Armed Guard to Yellowstone Tourists: “You Can’t Recreate”

A group of Yellowstone National Park tourists felt the wrath of The Shutdown last week when their trip was interrupted by armed rangers.

The group of 41 senior citizens from around the world was scheduled to spent two nights at the Old Faithful Inn.  On Monday, they spent the day touring the area.

On Tuesday, they headed out for their second day of sightseeing in America’s oldest and most popular national park.

Gordon Hodgson, the tour director, pulled the bus over to let his group take pictures of a large herd of bison.  An armed park ranger pulled up behind them and ordered them to get back in their bus, saying they couldn’t “recreate” and could be charged with trespassing.

Hodgson, who paid a $300 fee the day before to bring the group into the park, argued that the seniors weren’t “recreating,” they were just taking photographs.

“The armed ranger said,  ‘Sir, you are recreating,’ and her tone became very aggressive,” said Pat Vaillancourt, one of the tourists in Hodgson’s group.

“She told me you need to return to your hotel and stay there,” Hodgson said. “This is just Gestapo tactics. We paid a lot to get in. All these people wanted to do was take some pictures. The national parks belong to the people.  This isn’t right.”

The group returned to the Old Faithful Inn.  The hotel is located adjacent to the Old Faithful geyser – which was, of course, blocked off by Barrycades.

According to Vaillancourt, armed rangers stayed at the door to the hotel.

“They looked like Hulk Hogans, armed. They told us you can’t go outside,” she said. “Some of the Asians who were on the tour said, ‘Oh my God, are we under arrest?’ They felt like they were criminals.”

Last week, World War II veterans attempted to visit their memorial in Washington D.C., only to find that Obama had issued an order to close the memorial and access would be forbidden.

Visitors to other national parks and memorials have experienced the same frustration and disappointment.

This is just more jackbooted thuggery from President Stompy Feet and The “Spite House”, and it looks like it isn’t going to end anytime soon.