Time was, your First Amendment rights were understood to be in force 24/7/365. Today, apparently, you have to declare them in force before they will be recognized:
[National Park Service Director Jonathan] Jarvis responded that, while he was required by the Anti-Deficiency Act to close all parks and memorials, any veterans who wanted to enter the war memorials could have done so if they had “declared” they were there to exercise their First Amendment rights.
Really. Really?
I guess Mr. Jarvis and his park service officers were just following orders. Someone ought to remind them how well that defense went over at Nuremburg. What’s next? Requiring permits for three or more people to “freely” assemble?
Shit’s getting real, all right.