When the govt (legally) holds you hostage. Govt Shutdown related

Well this was just so insane on so many levels I just had to post it, so let's get the usuals outta the way...

Tourist Trap

The federal government shutdown and winter weather have forced the closure of all roads connecting Cooke City to the rest of the world and turned the gateway town into a literal tourist trap. Snowstorms have caused the National Park Service to keep the Beartooth Pass closed since Sept. 24, said Al Nash, Yellowstone National Park spokesman. The most recent storm dropped between 10 and 14 inches of snow, preventing road travel to the Chief Joseph Highway, which can be used as an alternate route out of Cooke City. And Yellowstone closed Tuesday because of a congressional budget impasse that caused the federal government to shut down. Locals can travel through along the still-plowed roads of the park to Gardiner with special stickers they apply for from the park. Tourists, however, are unable to traverse the stretch, barring a medical emergency. “We're trapped,” said Bill Anderson, of Wichita, Kan., one of about 15 tourists in Cooke City. “It's nuts.”

So which part of the *DERP* should we address first?

1. The right to "travel freely".

2. If in fact they can not "leave", are they in fact being "detained"? (A real life Tom Hanks "Terminal")

3. Have none of these ppl learned to LIE to leave town? (Medical Emergency)

4. Do the idiots that enforce this nonsense have no humanity?

5. Do these ppl have no cahonas, and say "Screw this", and just LEAVE?!

What would YOU do?


Now I realize that everyone on the internet is trained to kill, has special forces/SEARS training, and could EASILY get out of here no problem; but just for the sake of intellectual curiosity/honesty WHAT would you do if you were these people in this situation?

And for those nefarious types here on ATS, could these be another "Machiavellian perk" to see just how much the general public will put up with? (Like the Boston bombing shutdown?)

Enjoy the shutdown. (Who knew it was so literal?)

reply to post by schadenfreude


My first reply would be: "I have a belly ache, I need to go to the hospital now!"...but honestly...in these times...I don't know what I would do. I would be too afraid to give them a reason to lock me up or worse...shoot me for some unknown law that they say I broke.

I loved the movie Terminal. Amazing how something like that can happen!

I can't read the article without a subscription, but I would just leave. I don't know if they have barricaded the roads, but if they are closed and employees furloughed then there at least shouldn't be anyone to stop them. The more I read about the inane actions being taken because of this shutdown, the more I want to go out to our local national wildlife refuge, just because.

They have no right to prevent these people from returning to their homes.

reply to post by schadenfreude


I don.t know the area at all so I can't say... are there barriers? Toll booth things..some kinda obstacles but with a major snow storm I.d rather be safe than sorry getting stranded out in inclement weather is not for the smart ppl.

""Locals can travel through along the still-plowed roads of the park to Gardiner with special stickers they apply for from the park. Tourists, however, are unable to traverse the stretch, barring a medical emergency. "" If the park and it's services are shutdown, how can someone apply? Seems like they pointed in the wrong direction and asked you to look for evidence.

Antipathy17
If the park and it's services are shutdown, how can someone apply?

If it is shutdown who is there to check if they have a sticker?

Why dont more people just ignore authority?

Civil disobedience is proven effective. Especially when done in numbers and here we have multiple situations where large groups of people are obeying authority simply because it is authority.

There is no threat to person or property here. Just a bunch of sheep sitting on their hands.

We as free people really need to start ignoring authority. Dont fight it. Dont engage it head on. Just move around it like the insignificant speck of # it is.