Absurd Shutdown (FUBAR) Policy Blocks Veterans from Visiting the World War II Memorial

by Katie Nielsen, Heritage Foundation: In order to enforce the government shutdown, the National Park Service has fenced off the World War II Memorial and other public monuments in the nation’s capital—and threatened those who entered with arrest.

This meant that for the second day in a row, veterans were denied access to the memorial. So they took this bureaucratic absurdity into their own hands and knocked down the blockades.

(The Park Service has now reversed course and says that veterans can enter the world War II Memorial—but not other monuments.)

The Heritage Foundation’s Crystal Goodremote has rounded up reports about this absurdity:

Another day, another confrontation at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Yesterday, a group of veterans with Honor Flight were waiting to get into their memorial after police had blocked entry. Eventually, the group knocked down the barricades in front of the memorial.

Today, the Obama administration is continuing the shutdown and adding even more barricades.

Park police putting up new “closed” signs on #WWIIMemorial. Honor Flight rep says “we’ll get in.” pic.twitter.com/S7m752N8OF

— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) October 2, 2013

Live from the WWII memorial where park officials are setting up more gates and tape to block visitors pic.twitter.com/XkzBTWFMEE — Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) October 2, 2013

But the veterans, along with supporters aren’t planning on leaving anytime soon.

RT @LeoShane: Huge crowd at the #WWIImemorial, and the honor flight vets aren’t here yet. pic.twitter.com/cjDoMikNqM
— AllMilitaryNews (@AllMilitaryNews) October 2, 2013

As the first veterans arrived, they proved that the barricades are not strong enough to hold back America’s heroes.

First vet is here pic.twitter.com/OPBahzMJn5
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) October 2, 2013

And they’re in again. #WWIIMemorial #shutdown pic.twitter.com/S6IOwB1oCT
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) October 2, 2013

The saga is playing out in the shadow of the White House, which reportedly did nothing to assist the veterans.Prior to their visit yesterday, Representative Steven Palazoo’s (R-MS) office sent a request to the White House and the Department of the Interior about the World War II veterans, most of whom were traveling with Honor Flight Network. The Daily Caller reported Palazoo’s request was denied.

Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization that transports America’s veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit at their memorials.Do you think the men who risked their lives for our nation should be denied access to their memorials Not only to them but to their fellow comrades that died?
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Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA News Service: The World War II Memorial (open air) was built with donations. I donated, as did others, in the name of my fathers. Both my fathers and my father-in-law served in WWII. My birth father fought and received the Silver Star in the Battle of the Bulge. He later served a combat tour in Korea. My adopted father fought in many different campaigns in the South Pacific. My father-in-law served in the occupation forces of Japan. All of my uncles served in WWII. One of my grandmother was a civilian WWII prisoner-of war transport convoy commander. None of them lived to see the WWII Memorial.

It was estimated by the VA in 2007 that over a 1000 WWII veterans died each day. As of 2012, due to the declining number of WWII veterans, the estimated deaths was 690 per day with a million WWII vets still living -- almost all over 80 years old. An estimated 248,000 of that number died last year. Also, these very senior vets are are only able with assistance to make it just one time to the memorial before they pass on. The gamesmanship by the Obama administration in blocking an open air museum shows a lack of respect for both the military, our veterans, veterans families and those who funded the WWII Memorial. Is the Vietnam War Memorial Wall roped off? Time for rolling thunder to return to Washington, D.C.!  As a retired veteran, I must summarize the actions by the Obama administration over the closing of WWII memorial, other memorials and cemeteries as one massive FUBAR decision.

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