Vets sweep past gov't shutdown barricades at WWII memorial

[steve58]

What was meant to be a final gathering of heroes Tuesday instead became a final victory for dozens of World War II combat vets who refused to let the government's budget battle block a visit to their memorial in the nation's capital.

With bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace," nearly 200 veterans from Mississippi and Iowa swept past barricades and security guards at the World War II Memorial in Washington in order to keep a commitment to visit the site, which was closed today due to the partial government shutdown. The veterans, in their 80s and 90s, were accompanied by Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., a former Marine who earlier vowed not to let the National Park Police keep them from a planned visit to the open-air monument.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/01/greatest-generation-veterans-to-face-barricades-at-memorial-in-their-honor/

Good for them.  Instead of being met with barricades, they should have had an honor guard!

[bayonetbrant]

It's an open-air freaking memorial.  What are the police protecting?  Potential vandalism?  My money's on the vets, even if they are in their 80s.

[LongBlade]

It's an open-air freaking memorial.  What are the police protecting?  Potential vandalism?  My money's on the vets, even if they are in their 80s.

No kidding. It probably costs more to put up the barricades around the monuments to declare them closed than to let people come and go and post one guard for security.  ::)

[steve58]

...another link with some pics.

http://freebeacon.com/wwii-vets-knock-over-shutdown-barrier-to-visit-wwii-memorial/

[DoctorQuest]

It's an open-air freaking memorial.  What are the police protecting?  Potential vandalism?  My money's on the vets, even if they are in their 80s.

No kidding. It probably costs more to put up the barricades around the monuments to declare them closed than to let people come and go and post one guard for security.  ::)

Seriously...... GO VETS!!

[Gusington]

Awesome...keeping them from the memorial reminds me of trying to keep my Gramps from his scotch.

[Greybriar]

Government officials could use a good dose of common sense. Good for those World War II vets!

[steve58]

^The Citizens need a massive amount of tar and feathers methinks....

[Windigo]

like wtf? that would be like barricading a cenotaph up here.... it is open to the public like a fountain or a street lamp... sounds crazy... were they protecting it from a perceived vandalism threat or was this petulance?

[Gusington]

Mental flatulance.

[Staggerwing]

Somewhere in the Halls of the Fallen, members of the Bonus Expeditionary Force are looking on this operation with approval.

[DoctorQuest]

Somewhere in the Halls of the Fallen, members of the Bonus Expeditionary Force are looking on this operation with approval.

+1

[steve58]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/shutdown-overreach-more-guards-at-wwii-memorial-than-benghazi-park-service-closes-park-it-doesnt-run/article/2536710

At the World War II Memorial on The Mall in Washington, where veterans have been staging protests to keep it open, Washington Examiner's Charlie Spiering reports that at least seven officials were dispatched Wednesday morning to set up a ring of barricades to block tourists from the memorial. That is two more than the State Department had in Benghazi a year ago on the night of the terrorist attack that killed four, including the U.S. ambassador.

Glad to see The 0bama protecting the WWII Memorial from the vets it honors.....

[LongBlade]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/shutdown-overreach-more-guards-at-wwii-memorial-than-benghazi-park-service-closes-park-it-doesnt-run/article/2536710

At the World War II Memorial on The Mall in Washington, where veterans have been staging protests to keep it open, Washington Examiner's Charlie Spiering reports that at least seven officials were dispatched Wednesday morning to set up a ring of barricades to block tourists from the memorial. That is two more than the State Department had in Benghazi a year ago on the night of the terrorist attack that killed four, including the U.S. ambassador.

Glad to see The 0bama protecting the WWII Memorial from the vets it honors.....

Sheesh.

[Staggerwing]

Glad to see The 0bama protecting the WWII Memorial from the vets it honors.....

I saw what you did there.  :D

Reminds me of applying Nixon postage stamps on to one's letters crookedly.