The White Knox

            While I typically agree with Rachel Maddows views, I felt her correction piece on the the White House break in to be drawn out and unenlightening. Rachel Maddows is a political TV and radio host with a doctorate in politics from Oxford University.  In this segment Mrs. Maddows provides a history of Omar Gonzalez (the intruders) prior incidences, involving illegal guns and bringing an axe on the grounds of the White House. Notification was given to the Secret Service of Mr. Gonzalez being a possible threat, but nothing originated from these claims. It has been stated that these reports are not taken lightly but they are certainly not an uncommon occurrences.

            She then goes on to give a play-by-play of the knifed intruders entry into the Presidents home. This explanation is given with 2 diagrams and the statement that the White House should be the most protected place in America. It is not and should not be the most heavily guarded place in America. What we protect says a lot to other countries values. Our most protected building is Fort Knox, which houses some of most prized treasures, lots of gold and documents.
           As stated in this NPR article the White House is a symbol of our nation, it is the peoples house and it is not heavily guarded. But do we truly want the house that represents our nation to look like Fort Knox. The fact that our Secret Service doesn’t shoot first and ask questions later is a good attribute, and one that may benefit local police officers to take into account. The White House is visited by thousands of tourist a day; electric fences and barbed wire may not be the best or wisest representation of our nations. Of course our president should be protected and innocents such as this one and the November 11th, 2011 shots at the White House should not be taken lightly. However, Mrs. Maddows focus on the how and provides little insight into solutions or how the Secret Service works. I also found the title “Shocking Security Lapses Imperil First Family” to be overly dramatic. The Obama’s were not in emendate danger and this was not the only security laps to have occurred in the presidents home over the centuries.