The world is changing at a far quicker pace then I am comfortable with. This past year has been a challenge to ideals we hold most dear. This year is marked by a loss of faith in our government, society, each other, and ourselves. In 2018, we saw three government shutdowns, one of which will likely last into the year, 339 mass shootings, the continued destabilization of the Middle East, the development of the Muller probe, a blue wave, and a war against refugees. Facts have been replaced by biases and the free press is under attack.
Since 1976 there have been twenty one government shutdowns. Three of those have happened in the past year. The government shuts down when the president and Congress are not able to agree on government funding. This most recent shutdown has been caused by President Trump’s demand for five billion dollars to go towards a border wall between the United States and Mexico. The House of Representatives is responsible for proposing budget plans. While House Democrats have offered alternatives, including further funding for the Border Patrol, they have disregarded any possibility of the “Wall”. While most government shutdowns are resolved in a matter of days, the current shutdown is expected to stretch into the beginning of 2019.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, a non profit organization, there were 339 mass shootings. It is hard to see this and not think back to Sandy Hook Elementary or Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Later in March, students around the world protested gun violence by walking out for 17 minute protests, signifying each of the 17 lives lost in the shooting. Despite the recent climb in gun violence our government refuses to act. Perhaps it’s based on the constitution, however I find constituents to be the more likely cause.
The Middle East has seemed to be in a constant state of flux for the past half century or so. The rise of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has been accompanied by a rise in Islamophobia around the world. In June, the Supreme Court upheld what has been called the “Muslim Ban”. Due to the wording, which specified banning people based on their country of origin, five of the nine Justices found the ban to be constitutional. Whether there link to the high prevalence of Islam in said countries is to be seen as coincidence rather than causation. In this case we can only decide for ourselves what the intended purpose was meant to be. President Trump also decided to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He also decided to pull out of the Nuclear Deal with Iran negotiated during the Obama era. Most recently, the President has decided to pull all US troops out of Syria under the pretense that ISIS has been defeated. The President has maintained his position for the withdrawal despite warnings from his supporters in Congress and Cabinet advisors.
The Mueller Probe has been decried as a witch hunt against President Trump, mainly by tweet. Starting in 2017 a special investigation has been conducted to determine whether President Trump or Trump associates sought the help of foreign interests to influence the outcome of the 2016 elections. While we are still waiting to see what comes out of it, some of Trump’s former allies have plead guilty to some crimes, although none of them prove collusion between Trump and Russian interests. Those who plead guilty include Paul Manafort, General Michael Flynn, and Michael Cohen.
Finally we have what I find to be the most disturbing event of 2018. Asylum seekers from Central America have made the long trek from their homes to the Southern border of the United States. It seems that the Trump administration has done everything in their power to keep there refugees out of the US. He attempted another ban, this time against potential asylum seekers, however this time the Supreme Court ruled against the ban in a 5 – 4 decision, where Chief Justice John Roberts was the key vote. Rather than attempt to solve the problems these migrants are facing or trying to support them in our country, our government has made threats. After threatening to cut off aid to the home countries of the refugees, President Trump has moved on to threatening to close the entire Southern border. This was spurred by rumors of another caravan forming in Honduras as well as House Democrats refusal to grant him five billion dollars to build his wall. While Border Patrol and ICE have been detaining refugees who crossed or attempted to cross the border illegally, they have failed in retaining common decency and humanity. While this last claim is outright bias and slanderous, the actions of the larger organization have affected my feeling towards the groups as a whole. I recognize that this is hypocritical, unfair, and unkind. Many of these people are just doing their jobs and have no control over what is required of them. However, at this point in time two children have died while being detained. One died of dehydration while the second passed due to Influenza B, the common flu. Children are being separated from their parents and held in camps. Recent statements regarding the death of the two children state passively blame the parents for bringing their children on a dangerous journey. I cannot help but wonder how much more we could do if five billion dollars were put aside to ensure the children we are imprisoning are able to receive proper medical care and clean water.
Overall 2018 has been pretty dismal. We’ve lost our heroes as well as our faith. You cannot turn on the news without being embroiled in political scandal. Breaking news banners have become the standard for logos of CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. The press isn’t exaggerating these events, there are simply too many things happening at once. However, throughout all of this life has gone on. We get up, make our coffee, and go to work. We come home and eat dinner with our families. In the midst of all this chaos, we have still managed to hold onto the little things that make us civilized, moral, respectable beings.Throughout 2018 I’ve seen people hold doors open, say thank you, or make one of the millions of small gestures we each do everyday. The purpose of this is to say life goes on. What we do now matters more than ever. The small actions we perform everyday are the reason I have faith that we can solve largers issues such as how to best help a large influx of refugees. From this point of view, 2018 wasn’t so bad. What can we each do to make 2019 a little better?
- Anadolu Agency. “Major Events That Left Their Marks on 2018.” Anadolu Agency, 31 Dec. 2018, www.aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/major-events-that-left-their-marks-on-2018-/1352955.
- Cohen, Marhsall, et al. “Tracking the Russia Investigations.” CNN, Cable News Network, www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/politics/russia-investigations/#/investigations/specialCounsel/charges.
- Gun Violence Archive. “Gun Violence Archive 2018.” Gun Violence Archive, 31 Dec. 2018, www.gunviolencearchive.org/.
- Higgins, Tucker. “Supreme Court Rules That Trump’s Travel Ban Is Constitutional.” CNBC, CNBC, 26 June 2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/06/26/supreme-court-rules-in-trump-muslim-travel-ban-case.html.
- Silverstein, Jason. “Every Government Shutdown – and How Long They Lasted.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 31 Dec. 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-2018-history-of-past-shutdowns/.
- Tibon, Amir, and Noa Landau. “U.S. Embassy Move to Jerusalem: Everything You Need to Know.” Haaretz.com, Haaretz Com, 14 May 2018, www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-u-s-embassy-in-jerusalem-1.6062554.
- Yee, Vivian, and Alan Blinder. “National School Walkout: Thousands Protest Against Gun Violence Across the U.S.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/us/school-walkout.html.