Friday, April 3, 2020

Courage

This week's topic is Courage, defined by Merriam-Webster online as the

mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.


Courage is a first responder continuing to do his or her job every day in these troubled times we are navigating - navigating by staying at home.
Courage is  healthcare workers working day in and day out treating patients with a highly contagious disease without sufficient protective equipment.
Courage is getting up every day and doing whatever is required to protect yourself and your family - including social distancing and  self-quarantining or simply staying at home as we attempt to mitigate the growth curve of the corona virus that has seemingly declared war on humanity. Projections indicate a mortality rate of somewhere between 100,000 to upwards of 2+ million victims. And yet there are those who are convinced it is a democratic hoax designed to take down 45. 

Conservative talking heads from Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and the rest all shouted hoax when the coronavirus pandemic was in its infancy. Now that the numbers are rising exponentially - both infected and dying - suddenly some of them are coming around and recognizing the emergency is real. Fox has fired at least one talking head over her outlandish comments and there is a rumor FOX is worried they may face  legal difficulties over their knowingly false narrative in the early days of the pandemic. Rush, though, continues to stoke the fires of conspiracy. Courage? I think not. Perhaps a day at the  controls of a forklift loading bodies of Covid-19 victims into refrigerated trucks would convince Rush. Then again, probably not.
Courage is doing your part in this crisis - especially if that part is something as simple  as staying home. Even if it means you do not get paid. Even if things like grocery shopping and other things are inconvenient or difficult. Consider the alternative. Consider this a chance to  revisit some of those old family values people claim are missing from our culture these days. Reopen lines of communication that have vanished over time. Consider this a time wherein we can save lives and effect some positive cultural changes.

If perhaps you fall into a category that is a prime target of coronavirus - like me - be extra cautious. Wash your hands often. Practice social distancing. Clean surfaces as often as practical. Order groceries and takeout with the no-contact option.

Interestingly enough, 45 seems to be coming to the party, albeit a bit late. He seems to recognize the seriousness of the situation and is now listening to his experts. Better late than never. Courage? Quite possibly. Honesty goes against everything he believes, and we can only hope it continues.

Yes the economy will take a big hit and yet our government is prepared to invest multiple trillions of dollars to  jump-start the economy. We are in uncharted waters here - facing things we have never faced before. All of us.  Many challenges lurk around every corner. Our resilience will be tested as never before, as will our resolve. Perhaps it took a pandemic to break the logjam that American politics have become. Time will tell.

That's my take on this week's topic - be sure to visit the other four bloggers in our group - there should be some interesting takes on the topic. They are Ramana, Padmum, Sanjana & Conrad 



3 comments:

  1. You have done a great service to all those who are in the frontline of fighting the Covid but, I disagree with your conclusion about 45. I don't think that he still has got a grasp of the situation and he is like a loose canon on deck. I would normally have not talked about him but, this is no longer a local issue for anyone. As I write this, more than a million cases have been identified in the world and the death rate is climbing exponentially.

    Concerns about the economy while very necessary can wait till some control is exercised over the disease. Nothing can be done now any way.

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  2. After today's briefing, I agree with Ramana about Trump. He first refused to wear a face mask himself because he didn't feel bad and because it didn't look right behind the Resolute desk. Both bad reasons. And he didn't call for staying at home in the remaining states because they aren't having trouble. Her hasn't learned a thing.

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  3. There certainly is a lack of courage among some of those whose misguidedly have pledged their allegiance to the President other than the country and the people who voted them into the office.

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