Free Republic

Folks who live in the Great Smoky Mountains have just about reached their breaking point with the federal government. “It’s almost like they are pushing to see how far they can push before the American people say enough is enough,” said Ed Mitchell, the mayor of Blount County, Tenn. “We were founded on a declaration of independence. And they are about to push the people to the line again.” Nearly a third of Blount County is inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So when the federal government shut down the park, it also shut down one of the area’s...

<p>The Monitor in McAllen (http://bit.ly/1huO8fh ) reported Sunday that County Commissioner David Garza said no federal money is spent on staffing, managing or maintaining the park. However, he was reluctant to question the federal authorities' decision.</p> <p>"We don't want to get into a fight with the federal government at this time," he said.</p>

Whatever the perceived shortcomings of Ted Cruz and his hardy band of stalwarts, they've performed a remarkable public service by highlighting the fate that awaits all who rub wrongly the translucently thin skin of King Barack the Petulant. The Spartans may have had their shields, Native Americans their tomahawks and arrows, the Samurai may have wielded his sword with all the deadly grace of a tiger in mid-attack, but pound for pound, nothing comes close to the audacious stupidity of "Barrycades" and people in pointy little Smokey the Bear hats, poised to protect America's monuments from law-abiding citizens Welcome to...

WASHINGTON, DC - So far, the National Park Police don't seem to be targeting visitors jumping over barricades to see the monuments or use federal parks. But violators could technically be ticketed and fined $50. Fox 5 found many out-of-town tourists ignoring signs that say parks and attractions are closed. Dozens of locals who normally play beach volleyball in a section of West Potomac Park were there enjoying the weather and some games this afternoon. Some didn't realize the park was closed. Others aware of the government shutdown thought a $50 fine was too steep. We called the Park Police...

During the Government Shutdown, the National Park Service Police are the first defense against society collapsing under the onslaught of tourists and World War II veterans overwhelming the Barry-cades at our most precious national monuments. These are their stories.

Tax-paying, hard-working families aren’t letting White House shutdown politics stop them from enjoying America’s beauty. They’re defying the orange cones at Mount Rushmore. They’re breaching the barrycades at Zion National Park. And now, the Badlands of South Dakota. Noelle Bruno tweets that she and her family made it through Mount Rushmore despite the White House obstacles:

Evil Thought of the Day: If the Park Service is evicting residents from homes built on Federal Park lands. . . . . . .isn't the White House on National Park Land. Under Equal Protection Under Law, shouldn't the Obama's be evicted, too ??? Not that it will happen, as Some Animals are More Equal than Others. but. . .

Washington’s grown a bit nastier and colder since the last government shutdown, and the casualties of the partisan fight are the family memories lost from being denied access to public landmarks that are supposed to belong to the people. The government doesn’t see it that way anymore – it’s all just a “damn game” and the folks running the Capitol are just toying with the American people. That’s right – public memorials, monuments and parks remained open under President Clinton and the Republican Congress in 1995/96, causing one to wonder how much inconvenience and financial hardship this partial government shutdown...

Local organization finds way to allow visitors to experience memorial "It's sad. A lot of people are coming over and expressing their disappointment on not being able to view the memorial or walk on it," said Mike Carr, president and COO of the USS Missouri Memorial Association.

Signs like this are being posted by union thugs. Government workers are instructed to "make life as difficult for people as we can" and these signs are used to assign the blame. What is the correct message that should be on the sign? If you are going to one of these Unnecessary Shutdown sites, please consider posting the corrected signage. The "official" signs appear to be durable materials and have official logos and department letterhead. If there is not a thug around, you might tape your message onto the sign under their letterhead. Remember, almost everything you do in life...

The government shutdown is being felt close to home for some locals. They say they're being forced out of private homes on Lake Mead because they sit on federal land. Joyce Spencer is 77-years-old and her husband Ralph is 80. They've been spending most of their time in the family ice cream store since going home isn't an option. The Spencers never expected to be forced out of their Lake Mead home, which they've owned since the 70s, but on Thursday, a park ranger said they had 24 hours to get out. "I had to go to town today and...

George Washington’s home – Mt. Vernon, sustained a direct attack from the Obama Administration today. Mt. Vernon just became the latest victim of the government shutdown, reports The Daily Caller. The home of America’s first President is privately owned and operated by the Mt. Vernon Ladies’ Association, reports The Free Beacon. Since the home itself isn’t run by the National Park Service, the house couldn’t be justifiably closed. However, the parking lot area and the trails surrounding the home are technically owned by the government. Today, the Feds decided to close the bike/walking trails and barricade the parking lot. They...

First reported by the Washington Free Beacon Wednesday, Fox News' On the Record reported Thursday on the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, which sits on federal land and was forced to close by the National Parks Service until Congress again funds the government. The government provides no resources for the farm's maintenance or operation.

The Pisgah Inn, a private hotel that holds a concession on the Blue Ridge Parkway, has become a national sensation as it defies "intimidation" and a National Park Service order to close its doors. After a tumultuous few days, inn owner Bruce O'Connell told The Washington Times on Friday morning that he had just reopened his doors for customers, despite the park service telling him he had to shut down. He says he's essentially private property, on a road that's still open, and uses no government personnel, so he sees no reason to quit operating

Park ranger breaks down "sometimes you just want to punch these congressmen in the face."Park ranger "you know who was moving these barricades in the first place? The damn congressmen."

Government watchdog Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get to the bottom of the National Park Service’s actions at the World War II Memorial in Washington this week. The NPS has barricaded the memorial and on Tuesday tried to prevent veterans from visiting the memorial, which has no amenities and is normally open to the public at all times. The National Park service has closed facilities that are either unmanned or take no federal funding, and says that the Obama administration ordered the shutdown. Anna Eberly, managing director of the Claude Moore Colonial Farm in...

The National Park Service has ordered the closure of a Virginia park that sits on federal land, even though the government provides no resources for its maintenance or operation. The Claude Moore Colonial Farm announced on Wednesday that NPS has ordered it to suspend operations until Congress agrees to a deal to fund the federal government. According to Anna Eberly, managing director of the farm, NPS sent law enforcement agents to the park on Tuesday evening to remove staff and volunteers from the property. “You do have to wonder about the wisdom of an organization that would use staff they...

Come again? There are two elements in the title of this post that don’t compute. One is the phrase “Islam's contributions to women's rights.” We’ll return to this shortly. The second is the proposition “National Park Service produces videos praising Islam's contributions.” How exactly is it within the purview of the National Park Service to praise — or even condemn — a religion? At least you can rest easy in the knowledge that your tax dollars are paying for these videos

On Sunday, a stunned audience sat in silence as Doris Kearns Goodwin turned the keynote address at the opening ceremony for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg into a political lecture focusing on women's and gay rights. Missing from much of her keynote: Gettysburg.

150 years ago, the fields and forests near Murfreesboro saw one of the bloodiest and most important battles of the American Civil War. Join park rangers and volunteers for a variety of programs that tell the story of this tragic event that affected the lives of thousands and continues to affect our lives today.