America Goes Rogue: 9 Ways People Are Getting Around the Shutdown

While the government remains closed, citizens find access to parks and programs.

ByABC News
October 15, 2013, 2:32 AM
People rally at the World War II Memorial in Washington, Oct. 13, 2013.
People rally at the World War II Memorial in Washington, Oct. 13, 2013.
Alex Brandon/AP Photo

Oct. 15, 2013 -- intro: As America enters week three of the government shutdown of 2013, the country's patience is waning, and, from the Grand Canyon to Washington, D.C., people are embracing their rebellious sides.

This week, several national parks and monuments re-opened through state or local funding. And even some of those that didn't have had their barricades pushed aside.

Meanwhile, several private charities have stepped in to fill the void left by Congress to keep programs running.

Here's a look at how some of the end-runs around the shutdown over the last two weeks:

quicklist:title:Lady Liberty Shines Againtext: The Statue of Liberty re-opened this weekend after being closed for 12 consecutive days due to a lack of funding from the federal government.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced last Friday that New York State reached an agreement with the federal government to "fully fund the National Park Service personnel at the daily cost of $61,600 to keep Liberty Island National Park open to visitors as the federal government shutdown continues."

"Every day that Liberty Island is closed means we are losing visitors who would otherwise be spending at our local businesses -- not to mention the employees who maintain the park and have been forced out of work," Cuomo said in a statement. "As the shutdown continues, we cannot afford to lose the thousands of visits to the park each day. So while the dysfunction and gridlock in Washington, D.C., has failed to keep this important state asset open, New York is stepping up to take over this responsibility," the governor added.

New York State Senate Majority Coalition Co-Leader Dean G. Skelos outlined the historical significance of the landmark, and supported the governor's decision. "For years, the Statue of Liberty has stood as a powerful symbol of freedom and hope for millions of immigrants pursuing the American Dream," Skelos said. "I am proud to work with my partners in state government to ensure that the Statute of Liberty is re-opened to welcome tourists and new citizens, proving that even in the midst of this government shutdown in Washington, D.C., New York will continue to lead the way."

--Nicki Rossoll

quicklist:title:Grand Canyon: Open For Businesstext: Family vacations to the Grand Canyon are back on schedule this week, after the state of Arizona and the U.S. Department of the Interior decided to re-open the site on Friday.

Arizona will use state and local funds to pay $651,000 to the National Park Service and keep the Grand Canyon open for at least a week.

"Arizona is doing what it can to keep the Grand Canyon up and running, but we cannot pay the federal government's tab for long," Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement Friday.

"That said, I am proud to announce Grand Canyon will be open for business for the Columbus Day weekend," she added.

--Joan E. Greve

quicklist:title:Storming The Barricades: World War II Memorialtext:The D.C. monument that has quickly become a symbol of the government shutdown continues to draw visitors and protestors from all over the nation who refuse to let a barricade stop them from visiting the granite memorial at the foot of the reflecting pool on the National Mall.

Since the beginning of the shutdown, the World War II memorial has been a focal point for protests, originating with a group of 92 Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight Veterans who refused to let the shutdown inhibit them from visiting their memorial.