Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

Open the schools! Kids need to be back in school! The economy needs schools to be open! Other countries have reopened their schools!

Let’s stop and think about what might be different about the United States than other countries. Hmmm…

Them: Responded fairly quickly.
U.S.: Ignored it for months.

Them: Closed down nationally for at least two weeks, in some cases longer.
U.S.: Closed down here and there.

Them: Listened to the scientists and medical professionals.
U.S.: Ignored scientists and medical professionals.

Them: Almost 100% of population started wearing masks.
U.S.: Wearing a mask seen as weak; not wearing a mask because of “my rights.”

Them: Paid their people to stay home allowing them to pay their bills to have one less thing to worry about.
U.S.: Provided a small stimulus check and a limited timeframe for increased unemployment benefits.

Them: Leaders led by example, empathy, and action.
U.S.: Republican leaders put head in sand about what is happening.

Them: Have gotten cases down to a manageable number.
U.S.: Too many spikes to count.

Them: Heads of State took necessary actions.
U.S.: Trump called it a hoax.

All of the actions by “them” let other countries get back to some semblance of normalcy, opened economies, international travel, and opened their schools.

All of our actions have made everything political, actively working to undermine scientists, actively working to suppress the data, refusing to do what is necessary to bring things under control, Trump refusing to accept responsibility, express empathy, and do what is best for the nation rather than himself.

This is why we should seriously consider starting the school year virtually, cancelling at least fall semester extra curricular activities, and re-evaluating if, and only if, the nation as a whole gets on board in doing what is necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Until then, let’s stop toying with putting millions of school-based employees, and most importantly, tens of millions of students, into harm’s way because our incompetent president and sycophant trumplicans wish it to be so as the self-centered, egotistical, greedy, power-hungry politicians they show us to be each and every day.