by Kara Machowski
You would think that out of the entire country the one state that would take their stay-at-home measures seriously would be New York. However, over the weekend the West Village was packed with pasty patrons, shoulder to shoulder, some who don’t even appear to be in the same social group are inches apart in . If you are in doubt, as I was, in nearly the exact middle of the image you can spot on woman with a black tank top and a mask on. Also, when the image is back searched it does indeed come up as being originated on May 3rd. I mean why not go outdoors? The sun is out and we’re being told by the president that America has passed its apex with coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths and is ready to open up again. In New York City, parks remained opened since the beginning of the lockdown. Andrew Cuomo and the mayor of NYC have both criticized New Yorker's who defy social distancing while walking or exorcising in Central Park. Those who ventured close enough caught images of the pop up emergency tents for coronavirus victims and maybe a few bodies covered in white cloths scattered about. But that hasn’t deterred New Yorkers from their daily walk through their favorite park, while other areas throughout New York are scarce of any trace of humans. New Jersey opened up their golf courses and parks and have seen the same emergence of citizens who complain that they’re sick of being cooped up, pale, sick of eating the same food, all complaints that victims in the ICU wish they could be battling, instead of the virus for their life.
I admit, I am pale. I was pale in February with this all started and I decided to shelter in then, and I’m freaking pasty as hell right now. But I am safe. I am healthy and I know that I'm not passing Covid-19 to anyone else. I remain completely perplexed as to why we couldn’t shelter in place for just three months. Just three months and the spread of the virus would have been limited to essential workers who weren’t protected with PPE. If only we could’ve supplied all essential workers with PPE, then maybe we actually would be seeing the death of the virus in the US reach near 0, where President Trump promised us it would be. Three months would guarantee that the spread stopped, that anyone who contracted it along the way would have shown symptoms and we could have simply tested all essential workers before opening up. Three months would have guaranteed that we could have a real Thanksgiving or Christmas with family. Just three months and all of the people who could’ve been exposed would have been limited to a small group of Americans that would be manageable to test, to give antibody tests, and to treat.
Instead Americans are rushing out in large crowds to protest, have been congregating in parks and have even gone as far as to get physical with essential workers and those who are trying to limit the spread. Monday, a Michigan mall security officer was shot and killed for asking someone to wear a mask. One rally over the weekend displayed a wall of police protecting a state building while being pushed and screamed at for simply trying to keep the peace. In one park, a park ranger who was trying to implement social distancing was pushed into a pond. If you think for one second that you are not to be placed in the same category as rioters or protesters against lockdown by simply going to the park and congregating, you’re dead wrong. You’re just as responsible and you’re just as likely to catch the virus and either get sick or spread it to someone who spreads it until it eventually stops with those infected dying.
This is our time to change the world, to change our country that we desperately complain about or seek to change, to make that change happen. To actually make America great again.
I’m telling you, I eye that one piece of grass near my apartment that dogs sometimes go on, like maybe I could just buy a chair and sun there. But the thing is, if I did that, someone else would see me and get jealous and be urged to join in, until that small patch of grass would be filled with my apartment complex. It’s seriously up to us, all Americans to be responsible, and some people wait their whole lives to do something great, to change someone’s life, to be a hero, and here we are in situations where we can do just that. By just staying indoors, setting the right example, then we could save an unmeasurable amount lives. If those who are able to find one person who needs help and just give a little, it would mean the world to people who are in need. This is our time to change the world, to change our country that we desperately complain about or seek to change, to make that change happen. To actually make America great again.
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