By Zachary Waltz
Assistant Sports Editor
The government shutdown officially ended when President Obama signed a bill just after midnight on Oct. 17. Some people still don’t know that; I didn’t even know until a week after it happened.
However, when the government shut down on Oct. 1, it was almost impossible not to know what was happening. My Twitter and Facebook were blown up by posts about the government shutdown. It’s funny how everyone suddenly becomes a political analyst when something important happens with the government. Nonetheless, social media was ablaze with political fire.
The agreement was in the works for most of the day on Oct. 16, as Obama’s bill signing marked the end of an 11-hour discussion. Despite this marking the end of a 16-day government shutdown, it seemed as though the social media fire was extinguished. Instead, my Twitter was still buzzing about the new season premiere of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” that aired three days prior.
Simply put, the American youth cannot stay focused on one topic for more than a few days. Young American society is starting to resemble a hyperactive third-grader who just ate his or her fifth Pixie Stick.
I was astounded that social media was not swamped with more pseudo-analysts claiming they knew the government shutdown wouldn’t last too long. Of course, social media isn’t necessarily the best place to look for political news, but it is a news source regardless.
There was nothing. I saw no trace of anyone applauding the government. No proud citizens boasting about their political views. Rather, the American public had turned their attention to other things like the Boston Red Sox and Daryl Dixon. Our government was restarted after a 16-day shutdown, and it was like nothing had happened. I didn’t gather the knowledge of the shutdown ending until about one week later.
Where did the interest in the government go? Why did it disappear after two weeks?
Young Americans, including myself, are too nonchalant about what is going on in our country, especially involving government. It may not be the most interesting topic to discuss, but it is our civil duty now as college students to stay informed about our government. We are eventually going to be the leaders of our country, so we should at least know the basics of what goes on.
It’s not a crime to watch “The Walking Dead” or playoff baseball, but those things shouldn’t overshadow what is happening in our government. Sometimes, we get caught up in all the glamorous entertainment options that we have available to us. Let’s try not to forget the government that supports us all. You may not agree with the administration in office right now, but we all need to stay informed about our country’s government.
waltzzd12@bonaventure.edu
