This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I recently returned to America after spending the past year living in England, and reading the updated reports of Omar J. Gonzalez's successful jump of the fence and subsequent security breaches is almost laughable. The fence is "jumpable"? The President of the United States is one of the most powerful men in the world. Shouldn't we be doing everything in our power to keep him safe? How about a higher and more protective fence? Props to Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz for voicing his outrage.
Historically, the White House was known to be a more accessible place of official residence than many European countries like England, but times have changed, and I think it is time we step up our game. We could double the height and it would still not compare to the one in London protecting the Royal Family. The fence around Buckingham Palace is 19 feet tall and electric in some places, the fence at the White House is a mere 7.5 feet! I'm not suggesting the fence is the only issue, but my hope is that we will start to take more take serious notice of intrusions and better secure the White House.
Andria Hall
Logan