danchoe
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Recently visited the Whiskey Hotel in Washington DC and walked the perimeter around the White House. I'm working on a media project - I'm self funded so ignore that logo
I was here last year and was able to view the Whiskey Hotel from Pennsylvania Ave. But this time around, the perimeter of the White House has been altered dramatically - expanded and enforced with solid white anti-climbing walls. It is a dramatic change, but certainly not the first.
Since 1808 presidents have altered the White House grounds to offer greater protection inspired by foreign wars, assassination attempts, foreign attacks and civil unrest.
We were testing the wall for weaknesses, systematically, never poking and prodding in the same place twice..
And yes we got questioned by the Secret Service..
But they were cool.
They didn't let us fly our drone to get an aerial shot of the walls.
But that was no surprise.
Historically there has been expansions to the perimeter but this one feels significant since it's occluding our view of the White House. I'm hopeful these walls will come down and Pennsylvania Ave will be accessible.
I been pondering since I visited: do walls separating government leaders from their constituents influence how the former view and represent the latter?
My background is in game development but my ongoing research is in media behavior and analytics. Decided to share some stuff with you guys. Been lurking for some time. Thanks - you all have been my number #1 source of memes since I been working from home :)
charizard84
Was this in response to the planned 50 day protest at the White House (cancelled) or an indication of trust between the government / people?
SpartaNjsa
Do some research next time, the perimeter upgrade and expansion has been in the works since July 2016, and started in 2019.
HereIsThere
I looked at the first wall as, like, a tasteful fence for keeping dogs in or something.
PorneliusHubertII
That last pic looks like the opening scene from The Division 2.
SocoFox
Other Presidents: War, Terrorism. Trump: Black people are yelling.
lysani
The current wall project being done at the WH was started while Obama was in office.
spiceass9000
It’s funny how basically every president that made changes after ww2 was a cunt
HerrFraeulein
Smug German cunt here, this is our chancellery:
HerrFraeulein
20 metres to the right you can walk up and touch the building.
Chumbawhumba
Well, he did say he was gonna build a wall
ShieldAnvil1
2 things The Commission of Fine Arts approved concepts for a new White House fence proposed by the National Park Service and the 1/2
ShieldAnvil1
United States Secret Service back in 2016. 2nd the border already extended to e nw st. Lets not make things up to be inflammatory. 2/2
whooshby
My husband is from Iraq. He often comments how amazing it is how we have access to government officials, even mayors.
friedmarmalade
So this is the wall Trump was talking about.
DonnaNobleInTheLibrary
@op "had ... was removed"?
danchoe
alexanderbpetit9
As someone who is colorblind I could barely see the red lines outlining it on the gray maybe something to consider for future graphics
danchoe
Great feedback. I'll focus on contrasting values in the future. Sorry about that!
alexanderbpetit9
No worries. I stared at it for like a whole minute wondering if you forgot to draw the outlines. I zoomed and squinted and was like oooooohh
cbcd
So Trump did build a wall, just not the wall we expected?
hirosjimma
@OP could you redo this post to include historic pics or drawings of the types of walls used? I think that would really add to the context.
hirosjimma
Also, thanks! Really informative, didn't know the perimeter was THAT big and that he expanded it by so much.
Skizzlesnap
I once was part of a crew working on a cell site on a hotel across the street. We had secret service escorts and only 3 men were allowed...
Skizzlesnap
...on the roof at one time or according to the SS, we would be shot. Once up there we noticed that we looked down on the WH roof and also...
Skizzlesnap
...noticed the multiple sniper teams, one trained on us while working the entire time. Kind of scary.
sqabbit
Used to be able to knock on the front door and ask to speak to the president
thornedrose27
This is supposed to be the peoples house. Not all people are mentally balanced, so there needs to be security. But....
thornedrose27
The current occupant is such a coward on so many levels. He needs his bunker. In other countries you see this separation.....
thornedrose27
Hi walls around acres of grounds. But in those countries they identify the living areas as: "the queen's main home" or ...
thornedrose27
"the prince's palace". The White House is a temporary residence for a elected public servant. No freakin' walls......
pokepoketopa
To be fair, the weapons of war (and potential assassins) has changed a lot since 1776
JeevesMark
He did promise to build a wall, didn’t he? :)
AimlessSavant
His lil bitch wall, that's what that is.
