Possibly Important, Current Articles More Americans Should Probably Read

Yes, just that. Possibly important, current articles out just now it seems more adult Americans should see. These were out yesterday on The Washington Post. Herewith:

Overestimating Trump is a mistake. 
So is underestimating him.

Another GOP president, 

another recession

And economists have shown this, statistically, through our nation's history.

Republicans were warned,

 Yet they persisted in defending Trump

And it was even other Republicans and conservatives who warned, too.

Trump is always the last to figure it out

This quote alone from this article makes it not just worthwhile but important since Americans need to know what Republican Party members in Congress are doing presently.

Compare that gobbledygook with the reaction of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) to the administration’s refusal to reopen the exchanges. “Frankly, this is leadership malpractice,” Pritzker said. “Now more than ever, we need as many people as possible to have access to health care to seek out testing, if we’re ever going to be able to fight covid-19 and eliminate it as a major risk to our people.” He added, “On that same note, the Trump administration’s continued pursuit of a legal case to destroy the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health care to tens of millions of Americans is a special insult to the people of this nation at this moment. To seek to kill the ACA at a time like this, not to mention ever, undermines everything that we’re trying to do to keep people safe.”

During normal presidencies, you expect the commander in chief to have the best data, know the most about what is going on and have the most far-sighted vision. Instead, Trump seems to be the least-informed adult in America.

You would think the president and vice president’s abject ignorance would be a source of embarrassment. Nope. They are locked in the right-wing media disinformation bubble. They find out details under duress. Only when things go very badly and their experts are forced to confess bad news do they grudgingly move into the real world. The change in “tone” that too many gullible reporters coo about is the point at which Trump’s lies, disinformation and self-delusion can no longer be sustained. No wonder he looks deflated."

Have a great day out there, y'all. Be well. Be safe. and STAY AT HOME.

The Novel Coronavirus in This President's Own Words: A Timeline

The novel coronavirus pandemic, according to this President, in his own words:

Jan. 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China.”

Feb. 2: “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China. It’s going to be fine.”

Feb. 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA… Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

Feb. 25: “CDC & my administration are doing a GREAT job of handling Coronavirus.”

Feb. 25: “I think that’s a problem that’s going to go away. They have studied it. They know very much. In fact, we’re very close to a vaccine.”

Feb. 26: “We’re going very substantially down, not up.”

Feb. 27: “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

Feb. 28: “We’re ordering a lot of supplies. We’re ordering a lot of, uh, elements that frankly we wouldn’t be ordering unless it was something like this. But we’re ordering a lot of different elements of medical.”

March 2: “You take a solid flu vaccine, you don’t think that could have an impact, or much of an impact, on corona?”

March 2: “A lot of things are happening, a lot of very exciting things are happening and they’re happening very rapidly.”

March 4: “If we have thousands of people that get better just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work – some of them go to work, but they get better.”

March 4: “I never said people that are feeling sick should go to work.”

March 6: “I think we’re doing a really good job in this country at keeping it down… a tremendous job at keeping it down.”

March 6: “Anybody right now, and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test. And the tests are beautiful. They are perfect just like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. Right? This was not as perfect as that but pretty good.”

March 6: “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”

March 6: “I don’t need to have the numbers double b/c of 1 ship that wasn’t our fault.”

March 8: “We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on Coronavirus.”

March 9: “The Fake News media & their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power to inflame the Coronavirus situation.”

March 10: “It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”

March 30: “If we could hold that down, as we’re saying, to 100,000, that’s a horrible number, maybe even less, but to 100,000 — so we have between 100- and 200,000 — we altogether have done a very good job,”

April 1: "We are going to have a couple of weeks starting pretty much now but especially a few days from now that are going to be horrific."

Thanks, Mr. President!

Thanks, Republicans!

An Open Letter to Missouri's Governor Mike Parson

Governor Parson,

Sir, you are not doing yourself or our state, Missourians, any favors by his not putting in place a statewide stay-at-home order for this coronavirus pandemic. Just check out a few of the headlines. So far, as you know, this has been your stance, through today.

Missouri Governor Resists Calls 

for Stay-at-Home Order

Meanwhile, major cities are doing the right thing, as we know even right here in Kansas City but others, too.

Mayor Lucas issues “Stay at Home” order for Kansas City

St. Louis Mayor and County Executive Issues Stay at Home Order

Springfield stay-at-home ordered amid coronavirus pandemic

People in Missouri's biggest cities ordered to stay home

Three Missouri jurisdictions require citizens to stay home

Heck, even counties across the state have declared stay-at-home orders.

