A government shutdown last Tuesday has individuals across the country, including people here on campus, talking about what the shutdown actually means. However, most individuals are misinformed about the situation.

Research and understanding is encouraged and would go a long way for students on campus.

Individuals like to talk and throw in their two cents on a certain situation, but the unfortunate truth is that people like to talk just because they can and a lot of what they say has no backbone to it.

Do not be one of these individuals. Read and inform yourself on your surroundings.

To put it simply, the cause of the government shutdown is due to the fact that Congress is in disagreement on how certain parts of the federal government should be funded.

Specifically, the target is “Obamacare” and individuals in the government refuse to fund such a proposal. Thus, they are temporarily trying to unsubsidize more health care for people across the country.

Sounds selfish and self-centered, but what exactly does this entail for students on campus and people across the country as a whole?

A simple and necessary question, but it’s painfully obvious how many people have no idea what this whole government shutdown situation means.

When the news was proclaimed to the entire country last Tueday, it was unbelievable how many people questioned whether or not school would still be in session.

As the saying goes, “keep calm and carry on.” Do not fret and worry, it pays to be informed.

A majority of the services that are federally funded are shutdown or limited, however everything that is state funded is still alive and kicking, which is why one is still able to attend school and also explains why the mail service still works, as it is independently funded.

National parks, law enforcement and immigration programs are also being affected.

The collegiate military schools almost had to cancel their football games because they had a lack of funding for the games at first.

All these are things that can be learned by simply typing in “government shutdown” on Google. Or even tuning on your television should do the trick

It’s a simple fix. If you don’t know something, look it up online, read a book or watch the news. These services are here for a reason, to inform. It’s time to develop a sense of understanding about situations.

People like to throw stones, cast blame on others and antagonize individuals. Do people even know who is to blame for the shutdown? Instead of making assumptions and dressing the ‘enemy’ in a black hat, learn the facts.

This might not be the most appetizing of topics, but if the idea of your government shutting down does not intrigue you and cause you to question things, something is wrong with you.

As redundant as it may sound, inform yourself, gain an understanding and know what comes out of your mouth before you choose to speak.