ShieldAnvil1
I mean the wall was planned before he came into office but sure ?
lysani
Exactly. The current perimeter wall project was started under Obama, but was hastened after someone almost got inside the WH recently.
sluggingsausages
Take note. Some measures were taken due to terrorism, and wartime. Trump* measures were taken when a black person was killed.
ShieldAnvil1
wall was planned in 2015 and approved in 2016 so no. Hate trump, but do it for real reasons.
LocalContrarian
when there were race related riots after a black person died in the hospital from a drug overdose after resisting arrest*
AimlessSavant
George Floyd was dead at the scene you moron. Officer Tough muffin and his possy choked a man to death for eight minutes.
LocalContrarian
i can’t change what a man believes.
RaptorJesus89
Found the racist.
TheMadOnion
Big strong bad leader need wall to protect himself from scary protesters.
frozensoul94
People are also apeshit nuts and have been able to pull off things that shouldn't have even gotten off the drawing board.
brassmule
The WH perimeter has been breached, it seems like at least, more often in the past couple of years than ever before.
nopost
For that last question - I believe yes. Politicians can almost never be confronted directly by the people, giving them a 'ruling' 1/
nopost
Attitude instead of a 'leading' one. 2/2
mormacil
Dutch figured it out https://wonderfulengineering.com/prime-minister-of-the-netherlands-explains-why-he-drives-a-bicycle-to-work-every-day/
AimlessSavant
Frankly the walls before trump seemed much more serious measures to protect the president, his family, and the staff inside the White House.
AimlessSavant
It seems incredibly silly, and cowardice of trump to extend the walls amidst protests across the nation. Of all stances he should take.
v1nsai
But black people are yelling! And sometimes there are riots so they means they're all rioters! Won't someone think of the statues??
AimlessSavant
Oh god forbid the old decaying statues from acid rain be smashed! Ugh but the statue thing. At least remove the pedestal they sit on.
AimlessSavant
Save the statues thrmselves for historical preservation. The glory-basting of some of those statues placards is not only
AimlessSavant
Traitorous, but also a spit in the face to every emancipated black in the USA.
bhifi
Do keep us updated on your project.
[deleted]
[deleted]
DreadPierateRoberts
I haven't been to DC this year. I am so used to being able to goto lafayette square it must be jarring. I remember how weird it was after
DreadPierateRoberts
9/11 not be able to drive by. I still find it odd when I'm walking in the area
Perfzilla
if the white house walls could talk, they would scream
PerthAussieMike
I am sure they are wet with tears on the inside :(
GiantAsteroid2021
Well they were wet with something else during Bill’s and John’s terms.
PerthAussieMike
Come again? ..................... ;)
GiantAsteroid2021
Things Marilyn and Jeffrey Epstein said to the Presidents’ men when they told them why they’re there
NotTinyPancakes
indeed
PerthAussieMike
I think you got the joke ;)
GhostofBillyMays
AimlessSavant
Before Bush all previous extensions seemed extremely logical. I would say the Scare on Terror wars were reactionary fearmongering
TechnicallyRight
If you act now, you can get twice your freedom for half the price! Buy now & we will throw in a free, also obstructing justice, justice dept
reineseele
All my SUPERPAC money from the rich says otherwise...ohh...OHH.
Magjee
Was interesting watch Cap turn from a soldier following orders into a War Criminal for doing the right thing
TropicalB3ach
You either die a hero...
danchoe
GhostofBillyMays
AimlessSavant
"the right thing" being let everyone die because vision is a human being who wants to sacrifice himself but cap won't let him.
