Posted on 10/07/2013 2:30:40 AM PDT by markomalley
Many Americans crossed the barriers that were set this weekend by President Barack Obama’s deputies to block public access to the Potomac River from Virginia’s George Washington Memorial Parkway.
In many quiet acts of civil disobedience, Americans removed car barriers and cut police tape, or walked across barriers after parking on grass verges or in adjacent suburbs.
Once past the federal barriers, they were able to enjoy the bike paths, parkland and overlooks — on what singer Woody Guthrie described as “your land” — during the sunny, 80-degree weekend.
Still, the Obama administration blocked easy access to the river for many Americans, except for boat club members or property owners in the 22308 zip code, where riverside homes sell for at least $1.5 million.
The federal barriers were set along 20 miles of the parkway, starting at a government-built parking lot at President George Washington’s Mount Vernon home and continuing northwards to scenic overlooks in McLean, Va.
“I’ll take my chances,” said one man as he unloaded his two children on a grassy verge beside Roosevelt Island, just across from Washington’s Georgetown district.
But their day in the sun was darkened by a locked gate on the narrow bridge from the parkway to the island that celebrates President Teddy Roosevelt, who is widely regarded as the first presidential advocate for national parks.
Motorists who pushed through the barriers were applauded by other Americans.
“They’re right to do that,” a cyclist told The Daily Caller as motorists drove through an opened barrier at a private marina near the Belle Haven Country Club, located just south of Alexandria, Va.
Still, many citizens were stopped by the barriers. Some were blocked because they could not get their boat down the blockaded slips, and others because they were not willing to risk a parking ticket from patrolling police cars.
A family, complete with three kids and a speedboat, found themselves at a scenic overlook 300 feet above the northern end of the river because all the normal slips were blocked. They told TheDC that they would turn back south to search for an unguarded boat ramp.
In several places, Americans gathered together to park in large groups around knocked-aside barriers.
But their respect for the law prevented them from puncturing the water-filled plastic barriers — at least during daylight — that are too heavy to be shoved aside.
GOP governors have also pushed back.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker defied the federal edict, and cleared away barriers hindering Americans.
The state “has clarified areas where the federal procedures are over-reaching,” said an email from Cathy Stepp, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
In contrast, the administration’s progressive officials were unapologetic about their massive resistance to public access of the federal parks and memorials.
“Republicans are willing to vote funding to reopen national parks, museums, memorials, veterans’ payments and the D.C. government. Why is the White House against it?” one reporter asked White House press secretary Jay Carney on Wednesday.
“Because… It’s a gimmick and it is unsustainable and it’s not serious,” he insisted.
On Friday, Carney was unable to cite any actions taken by Obama to reduce the government’s blockade of parks or websites.
Jonathan Jarvis, the service director at the National Park Service, insisted Thursday he had no choice but to send officers out to close the parks, overlooks and parking lots because he had to furlough 21,000 park service officers.
“To meet the standard of protection for these places…I had to shut them down,” Jarvis declared in a C-Span “Washington Journal” interview.
Law enforcement officers were stationed around parks and monuments to deter Americans from walking on their government’s turf.
“We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can,” a park ranger told The Washington Times. “It’s disgusting.”
Vice President Joe Biden used a Thursday tweet to applauded a park official who patrolled the perimeter of the World War II monument.
“’I’m proud of you,’ VP called to tell the Park Ranger who was chastised by a GOP Rep today at the WWII Memorial,” said the tweet.
The monument was built to applaud the Americans who destroyed Germany’s Nazi regime and Japan’s militaristic empire.
On the southern end of the riverside parkway, several small overlooks remained blocked by plastic fences, and the Civil War-era Fort Hunt Park was padlocked.
At Roosevelt Island, officials replaced at least one set of lightweight barriers that were visible Saturday with heavy, water-filled barriers that fully blocked the parking lot on Sunday.
On Sunday, just north of Ronald Reagan airport, a police officer parked himself in the road to deter more Americans from joining about 40 trucks, family vans and SUVs that were parked on the grass beside Gravelly Point field. The cop tried to chase away additional autos, but none of the autos parked on the verge showed parking tickets.
TheDC, however, did find a parking ticket on an auto that was parked behind the ersatz gates of a government-owned lot at Mount Vernon, the home of the nation’s first American president.
He simply must engage the New Black Panthers (his new civilian force) to secure these sites!
(do I really need to say '/sarc'?)
To paraphrase Woody Guthrie:
As I went walking that Golden Highway
I saw a sign said, “Federal Property”
But on the othe side, it didn’t say nothin’
This land was made for you and me.
So far, the American people have been taking well mannered, largely individual actions. There needs to be peaceful group civil disobedience with camera crews in attendance. Groups need to take down these barriers and enter the war memorials and other public sites and ask the Park Service rangers if they serve the American people or the tyrant. The Obama foot soldiers must be forced to publically decide who they serve. A wide spread ranger flu is also in order to stop Obama’s machine.
A manager once warned me to never create a rule I knew would be universally ignored. (He was talking about a company rule against smoking anywhere on the campus.) Your power, he said, is only in the minds of those you lead. Once they all decide to ignore you on one thing what makes you think they’ll obey you on anything else?
Obama has now created a rule so dumb that it is universally ignored. His power in all things is now called into question.
I keep paying taxes - as do most people - until that shuts down - then, yes- keep walking pass the barriers.
This self-appointed king thinks he can tax us and keep us out - he’s wrong!
I think more and more people fully understand THE MISTAKE that will be known as Obama!
Vice President Joe Biden used a Thursday tweet to applauded a park official who patrolled the perimeter of the World War II monument.
“’I’m proud of you,’ VP called to tell the Park Ranger who was chastised by a GOP Rep today at the WWII Memorial,” said the tweet.
Thus spake The Trashcan Man.
...so are Democrats. All of them.
I think that if SloJoe Biden said he was proud of me I would immediately have myself cloistered in sackcloth for the duration.
I have this creepy suspicion that if you poked him with your finger, flies and roaches would spill out.
Yeah, he was a commie who, among other things, wrote some good songs about America and Americans.
I knew Obama could bring Americans together.
Go to DC or your nearest Fed park and congregate. Demand attention, use services, disrupt & co-opt.
Be sure to fill up the normally unmanned but now armed closed lots and scenic pullovers where cars are being given $95 tickets for illegal parking and evading a police roadblock.
Yes, and heave those barackades down the overlook, so the mounties have something to do (recover barackades) rather than block access.
The Commies are testing the waters with all these “closures.” It will be interesting to see how far they’re willing to push it, and how far people will push back.
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