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Children From The US And Mexico Play Together On These Seesaws Built On The Border Wall In Defiance Of Trump
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Children From The US And Mexico Play Together On These Seesaws Built On The Border Wall In Defiance Of Trump

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Think back to the earliest days of your childhood. The odds are that you remember smiling and having a lot of fun with your friends in playgrounds, whether you were on the swings or a seesaw. However, you probably wouldn’t expect to see seesaws anywhere near a heavily guarded country border, would you? Well, check again.

Like something out of a fairytale, a set of pink seesaws sprang up right in the middle of the United States and Mexican border. Quite unsurprisingly, the seesaws became an instant hit. Children (and adults!) flocked to have fun on them, not minding the metal border wall that separated them.

Image credits: rrael

The seesaws were installed right across the so-called Trump’s wall between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. The geniuses behind this brilliant and playful idea were two professors. They are Ronald Rael, a professor of architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and Virginia San Fratello — an associate professor of design at San José State University

Rael posted videos and photos of the seesaws in action on Instagram. The best part is, everyone loved them, no matter their age! Rael’s post went viral and got over 32,700 likes (and counting), as well as over 870 comments.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ronald Rael (@rrael) on

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Image credits: rrael

“One of the most incredible experiences of my and @vasfsf’s career bringing to life the conceptual drawings of the Teetertotter Wall from 2009 in an event filled with joy, excitement, and togetherness at the Trump’s border wall,” Rael wrote on Instagram, talking about how a project from 10 years ago inspired the pink seesaws. “The wall became a literal fulcrum for US — Mexico relations and children and adults were connected in meaningful ways on both sides with the recognition that the actions that take place on one side have a direct consequence on the other side.”

Image credits: rrael

Image credits: rrael

One of the foreign policy things Donald Trump is best known (and criticized) for is his desire to build a wall between the United States and Mexico. According to The Guardian, The US supreme court recently ruled in Trump’s favor and allowed him to use 2.5 billion dollars of Pentagon funds on four contracts to replace existing barriers with fencing to fight the migrant crisis.

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While Trump is often criticized for his border wall plans, he is far from the first American leader to start building the wall. Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush all authorized projects to expand the border wall.

Image credits: rrael

Image credits: rrael

Image credits: rrael

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

anonymous

anonymous

Author, Community member

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This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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anonymous

anonymous

Author, Community member

This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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Filipe Vieira
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm waiting for Trump's comment on Twitter saying that illegal immigrants are crossing the border on catapults

Florencia Renedo
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe the American kids want to be catapulted to Mexico to escape the disgrace of president they inherited...

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Aria Whitaker
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is both depressing and inspiring at the same time. I want my (sane) country back!!!

QueenOlive
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really sick of politics on bored panda. Just my opinion.

Scott
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. Too many people like to pretend problems start the day after every election. It's exhausting.

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Filipe Vieira
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm waiting for Trump's comment on Twitter saying that illegal immigrants are crossing the border on catapults

Florencia Renedo
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe the American kids want to be catapulted to Mexico to escape the disgrace of president they inherited...

Load More Replies...
Aria Whitaker
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is both depressing and inspiring at the same time. I want my (sane) country back!!!

QueenOlive
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really sick of politics on bored panda. Just my opinion.

Scott
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. Too many people like to pretend problems start the day after every election. It's exhausting.

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