Magjee
I think he was a war criminal during Civil War. After that he lost more faith in his ideals and redeemed himself. He and Tony kinda swapped
AimlessSavant
This was Infinity War. After Tony and Cap put aside the civil war slap fight to specifically take down Thanos.
glovelyday
You need to show the evolution of the White House floor plan as well. The West Wing wasn't added until 1902, East Wing was added in 1942.
WhatsYourCovidStory
.
evilspyre
Plus all the underground stuff, and secret access tunnels / escape routes etc.
Lurker4815162342
http://imgur.com/Rah4ysW
PimpinKen
And maybe include security details such as guard rotation, camera locations, and camera access room... for reasons....
SatanicSpirals
Tbh, willing to bet at least one device in there uses defaults and can allow pivoting.
evilspyre
Along with which employees are easy to corrupt / blackmail, armoury locations & weapon caches.
martentos
Don't forget the full renovations in 1814.
glovelyday
That didn't change the footprint. The interior was completely renovated during the Truman administration around 1950. Floors were collapsing
PoorSucker
Still can't fly...
bagoffishstix
KiyrantiTol
Poor sucker...
danchoe
Good catch ? Will edit that in.
danchoe
danchoe
Ok.. got them updated but I think imgur won't let me edit post publish. Great feedback.
LariCheltsy
Looking forward to the next post, then. Followed.
glovelyday
Excellent! Great job.
glovelyday
Please post the link to the new post.
NursePaulFlowers
Makes me dislike the government seeing walls around them. Makes me feel like it's us vs them
ComicShop
Always has been.jpeg
SomeGuyWhoSaysStuff
It is us vs them and they try to divide us, they do a good job of it too. Divided we can't unite and take our country back
StonesTwice
It is us versus them. Always will be
FartBoxExtract
Always has been.
Milesgloriosus
IntelligentLake
They don't see walls around them. They see freedom and barriers from having to deal with the likes of us.
Imalwaysready
Right now, it is.
Rheios
Some of it seems sanely precautionary if you have to live there and are a hit-target. But its getting too "castle ground"-like for my taste
00110001001001111010000110110110011
Like seriously. Government house where our lieutenant governor lives and where the queen would stay during a visit only has a picket fence
muerte175
It is, anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you.
hagfelsh
It absolutely is us vs. them.
cyborganism
It's really cool to be able to go walk around the Parliament in Ottawa on a nice sunny day.
DrKriegersClone
If you do the tour, they warn you not to make bomb jokes because "we don't find those funny".
chromed
The US capitol building is still open for public tours 6 days a week. This is specific to the home of the president.
Jandegrote
Its rich vs poor in america just a shame some of the poor still think the rich care about them.
Krystallombardi24
If you read he mentions the walls expand depending on wars and civil unrest
pickinganameistoomuchpressure
Well except for the last one...
CaptainTaylorTheSandySeaSailor
If you read he mentions that he just doesn't like walls
waeraj
It is.
NursePaulFlowers
I feel like it's us vs greed/corporations. Not the government itself. Done right it's meant for the people.
Arcian
The government is just the military arm of the corporate world. To free the people both government and corporations must be destroyed.
Juggernaughtty
I agree with you. Corruption is a problem in any institution, and America's corporate lobbying is a glaring example.
ImHereToGetDownvotes
Is there much of a difference? Our government, at the highest levels, is bought and paid for by corporations and getting more brazen daily
ImaginaryMamboNumber5
But currently it's not being done right. It's you versus greed and corporations masquerading as a government.
NursePaulFlowers
Very true.
WeirdStealth
In modern times, it does kind of makes sense, for certain offices the fence protects the the documents stored in the building, others the
WeirdStealth
People who work in the building, look at the anti-government people, and some of the nut jobs willing to blow up innocent people based on
WeirdStealth
Actions of people they work for. At one point you could park fairly close to the building, now days, no closer than 30 feet, you could
WeirdStealth
Join your family members to their flight and see them off, and now you can't get past security without a boarding pass. Both people and the
WeirdStealth
Politicians they elect are causing tensions to strain over a variety of things.
SatanicSpirals
I totally agree on much of this, to a point. Air security is a joke in the US.