Thursday, October 17, 2013

The protests are over...


...the barricades are down, the park is open again, and it seems to be business as usual. It was a tough two weeks on local businesses and others who rely on the battlefield and the tourists to make a living.

Protests happened, complaints were filed, and grievances were aired. I'm
Not getting into the politics of what closed the government or the deal to re-open it, let's all try to put the closure behind us and move on. There was a lot of defiance and a lot of negative things said about the Park Service employees and how they did their job, but let's remember; if they wanted to keep their jobs they had to do what they were told. I'm sure they weren't happy about it and got no joy from it.

Much like the healing that was done after the Civil War, it's time for some healing of our own. If you're on the field and see rangers or other employees, thank them for doing their jobs. Don't criticize them for what happened. If you can't find something nice to say, please don't say anything at all.

It's autumn in Gettysburg. The heat is fading, the evening chill is in the air, and the leaves are turning beautiful colors. Remembrance Day is fast approaching, and with it will come the end of the 150th anniversary that we all couldn't wait for and hopefully enjoyed so much. Let's enjoy what is left of it! We owe it to those who made this battlefield what it is. Pettiness and partisan politics aside, let's honor the patriotism that allowed us to see this beautiful place.

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