Brad Kerchof My visit to Washington, D.C., ended on March 4 with a ride home to Roanoke on Amtrakâs Northeast Regional. The train ride was pleasant and uneventful. The start of the trip was not. From Columbus Circle, the road in front of D.C.âs Union Station that leads to the pick-up and drop-off lanes, I looked south, along Delaware Avenue. Instead of an unencumbered view of our U.S. Capitol, I saw a tall, steel black fence topped with razor wire. Behind the fence were National Guardsmen, ready to discourage anyone who didnât interpret the fence as a âdo not enterâ sign. Prior to Jan. 6, one could have enjoyed a half-mile walk from Union Station to the Capitol. But not now. The public isnât allowed to make this journey to the center of democracy.