St. Charles County issues stay-at-home order

Jefferson County issues stay at home order through April

Interactive map shows which Missouri counties have stay-at-home orders

Famously, our neighbors to the West were able to do this, wisely.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly establishes statewide Stay at Home Order
Some current statistics on us, on Missouri just now with this virus. Pointing out the reason for concern and why this action needs to be taken.

More than 900 people test positive for COVID-19 in Missouri

Missouri tops 1,000 COVID-19 cases, 13 total deaths

Missouri coronavirus cases spike; unclear if it's a hot spot

Some leaders across the nation have taken to the media and social media to chastise others who won't put these into effect.

California governor urges state leaders to issue stay-at-home orders: 'What are you waiting for?'

Even St. Louis is trying to either figure out your stance or explain it. And it, too, doesn't reflect well on you.

Gov. Mike Parson's Pathetic Non-Response to Crisis Exposes Cultural Divide

Here's just some statistics for the nation, breaking today from The Hill:

U.S. death toll tops 5,000:

• More than 1,000 Americans died of the coronavirus yesterday, moving the total American deaths from the virus to more than 5,100. https://bit.ly/39AYhZT
• In the New York City metropolitan area alone: More than 1,374 people have died. The states total deaths have totaled at least 1,941, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). https://bit.ly/3aDWZ1o
• There are more than 217,000 cases in the United States. https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

And these two.

More than 1,000 in US die in a single day from coronavirus, doubling the worst daily death toll of the flu

US coronavirus deaths top 5,000, 

with 1,000 in one day

Additionally, there is data showing the benefits of these stay at home orders.

Social distancing works. The earlier the better, California and Washington data show.

Meanwhile, Missourians and groups of Missourians are asking you, sir to do just this, put in a stay-at-home order.

Local clergy ask Parson to issue stay-at-home order

This could be a reason or one of the reasons you aren't issuing this statewide stay order. 

Parson faces unrest among Missouri conservatives as he heads into 2020

You know, we know, you need the hard support of all his Republican and Right Wing, very conservative base and you maybe want to follow this President's lead, perhaps.

But here's the thing. Here's why these stay-at-home orders are needed just now and so important.

Do the math: Stay-at-home orders will save lives

Stay-at-home orders are not absurd. 

They will save lives

Physical distancing is vital to 

change coronavirus math

Ironically, this op/ed writer says stay at home orders are the best way to save, yes, the economy.

Opinion: Stay-at-home is the best chance to save our economy

Sure, it's tough, very tough on the economy and business.

But what, ultimately, is more important?

Business or our lives?

So we implore you, Governor Parsons. please issue a statewide stay-at-home order at least through April 24 or the end of April. At least. It's the right thing to do. Heck, even Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis did it, yesterday. Even he saw the importance of it.

Please sir. Do this. Do the right thing. And soon as possible. Today would be great. These are tough times. This is a tough situation. We, the citizens of Missouri, need this.

Sincerely,

Lots of Missouri citizens, all across the state, including and maybe especially the medical community of our state

Link:

White House: 100,000 to 240,000 Will Die From Coronavirus

T-Mobile/Spring Merger Announcement Today

All sharing options

Yes sir and ma'am, it may get little coverage in these coronavirus pandemic days but T-Mobile and Spring made their big announcement this morning.

T-Mobile completes Sprint merger, 

promises ‘transformative 5G network’

And apparently it's not an April Fool's joke.

From the article:

After seemingly endless regulatory hurdles at the federal and state levels, T-Mobile announced today that it has completed its merger with Sprint, a deal it says will result in a “transformative 5G network” for consumers and businesses. As previously reported, the merger’s completion marks the end of John Legere’s tenure as T-Mobile’s chief executive and the beginning of Mike Sievert’s control over the third-largest U.S. cellular carrier.

Watch for layoffs to begin any time now, campers.

Meanwhile, the 2nd half of the article calls this out:

Today’s merger will bring together T-Mobile’s and Sprint’s separate but complementary network assets, combining wide but low-speed T-Mobile low band with mid-range, mid-speed Sprint mid band spectrum and short distance but high-speed T-Mobile high band spectrum. The combined “layer cake” will enable T-Mobile to offer 5G service that switches from fine to good to super-fast based on whatever network assets are locally available, assuming users have devices that can connect to all three types of 5G networks.

What in the world is that supposed to mean?

