The National Park Service has closed its operations while the government shuts down much of its operations.

And we all know what that mean for tourists who spend time and money getting to these places of interest.

While waiting this morning at the VA hospital eye clinic to have my pupils dilated, I caught an item on the Fox News Channel that highlighted the plight. A group of World War II veterans was turned away initially from the World War II Memorial on the D.C. Mall, but then the vets essentially marched through the yellow police tape to pay their respects at the memorial built in their honor and in the memory of those who fell during that great conflict.

They had gone to Washington on one of those Honor Flights, which fly veterans to the nation’s capital to tour these sites. America Supports You-Texas — once run by Amarillo resident Jack Barnes — has been a huge participant in these events, for example.

Well, Fox News talking heads sought to lay the blame for the park closure on Senate Democrats and President Obama, ignoring one key element in this discussion — which is House Republicans’ fetish that seeks to get rid of a standing law, the Affordable Care Act.

Aside from who’s to blame for this, the impact of the park closures is real. It is a true-blue shame that veterans who have flown from across the country to visit this particular memorial were told they couldn’t pay their respects.

I suspect there will be plenty more outrage expressed at all sides in this tumultuous debate. They’d better get ready for some serious blowback.