Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, the American government has stopped funding many of its projects and programs, from halting sexual assault investigations to preventing children from attending Head Start early education. But none has caused quite the stir as the closing of National Parks.

From the war memorials in Washington D.C. to the Grand Canyon, national parks are being closed all over the nation. Workers at the parks were told Tuesday to rope off these federal monuments and prevent the entry of any member of the public. Entrances were barricaded and unsuspecting visitors were met with signs from the U.S. Department of the Interior saying, “Because of government SHUTDOWN, all National Parks are CLOSED.”

But on the second day of the shutdown, Republican Congress members began personally advocating for the parks to stay open – and for veterans to be able to visit the monuments despite the shutdown.

Michele Bachmann took time to lead veterans past the barricades at the World War II Memorial in Washington, posting a picture on Twitter and writing, “Tremendous honor to meet these WWII veterans and help them gain access to their memorial.”

Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus offered to set aside Republican Party funds for five security guards to be stationed at the memorial in order to keep it open for visitors. “The Obama administration has decided they want to make the government shutdown as painful as possible, even taking the unnecessary step of keeping the Greatest Generation away from a monument built in their honor,” Priebus said.

“That’s not right, and it’s not fair.”

But what really is not fair is the fact that these Republicans are protesting the effects of a bill that they had the power to change.

The 330 employees who work at the National Mall in D.C. are not furloughed because they have a personal feud with war veterans. They were forced to close the parks because members of Congress were willing to shut down the government, rather than allow the Affordable Care Act to be enacted.

Republicans have taken this opportunity to rally behind veterans, shouting that of all people, American service members should have the right to visit the memorials to the wars in which they participated.

On Thursday morning, Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Texas confronted a park ranger outside of the World War II memorial who was preventing citizens from visiting the monument.

“How do you look at them and…deny them access?” Neugebauer asked her. “The Park Service should be ashamed of themselves.”

Neugebauer voted, along with the majority of his fellow Congress members, for the budget measure which set up the government shutdown.

The park ranger was merely complying with federal law demanding the park’s closure. She was doing her job, because the congressman did not do his.

Republicans like Bachmann and Neugebauer are acting as champions for veterans in an effort to make the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress look unpatriotic while distracting the American people from reality. Americans cannot fall for this media stunt.

It is completely deplorable to think that Congress members are shaming federal employees for carrying out their federally mandated duties. These workers did not choose for this to happen, nor did they have a voice in the decision. They are simply complying with the ruling of Congress.

Republicans need to stop shaming others for doing their jobs and start taking ownership for the consequences of the shutdown which they helped enable.