Dear Respected Government Officials,
I hope this letter finds you well, or at least finds you at all, considering “THE DEMOCRATS HAVE SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT.” By the way, when I saw that I totally freaked, it really felt dystopian, how could these people take away our God given rights (not including birthright citizenship anymore)!
But, despite what I look like, I was born here. Believe it or not, I have the good old “southern cross” hanging on my wall of my dorm, which I now call Gate C17, because at this point I live closer to Logan Airport than my own family.
It has been 11 weeks since I last saw them. My mother’s voice sounds so different over FaceTime, partly due to the poor Wi-Fi in my home state of Idaho, partly because she’s tired of saying “Honey, just book another flight,” as if the entire airline system isn’t being held hostage by your budget debate. My dad has started referring to me as “our son, currently stranded in Massachusetts due to Federal Incompetence” (however, I, for one, think you are amazing, powerful, massive, and cool).
You see, I cannot go home. Not because I don’t want to, believe me, I’d love to eat my parents’ “Asian Inspired Seared Tofu” rather than the one at Commons, but apparently, when the government shuts down, so does the entire concept of airplanes moving in the sky. I mean hello, TSA agents! When did it all become about money? Whatever happened to the greater good? Like reunite this sweet little bird with his mama.
Family Weekend, I tried. I packed everything: clothes, textbooks, and even grey sweatpants, so the TSA would know I wasn’t hiding anything (they still patted me down anyway). I got so close, but when I reached the gate, the airline staff looked at my passport as though I had handed them a live grenade. “Oh sweetie, your flight is canceled,” they chirped. I asked, “Okay…so when’s the next one?” They said, “When Congress reaches an agreement.” I asked if I could at least sit near the plane and think about home. They said no.
All I ask for is mercy. Can the strong, powerful, massive, and beautiful USA help a poor, little, quivering ol’ me? I just want to go home with the assurance that I can come back next term.
Until then, I remain a loyal student of democracy! If you read this, dear government, know that I still have faith. I believe that one day, perhaps before I graduate, you’ll stop arguing like those kids in BIO100 when the one politics unit shows up.
