Since the beginning of Trump's campaign, he pushed to address border security by constructing a wall alongside the southernmost border, as if there isn't already a fenced barrier between the United States and Mexico that stretches for nearly 2,000 miles.
During his presidency, Trump has continued to advocate for his wall by all means. He's encouraged false rhetoric that implicates immigrants, specifically that individuals from Mexico are "bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." An infamous quote stated by Trump in 2015. He's even gone as far as claiming Mexico would pay for the wall. It's a claim that Enrique Pena Nieto, Mexico's President, ultimately denied while addressing our nation and highlighting the division it would bring between us.
To advance this rhetoric further, Brian Kolfage, a veteran who was severely wounded in Iraq--losing 3 limbs--created a GoFundMe page titled "We The People Fund The Wall." Kolfage's intentions were to raise $1.0 billion in support of funding the construction for the wall.
As an American citizen, I'm thankful for the sacrifices our soldiers like Kolfage has served for our country. But as a first-generation individual from two parents who have also made sacrifices, I am not thankful for the blatant bigotry that has been directed towards immigrants.
As of December 22, 2018, the government has been temporarily shut down due to the fact that both political parties cannot come to an agreement in regards to funding the wall. With the government being temporarily shut down--unsure when normal operations will resume--an abundance of government employees are left without pay resulting in setbacks for bills due, some even facing evacuations. It's a shame we've pushed the idea of constructing a wall this far to the point where our hard-working citizens are suffering. Get off your high horse, Mr. President.
We've reached a point in our nation that's been divided more than ever before and the fact of the matter is, Trump's promise of a wall being constructed is never going to happen. Never. We are a nation founded and built upon different cultures and backgrounds, a melting pot of diverse individualism, and to ignore that foundation is pure ignorance.
During his campaign, he made a promise he could not keep; a promise that could never be fully delivered in the first place. With a newly democratic controlled house, his relentless efforts of proposing a plan to fund a wall through GoFundMe, Taxpayer's money, etc. will never be allowed as long as we fight against this.
We must learn from historic mistakes made, for example, the Berlin Wall. With similar intentions to divide territory in order to keep others out, only for the wall to be deconstructed once coming to the terms with the fact that this was not sensible. It's 2019. We must leave the excessive hatred and xenophobia behind and not allow this rhetoric being circulated to influence us into believing this is what we have to do.
Despite the odds that it seems like we're up against, the idea of fulfilling Trump's dream of a wall will never surpass because hate will never win.
