MSN released a story titled, “Five ways the government shutdown could end – and why they probably won’t happen.” and I for one, am sick that it has gone on this long.

Introducing Adult Tantrums and How to Spot them

The other day a friend of mine posted on Facebook enraged that our president has stonewalled the government for this long and for this reason. Remarking how, in the beginning, Trump declared that Mexico would be paying for the wall – now that we have laid that ill thought out plan to rest, he wants to allocate five billion dollars to something that no one wants.

But a wall that is essentially a giant compensation for the total lack of respect that he receives. That is “well worth” burning money that could go towards education or infrastructure or creating a program that retrains coal miners to work in a more progressive energy field…

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and the point he makes isn’t at all off base – in fact, it is quite informed. The idea that we would be giving our president a reward for the claims and trouble he has made is ludicrous. Correction – it is down right insane because then we are giving a man a reason to be remembered when most of us would rather forget the blasphemous statements and contradictory claims he has made while in office.

5 Billion Dollars Toward Change

In history, in life, and in relationships, walls have progressively become less and less effective for keeping people out. As weapons become more advanced, as people grow more persistent, walls aren’t what they used to be. In fact, since the great wall of China, I cannot think of a wall that has been nearly as effective as it was meant to be.

The best example being the Berlin Wall which people risked their lives and lost their lives climbing over, were given supplies (even if it was nearly impossible), and eventually, the wall was torn down.

Now, personally I have never seen five billion dollars burned – literally or figuratively, but if a border wall is put up and torn down years later – well then is there truly a need for it in the first place?

Or

Is the better option – putting 5 billion into education or renewable resources, where instead of trying to keep people away from “our american jobs” Americans are actually made to be better suited for higher paying jobs. Where poverty goes down, the economy rises, renewable resources get more funding because there are more people pushing to find better solutions.

As a Writer – Not a Politician

Anyone who reads my blog is sure to know where I stand politically. They know that I don’t stand for injustice, that violence against anyone is wrong and that separating children from their parents – no matter the reason, shouldn’t be published on Twitter.

If I am being honest, I would have been fine with having a businessman in office BUT the problem I have, correction, the biggest problem I have with the man in office is the way he communicates, and the messages he shares.

Tweets are not the answer when it comes to reaching the public. Spreading hateful messages against women and minorities aren’t either. But most of all – slander is not truth. so when the president shares that this wall is to keep terrorists out. I personally would love to see the data that proves that immigrants from Mexico are causing more harm than anyone already in this country.

Don’t Hate the Messanger

The expression a colleague told me when talking about (defending) the president, was “don’t hate the messenger”. At the time he was talking about the president, but as he continued I found the message he was sharing to be remarkable in that he was also defending his own beliefs.

Similarly, an argument from a family member whose views rival mine was that, while we don’t like the message, it is remarkable decisive considering the target market Trump has directed his views toward. Personally, however, I cannot accept these responses because in this case, the message, while perfectly and obviously reaching its target market is one that I cannot stand by.

Whether the message is hate, intolerance, racism, sexism or the “lack” of collusion, one thing is certain. The recent Government Shutdown, as it stands, is nothing more than a middle-aged man throwing a tantrum in the grocery store. Why? because his mother didn’t get him the cereal he wanted. And what is worse? The cost of this wall could alternatively be allocated to education, or paying back the men and women who are not being paid because one man thinks that a wall will solve a problem or any of the other problems this country is currently faced with.

The Government Shutdown, as it stands is nothing more than a middle-aged man throwing a tantrum in the grocery store. Why? because his mother didn’t get him the cereal he wanted.

-RM

So for me, this stalemate, this tantrum, and this blame game is one that sends yet another wrong message to the members of our county. Especially the young members of our country.

The Message

The current shutdown sends the message that if you don’t get what you want, hold your breath. If you don’t get what you want, stand your ground. If you don’t get what you want, blame the other side of the argument.

And for me, this is baffling because if I tried this tactic with my mother, with a job, with anyone whom I expected to take me seriously, I know they wouldn’t.

Adulting at its Finest

At the end of the day, my vote is always one that favors the people and the fact that people are currently suffering because one man is not getting what he wants is just wrong.

My friend was right with what he stared on facebook – there are better ways to spend that money. There are better ways to help our fellow man, and personally, I just hope our country works toward a future, and a population, and a president that understands that.