The last day of “normal” for me was March 15th (a Sunday).
In the months before December 2019, an illness in Wuhan, China, had been making the news. An illness similar to the flu, but much worse, causing pneumonia and in the worst case death. I remember mentioning this to my family in January at our New Years dinner.
This illness continued to make the news in January and February 2020. The first coronavirus case noted in the state of Washington was on January 21, 2020 (it, the virus, has probably been here and other places in the U.S much longer) and as we discussed it within the house-hold, the question we asked each other was “why don’t they (the governments of nations) just shut down travel and call for everyone to stay inside?”. The answer we surmised was MONEY. No one wanted to give up a dollar to save lives!
GREED OVER GRACE
By March, as this COVID-19 illness continued its deadly march across the USA, I had started wearing gloves when I had car duty or stacked trays in the cafeteria at school. I had “select” co-workers laughing at me, and echoing the words of the “president” saying the news of this virus was a hoax from the democrats. I didn’t answer. I just smiled and continued to wear gloves when I could.
The “s” really hit the fan on March 15th. On this day the SC governor McMaster finally called for schools to be closed in SC (this, following closings in other states who had been tragically affected by this virus.
Today is April 3, 2020. I have lost a friends to this coronavirus. I personally know people who are suffering with it. There are over 1,000,000 with it and over 53,000 who have died (and counting). . . Yes, the governor of SC FINALLY has closed all non-essential businesses but there is still a need for a NATIONAL LOCKDOWN and that needs to come from the president. All governmental and wealthy eyes are on the economy and the stock market. Greed over grace-what bill or mandate can they make to increase their wealth as the “workers” as they call them continue to sicken and drop like flies- How many plants can they keep open and running while the employees who work paycheck to paycheck come in sick, vomiting, barely able to breath, and spreading contagion so they can feed their families and keep bills paid? My poem GLASS HOUSES exemplifies this point.
Thankfully mandates have been made that prevents the utility companies from turning off electricity and water (but some people have still had utilities shut off. Many places are thankfully waiving rent fees, schools are still thankfully feeding children by way of car lines and bag lunches, but the people still on the frontlines need protection. No one should leave their home without gloves and a mask to cover nose and mouth.
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN…
There is no way those who survive this virus can repay those who have worked on the frontlines and even possibly given their lives so that others can live. THOSE who work in healthcare (from those sweeping the floors and emptying bedpans to the doctors), THOSE, who maintain garbage pickup and landfills, THOSE, who are continuing to work in factories making medical masks and equipment, THOSE, who are still working just because they have greedy and uncaring supervisors and business owners, THOSE, who are dispensing medicines, THOSE, truck drivers who are transporting food and goods to the grocery stores, THOSE, working who are keeping the shelves stocked-the floors cleaned-THOSE, taking care of the children of THOSE whom we can’t live without!
I heard the “esteemed” senator from SC say that if the stimulus package pays the unemployed too much people won’t go to work…– GREED OVER GRACE!
The government is hard pressed NOT to give working Americans a living wage-saying the minimum wage is enough–GREED OVER GRACE!
We have a president who does everything in his power to take care of his interests and his cronies–GREED OVER GRACE!
America has multi-millionaires and billionaires buying their children’s way into colleges and getting the scholarships that less privileged children (who are actually VERY smart and determined) deserve–GREED OVER GRACE!
There are even churches still open in some areas doing all they can to get tithes and offerings from people who are infecting others. If we realized how much money some of these pastors are lining their nests with we would be sickened–GREED OVER GRACE!
Working people buy the music, buy the clothes, and buy the concert tickets that make the rich and famous rich and famous!
There is so much more that could be said. I am sure I have left some essential and valuable people off of my list, but, just know that PEOPLE matter: the HOMELESS and those with homes, those who work and those who are unemployed, those who are behind bars and those who are outside looking in. PEOPLE Matter!
It’s WAY PAST TIME for those who have MUCH to help the men and women who are the REAL HEROS!