The combined “layer cake” will enable T-Mobile to offer 5G service that switches from fine to good to super-fast based on whatever network assets are locally available......assuming users have devices that can connect to all three types of 5G networks.

"Yes, the T-Mobile/Spring merger will give you a 'transformative 5G network...

If you're in JUST the right area.  With just the right equipment.  Sure, you'll have 5g connectivity for your computer."

"Maybe."

Thanks a lot, T-Mobile and Sprint.

The good news for this new fustercluck of a company?

They can hide the merger layoffs in the midst of this pandemic shutdown.

We can hardly wait. 

Additionally, we will all, the US, be going from four wireless cell phone giants down to three, keep in mind.

Watch for prices to increase, over time, citizens.

So yeah. Again. We can hardly wait.

Really.

Besides Republicans, Conservatives Are Also Seeing This President for What He Is

Check this stunning piece from none other than The American Conservative.

Failing the Pandemic Test / 

The American Conservative

"South Korea appears to have managed the crisis successfully and they have suffered far fewer casualties than the U.S. has so far, and one of the main reasons for their success is that they did what we failed to do: widespread early testing to get a handle on where the virus was spreading. The federal government’s failures in particular have put the country in a terrible position, and even now the federal response remains uneven, erratic, and slow. Forget about what may or may not happen to U.S. “leadership” in the world. The federal government is struggling to lead within our borders. It is a humiliating development, and it should be particularly humbling for supporters of U.S. global hegemony, but then these people are not known for their humility."

As for Republicans, there's this group fighting his re-election:

Trump conservative critics launch PAC to fight reelection

You can find them and their Facebook page here:

Dedicated Americans Protecting Democracy | The Lincoln Project

The Lincoln Project - Home | Facebook

It's almost enough to give a person hope out here.

Notes on a Pandemic

Things we should maybe know on this novel coronavirus.

• The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.
• Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.
• The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam).
• By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.
• HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.
• Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.
• Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.
• Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.
• NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.
• NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only between 3 hours for anything fabric and/or porous, 4 hours  for copper and wood, 24 hours, cardboard, 42 hours, metal and 72 hours plastic.
• But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.
• The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars.
• They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.
• UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen--which is protein--in the skin.
• The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin. (That's certainly encouraging).
• Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.
• NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%. There is one exception here and that is Everclear as it is 95% alcohol.
• LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.
• The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.
• You have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc.  and, of course, when using the bathroom.
• You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.
• Also, keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

Be well, be safe and stay home much as possible.

With gratitude and thanks for the list to Dr. Rob Schaaf

This Completely, Totally, Utterly, Thoroughly Bizarre President and His Administration

Yet more bizarreness today from this Republican Party Presidential Administration.

First this:

Trump says keeping US Covid-19 deaths to 100,000 would be a ‘very good job’

He actually said if only 100,000 Americans die from and because of this coronavirus pandemic, he will have done "a very good job."

This after first dismissing it entirely, of course, as a "Democratic (party) hoax" then saying it was under control, etc., etc.

Insane.

Next up, also breaking earlier today, is this from a spokesperson in his administration:

Dr. Birx predicts up to 200,000 U.S. coronavirus deaths 'if we do things almost perfectly'

From the article:

The White House coronavirus response coordinator said Monday that she is "very worried about every city in the United States" and projects 100,000 to 200,000 American deaths as a best case scenario.

In an interview on "TODAY," Dr. Deborah Birx painted a grim message about the expected fatalities, echoing that they could hit more than 2 million without any measures, as coronavirus cases continue to climb throughout the country.

"I think everyone understands now that you can go from five to 50 to 500 to 5,000 cases very quickly," Birx said.

"I think in some of the metro areas we were late in getting people to follow the 15-day guidelines," she added.

Birx said the projections by Dr. Anthony Fauci that U.S. deaths could range from 1.6 million to 2.2 million is a worst case scenario if the country did "nothing" to contain the outbreak, but said even "if we do things almost perfectly," she still predicts up to 200,000 U.S. deaths.

Mixed signals, anyone?

Then he did this, over the weekend.

'Insulting' Frontline Health Workers, Trump—Without Evidence—Accuses Hospital Staff in New York of Stealing Protective Gear

Everyone else is praising the health care workers hard work, diligence, sacrifice, sacrifices and efforts. This President?  Heck! Accuse them of stealing medical equipment!

And then he squeezes in time for this, this morning, of all things, big man and big thinker he is.

