Around the White House

I was walking around the White House and noticed something different from the last time I was there a year ago.  There has been a fence around the White House with guarded gates from some time.  Now there is a small fence to protect the larger fence.  I guess the guy that jumped the fence has spooked the Secret Service so this is a stop gap measure.  Last year I had a great conversation with one of the Secret Service cops.  This year they did not look like they wanted to participate in any banter.  I went around the Old Executive Building and made my way through the Ellipse area.  There are some statues here and there--all blocked off.  I was wondering if I lived in the "land of the free" still.  Everywhere you go it is like this.  Even during the Civil War people could walk up to the White House and knock on the door.