Posted on 10/15/2013 3:44:35 PM PDT by llevrok
PORT ANGELES, WASH. — People who pulled into a ranger station at Olympic National Park over the weekend were given $125 tickets for "violation of closure" — entering the park during the government shutdown.
Three of the cars were a group of international students from Peninsula College led by host Kelly Sanders, a teacher from Port Angeles, the Peninsula Daily News reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1bU12WZ ).
They pulled off Highway 101 at Lake Crescent, got out and posed for a picture behind the Storm King Ranger Station when Ranger Jennifer Jackson pulled up and wrote all three drivers tickets. Each carries the $125 fine.
The students from Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China were puzzled, Sanders said.
"I didn't know how to explain it to them because I can't really understand why all this happened myself," Sanders said Monday.
"I know they were surprised that we would get a ticket for trying to go for a hike."
The driveway into the Storm King lot was partially blocked by orange road cones and a sandwich board with a sign stuck to it with duct tape reading, "Because of the federal government shutdown, this National Park Service facility is closed," Sanders said.
"It was a really wide opening —wide enough I could get my car through easily," said Leanne Potts of Sequim, who also received a $125 citation from Jackson.
Potts set out that morning for a hike up the Mount Storm King Trail with her friend, Laura Clemons.
"If I knew I was going to get a ticket, I probably wouldn't have gone in there," she said.
Both Potts and Sanders were confused by the wording on the sign.
"When I think of facilities, I think of buildings or bathrooms or features or something," Potts said.
"I just assumed that it meant the bathrooms were closed, not that I would be breaking the law," Sanders said.
Ranger Jackson was sympathetic and said she wasn't being paid during the shutdown.
"She said she was just doing her job," Sanders said of Jackson. "I understand that she thought that was her job. It just seemed a little excessive."
"She did say, 'Feel free to complain. We welcome your complaints,'" Potts said.
That song is outstanding.
Now to get some little kids to sing it by the parking lot barriers. Put it on You Tube, it would go viral....
As I understand it, people who went to the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania, also got tickets. What is infuriating about this is that, like the WW2 Memorial, these are built from private donations! It is beyond infuriating that the NPS seems to be so happy to bow to the Emperor. Just plain MAD!
LOL.... Usually that is held in P.A. Fortunately, that happens only once a year.
The NPS must be tremendously overfunded. Their appropriations need to be drastically reduced and this agency needs to be forbidden from acquiring any more sites.
Next time tell the Stormtrooper that you are an Illegal Alien exercising your First Amendment Rights.
The one on the right looks like Big Sis.
Agreed.
The last time I was in the Excited States for any length of time was in ‘99-2000. Travelling throughout the South-West, I was amazed that so many park rangers and other government employees were armed(and dangerous). I spent a lot of time travelling and camping in the high country.
Except in elk season, very few civilian pick-ups had rear window racks displaying rifles; back home in the Peace River country in Canada, a far greater percentage of trucks display fire-arms.
OTOH, US Government employees of all kinds and state(esp. Colorado) employees were armed to the teeth.
It’s only gone downhill since.
Oh yes - lest we forget...
That creature of the state Ranger Jennifer Jackson should have her dreams disturbed by visions of “Heads On Pikes”.
The “public servant” park rangers are nobamanazis. They should never be forgiven. Tyrants...quislings...vichey...
I’ll bet all your armed National Socialists, Obama adherents...will turn out to be Rainbow people...just like this muncher.
See ya'll on the Group W bench.
It's Pat Intro
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=it%27s+pat+snl+skit&qs=VI&form=VBREQY&pq=it%27s+pat&sc=3-8&sp=3&sk=VI2#view=detail&mid=CB5EB242A89326FBB2FFCB5EB242A89326FBB2FF
....and disturbing the peace.
Is its name Butch?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.