Absolutely crazy.

The world changed forever after the horrific attacks occurring on 9/11. In fact, it’s surreal just how much the world seemed to change on a dime following that heart-wrenching September morning. But that’s a much longer post for another day. Along with New York City, Washington D.C. forever altered its security protocols, procedures and precautions after that day. Traveling to, driving and walking around our nation’s capital pre-9/11 and post 9/11 have been starkly different experiences. The former felt relatively open and relaxing while the latter has felt armed and distant.

And that’s okay, because we are not fighting another country, but Islamic extremists who cowardly attack using disguised guerrilla warfare. The war is not with the collective, but the individual. Accordingly, the proper defense demands acute awareness at all times.

Or so we thought.

Reading reports and watching videos that reenacted the White House intruder’s path has been mind-boggling. How in the hell did this happen? It’s more difficult to steal a book at Barnes and Noble than it is to enter the front door of The White House with a knife in hand and then run from room to room looking for the President of the United States of America. Think about that! The intruder, Omar Gonzalez, was one turn away from the stairs that lead up to the first family’s living quarters.

So, somebody in the secret service please remind us: If you’re not even going to lock the front door or even guard the outer perimeter of The White House, the most important building and symbol in the nation, then what’s been with all the extra security all these years? This is just another instance of when people are again forced to answer the question of, “can you believe this happened?” with “actually, yes, yes I can.” I was in Washington, D.C. this past Monday afternoon and stood with a group of tourists behind extra barricades to The White House across the street from the iconic St. Johns Church. Looking around, it’s still inconceivable how someone could jump the fence, run across the lawn and then into The White House.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg with the Secret Service and this is all combined with the myriad of domestic and global events the past few years that are causing the world to spin out of control with increasing lack of trust in vital institutions and people. But if this of all things happened, what can we possibly expect to take place next? The world continues to get more and more nonsensical. Things are just crazy.

Absolutely crazy.