Joseph Caputo scaled the fence on the North Lawn of the White House at 2:45 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, while the first family was inside celebrating the holiday. He was apprehended immediately and taken into custody. Criminal charges are pending.
Joseph Caputo was carrying an envelope and was dressed in a blue shirt and white pants and cloaked in the American flag. Before jumping the fence, Caputo took a deep breath and said, "All right, let's do this." The officers who detained him had their guns drawn and were accompanied by K-9 units. Caputo jumped over the barricade and scaled the fence. The fence had been recently outfitted with 7 inch steel spikes to deter such occurrences. An official "all clear" was issued two hours after the episode, but the north and south fence lines remained temporarily closed throughout Thursday evening.
Caputo is at least the third person in 2015 to scale the fence and make it on to the White House property. Most of the people are quickly captured, but a 42-year-old Iraq war veteran in September of 2014 ran through the main floor past a stairway that leads up to the first family's residence. The man was eventually subdued by Secret Service agents.
Read the full story here.
Questions:
- Do you think the White House should have better security? If so, how?
- What do you believe his motives were?
- What do you believe his consequences should be?
- What is the symbolism of the American flag draped around him.
My Opinion:
I think that if the White House has had several occurrences, such as these, that there should be more security. Obviously 7 inch spikes and the Secret Service, among other precautions won't keep people out. There should probably be other precautions. I've been there and I'm sure jumping the fence couldn't be very difficult. I believe this man had the intention to cause a ruckus, but honestly we may never know. The man should go to court and possibly jail. Several lives were most likely in harm and Caputo may face huge charges. I think that Caputo tried to show he stands for America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. I believe that he was making a statement showing that America has come to this point where things need to change.
Replies
Why do you think he likes America? What do you think the White House should do? So you believe that the man was just trying to receive his fifteen minutes of fame? I believe that jumping the fence should be considered a violation and consequences should follow. These instances happen quite a bit and many motives are unknown, but some peoples could be to harm the President and his family.
I agree I think the white house should get better security in the yard where this person breached. He didn't really do anything wrong so he shouldn't get punished.
Do you believe that if anyone jumps the fence that they shouldn't be punished? What security do you think the White House should get? I agree that there should definitely be more security. Anyone who jumps the fence is likely to be persecuted.
I've been in front of the White House before and by looking at the fence I don't think it's enough to keep people out. If the White House has had 3 of these incidents in 2015 alone then there is just gust going to continue to be repeats until security does something new to prevent this. I don't believe the man wanted to cause any harm to the first family, but I do think he just wanted to make a big scene and get on the news. This man should go to court for his actions and possibly pay a fine or serve some time in jail as a consequence of what he did.
I could've stuck my head through the White House fence. I think I could've jumped the fence. Someday someone might just run into the White House and not be detained. I wonder what his intentions are. I think he was trying to make a statement about how America feels. He will get his fifteen minutes of fame. He is going to court and will probably face some pretty hefty charges.
I think the White House has great security and doesn't need to change it at all. If someone gets over the fence, he is almost always detained right away.
Do you believe some people should be able to scale the fence? Do you believe that it isn't a big deal? Most people are detained almost right away, but some people have been able to make it to the main floor of the White House. I believe the security is pretty good.
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