U.S. Monuments

2003-2022 | 19 years

In one of my favorite non-Sorkin episodes of The West Wing, President Bartlet and his staff negotiate the Federal Budget. This is one of my favorite episodes, as the President and his staff play the politics amazingly!

One small part of the episode that struck me was when a little girl was on the TV expressing how awful it was to go to Washington and not be able to see the monuments. Given that, I decided to make this post about my trip to D.C.

As someone who loves The West Wing, it was amazing to finally see the White House in person, as well as the Capitol and Supreme Court.

However, one sad thing about seeing these monuments is that they are hidden behind rows and fences. However, this is necessary for the safety of those who work in these buildings.

It seems most evident that we would want our capital to be fortified because of possible threats from other nations. However, lately, as our country has become more and more divided, it has seemed more and more that the defenses are meant to protect us from ourselves.

The danger that lies within our country was most obviously shown on January 6th, when a violent armed mob attacked the U.S. capital.

The internet has been a very important tool for extremist groups, such as those that attacked the capital, in planning and rallying people. However, it has also been an invaluable tool in Covid times. Not to mention that it is an integral part of the lives of younger generations.

Because social media is so important in the lives of the younger generation, it is important that when using it, especially when it is campaign season and everything on platforms is political, we look past posts and fact-check what we see.

Many of the people who invaded the capital on January 6th truly believed that what they were doing was right. We must remember to look past the surface and see the truth before taking action.