Time to clean out the National Park Service.
Politics Cited in Yellow Ribbon Removal
Fox News
WEST BRANCH, Iowa — Yellow ribbons tied around utility poles to welcome soldiers home from Iraq were removed by the National Park Service (search), which says they are a political statement.
About a dozen ribbons were posted along a park service-owned street that runs through the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (search), where his presidential library, birthplace and gravesite are all located.
A resident who was involved in placing about 40 ribbons around town Tuesday said she cannot understand the objection.
"We wanted to let the troops know that we are welcoming them home," Sandy West said. "I was very disappointed in a government organization that wouldn't even support the kids."
The park service gave the same reason in December when West and relatives of soldiers tried to post ribbons for a soldier who was coming home on furlough.
"If we were to just allow that, by default, we are taking a political stance, whether we want to or not," said Neil Korsmo, chief ranger at the site.
The Hoover site has a designated free-speech area (search), as do other park service sites, Korsmo said. West said if she had known that, she would have posted the ribbons there.
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