It was big news, apparently, when a group of people decided that they would defy the closing of Gettysburg National Military Park and walk across the battlefield this morning. Here’s one image from the newspaper coverage of the event:
A real feel-good moment, right? Well, for these folks, it was.
Indeed, we’d see the two gentlemen standing just above the “Do Not Enter” sign just a little bit later, when someone chose to post this:
As those of you who have been to this place on Little Round Top know, you aren’t supposed to stand on the rock where the Warren monument is located. Nor does it help that it’s a wet day. Having been on Little Round Top during just such weather, I know that it can get slippery (although I’ve never slipped, I have seen others slip, and a few people take bad tumbles).
This image ignited quite the conversation on Facebook (sorry, folks, if you don’t have a FB account and can’t link to it, that’s your choice). Here’s a taste of it:
and …
and …
Where do you stand (so to speak)?
Crossroads 
Can you imagine if liberal/leftist/anti-war/government protesters tried to take away national parks barriers, stand on national monuments, and show up at all some of these things armed with guns?
How many arrests? How much tear-gas?
Rules are rules 🙂 Mr. Smith takes his job seriously, which is what he should be doing. One does not climb on monuments – regardless of who one is.
Proof positive that Tea Partiers aren’t patriots.
How does being a member of the Tea Party make one less of an American Patriot?
A rock is not a monument!!! God put that there!!!
Well, some would also say God put General Warren there, but the rock is now the base of the monument. A plaque is affixed to the west front of the rock dedicating the monument.
At least we can agree that most of the people were in their rights to be walking through the park today. Good for them. However, it’s right to point out that destroying our national treasures is wrong.
You can’t stand on Chimney Rock out in Nebraska either folks.
The deomography of the pictures says it all.
What do the demographics of those photos say to us?
Entitled
What demographics would not have been entitled if their photos had appeared in these photographs?
I honor veterans’ service as much as anyone, but where did this idea develop that veterans are exempt from laws and regulations of general applicability? What next? Riding ATVs on the Pickett’s Charge field?
I fear that some veterans are letting themselves be used by those who wish to evade responsibility for the government shutdown. If the contingency plan for the NPS is fully implemented, approximately 87% of NPS personnel have been furloughed. If the veterans want the parks to be open, then I suggest that instead of letting those who brought about the shutdown lead them in marching, send those politicians to do their jobs and fund the normal operations of the government.
The rock is now part of the monument, genius – regardless of who or what put it there.
Here is a good article on wear & tear on monuments from several years ago:
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/livingtravel/932268-224/all-must-preserve-our-civil-war-battlefields.html
It boils down to this. Why don’t they allow reenactments on National Park Sites? Because of the liability. Quite frankly these idiots had NO business up on this rock. As has been pointed out, what if they fell? Oh sure, you could say they took a chance on their own by going out there, but I’m sure any decent lawyer looking to hit the government for millions could argue otherwise. The rules & signs are there for a reason. I agreed with the march until this moment & the way these people went after this guy made me lose all respect for these folks.
Then of course there are the monuments on Little Round Top (NY) and elsewhere on the field (PA) built specifically to “interact” with visitors. Climb on those all you want but stay off of Warren.
The amount of erosion and damage on LRT just from normal tourist traffic is pretty significant. Climbing on the monuments is ultimately, a pretty damn selfish act. Pity.
Having been away from the media on travels for the last 36 hours, I found the following article informative on this issue http://news.yahoo.com/defying-government-shutdown-national-park-visitors-play-catch-213527587.html Personally, I would urge any citizens who are sufficiently motivated by this particular issue of the government shutdown to specifically protest for the reopening of the national parks and the payment of back pay to NPS employees.
While many of the postings from commercial and social media on the subject of the government shutdown seem to be intended to provide pertinent information, it seems that far too many commenters seem to react to them more as a Rorschach test. Their reactions reveal their present state of mind or level of consciousness, exhibiting a reflexive, emotional reaction, rather than any degree of higher order thinking, much less any degree of human compassion. The levels of fear and anger shown do nothing to honor the generations of our ancestors who persevered through much more trying times than these to establish a nation which we now have the obligation to maintain, and hopefully improve.
Look at the flagger at the White House today http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/images-from-todays-protests-in-washington-that-show-why-t
The right’s Confederate flag conspiracy theories http://www.salon.com/2013/10/14/the_rights_confederate_flag_conspiracy_theories/
I honestly think this was set up by Ted Cruz and friends to help the appeal for his presidential nomination.
Oh, and BTW, One People’s Project filmed this today at Valley Forge where a crowd of “Oath Keepers” strung up a gadsden flag :
What is with these nutty types and flag fetishes?
“PATRIOT, n. One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors.
PATRIOTISM, n. Combustible rubbish read to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.
In Dr. Johnson’s famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first.”
Both from Ambrose Bierce, of course. He had such a way of getting to the heart of the matter about such things. I shudder to think the invective he would summon now about such a idiotic situation.
Chris
I wonder if the “journalists” covering this checked to see whether or not any of the people they interviewed were veterans, especially combat veterans. BTW, one of the leaders of the march, Sen. Mike Lee did not serve in the military http://www.rollcall.com/members/31682.html and, except for a years in private practice, has spent most of his career as a governmental employee in state and federal government. http://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/about-mike. Ted Cruz never served either.
I have a semi-serious question for the leaders of this “movement” – in the event of a slip-and-fall at a public facility, even one that is posted closed for whatever reason, there’s always a question of liability. Given that the USG has the deepest pockets around, some attorney will file the case, and the court system and the defendants will have to deal with it.
Be nice if someone would ask the legislators arguing for these facilities to be open sans staff are willing to assume the liability themselves, rather than expect the taxpayer to foot the bill.
Best,