washington D.C.'s WWII memorial. For some, the journey had been a difficult one. Their trip was long, all were elderly, many were wheelchair bound, and as they arrived at their destination, they were greeted by an unpleasant sight.
Barricades had been erected around the park, each bearing a sign that read "Because of the Federal Government Shutdown All National Parks Are Closed."
One veteran shouted that “We didn’t come this far not to get in!”
With that, they ignored the warnings of National Park Police and began shoving the fences aside. Approximately 90 veterans poured into the facility while the authorities tried to contact their superiors for instructions on how to deal with the uprising. Eventually, they gave up and stood aside. The vets were allowed to tour the memorial at their leisure, while other tourists were told that the installation had been closed.
During a press conference, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) told reporters “I know that today we have Honor Flight veterans flying into Washington to come and enjoy the memorials here, I’m told that they are at the World War II memorial site, regardless of the barriers.”
Throughout the day, more busses arrived from multiple states, and more American heroes poured into the park.
Several Republican congressmen helped remove the barriers, including Rep. Steven Palazzo, Rep. Louie Gohmert, and Rep. Michele Bachmann. Even Pete King was on hand, reportedly distracting Park Police while veterans entered with their families.
All we can say is "good for them." If Hitler couldn't keep them out of Europe, what chance do a few measly park guards have? As always, if Harry Reid and his allies in the Senate would simply pass any of the multiple CR's - or even show up to negotiate - none of this would be necessary.
