Park Service Knew World War II Veterans Would Be Locked Out

The National Review ^ | March 10, 2014 | Jillian Kay Melchior

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Department of the Interior knew beforehand that two groups of aging veterans would be visiting the World War II Memorial as the partial government shutdown began on Oct. 1 but decided to barricade the site anyway, according to e-mails obtained by National Review Online.

The newly released public records also show National Park Service employees busily monitoring the news for any bad publicity and making shutdown exceptions for their co-workers.

On Sept. 30, staff from the offices of Senator Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) and Representative Steven Palazzo (R., Miss.) contacted the Department of the Interior’s Office of Congressional Affairs, as well as the National Park Service’s Washington Office and at least one regional office.

Tom Buttry, a legislative correspondent in Harkin’s office, wrote on Sept. 30:

While I understand that these memorials have remained accessible to the public during past shutdowns (I’d imagine with the mall being so open, it’d probably [be] more manpower intensive to try to completely close them), I wanted to do my due diligence and make 100 percent sure that people could visit the outdoor memorials on the National Mall in the event of a shutdown.

The Department of the Interior and National Park Service decided instead to fully shut down the site, e-mails show.....

[2banana]

Barricade a 24/7 open memorial on the Washington Mall so that WWII vets could not visit it.

Reason #24432 how our government is out of control.

[reagandemocrat]

Of course they knew. Petulant Zero hates WWII veterans almost as much as he hates the Tea Party.

[Graewoulf]

Impeach POS Soetoro-Obama in 2014.

[Paine in the Neck]

[elcid1970]

So...Harkin the Vietnam era phony combat vet once again shows he has no shame.

[liberalh8ter]

Shame on these bastards. This lack of respect for our soldiers has got to stop. I think the thing that gets me the most is there is probably a very high probability that not one of these ingrates involved in the decision making here have any military experience whatsoever. These jackholes are fortunate enough to be employed yet have no appreciation for the people who make their employment possible. They should be dragged out to the nearest public square and flogged until they beg for forgiveness.

[blueunicorn6]

Think about it for a minute. These Democrats are so arrogant that they tried to keep WWII Veterans from their own Memorial. That is beyond arrogance. That truly is mental illness.

[LucyT]

Park Service Knew World War II Veterans Would Be Locked Out

Shameful event in U.S. History.

[mason-dixon]

NPS a VERY political department & a DISGRACE

[Jet Jaguar]

Active Duty/Retiree ping.

[azishot]

Yes, it was a shameful event. But people’s memories are |this long| and by the next election all will be forgotten. Not with me. I WON’T forget.

[spodefly]

“Public Servants” making it hurt when they don’t get their way ...

[MarkL]

The Obama regime was hoping for a redux of the Clinton administration's use of children crying at national parks, but it backfired when it turned out that WWII veterans and their supporters weren't going to be turned away, crying, from an open air "park" that Barky ordered closed, in order to hurt the veterans.

Mark

[Amagi]

Liberalism IS a mental disorder.