The uglying-up of the nation's capital in the name of security and terrorism-prevention can be traced to 20 years ago this week when, without warning, a two-block section of Pennsylvania Avenue nearest the White House was abruptly closed to vehicular traffic.
The move was taken early on May 20, 1995, a month after of the deadly truck bombing at Oklahoma City in April 1995; it was intended to thwart other, would-be terrorists from targeting the White House.
Resistance to the sudden move was vigorous but ineffectual. To this day, that stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue is off-limits to vehicles (except for police vans and the like); it bears the look of a closed-off street masquerading as a pedestrian mall.
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