Trump's Fifty-Four Minute Call To Fox And Friends: Attacks Pelosi As 'Sick Puppy'

Not done there, this news also broke this morning:

Mark Meadows resigning from Congress to become Trump’s chief of staff

There's a great deal of crazy about this, of course, but I'll just point out here that this is Mr. Trump's fourth---fourth--Chief of Staff since taking office.

As if we haven't got enough on our hands and enough bad news already, there is also this breaking today.

Coronavirus job losses could total 47 million, unemployment rate may hit 32 percent, Fed estimates

And to put this in historic perspective?

"The projected unemployment rate would top the Great Depression peak of 24.9 percent."

If the deaths across the planet from this pandemic didn't already concern you, this might.

How much more bizarre and erratic and completely unpredictable and unreliable can this President and all his people, his administration, get? Meanwhile, we need a leader in the White House, not insanity and irresponsibility and someone needy for attention and who wants to blame others and literally call others names like a 3 year old.

Thanks, Republicans! That's quite a guy you've foisted on us all, on the nation there.

It very much reminds me of a scene from the movie "Animal House" with Kevin Bacon.

Gods help us.

Heavens help us.

Some Good News!

Hey! Some good news, Kansas City!

In the midst of an international pandemic and city, region, state, nationwide (mostely) shutdown, some good news!

This, a new Some Good News Network, just that from comedian/actor John Krasinski. Enjoy!


Again, be good. Be well. Have a good to great day and week. Be good to one another. Be good to yourself. Stay safe.

And stay at home!

Timely Release From Michael Stipe

Famed singer, songwriter, performer and lead singer for the band R.E.M. released his latest song just now--very timely.



More wonderfulness.

Stay inside, y'all.   Love one another.  Be well.

Missourians! We've Got to Work on This!

I just ran across a bit of a possibly frightening article today over at the Post-Dispatch's site.

This week, Missouri saw a 600% jump in coronavirus cases — the largest increase in the country

ST. LOUIS — There is no sign of a dip in coronavirus cases in St. Louis or Missouri. The region’s caseload is rocketing upward, with the state seeing a more than 600% increase in total cases over the past week — the largest percentage increase in the country as of Thursday, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

And a lack of widespread testing largely means that experts aren’t sure when the region will reach the peak of its curve — clouding their ability to know when normal life might resume. They hope they will be able to better predict in coming days how much protective measures, like social distancing and widespread restrictions on public activities, are working.

The spread of the virus in Missouri this past week stands out, even compared to neighbors. In Illinois, where the state is under lockdown, the number of confirmed cases grew by 237% in the same period.

“The more we test right now, the more we’ll find,” said Chris Prener, a sociologist at St. Louis University.

And then there's this from the doctor/classmate of mine from yesterday.

With cases in MO increasing over 25% to 836, and doubling at the rate of every 3 days, hospital system overload is now estimated to occur before April 16th. At some point the curve will break and the number of new cases will slow, but the real question is when? If we knew how many people were currently infected, we could make a better educated guess. But we only know the number of cases REPORTED; the true number is higher, but we don't know how much higher.

AN EDUCATED GUESS: If we assume a couple of things, first, that the total number that get infected will be about 70% of the population (for MO that would be about 4.27 Million), and second, that the number of people infected really IS the number reported (which is not true, but for this purpose we will use it anyway), then you can look at the calendar below and see that the 4.27 million mark will be reached about May 17th.

Since a bell-shaped curve has as much area on one side as it does on the other, one back-of-the-envelope way to do this calculation would be to simply count back one single doubling time (4 days) from May 17th to get the peak, in other words May 13th. This is because in one doubling time as many cases occur as those in all the time previously.

Since the number of actual cases is something more than the number of reported cases, the peak will definitely occur before May 13th (if 70% get infected). Another reason is that the number of cases reported is doubling faster than every 4 days right now. But if more than 70% get infected, the error can only be about 1 day longer. And if the ultimate number infected is less than 70%, the peak will also occur sooner.

So a reasonable guess is that the number of new cases in Missouri will peak out within 6 weeks or so, sooner depending on how many people are infected now. But the question is, how many people will have been infected at the peak? How badly will the hospital system be swamped?

If we assume even more optimistically that the peak will occur in only 5 weeks, then Missouri will need over 50,000 hospital beds to accommodate all those patients, assuming also that 14% will need to be hospitalized. And we are told that only 3000 beds are available.

CONCLUSION: We need to do everything possible NOW to slow down the virus. It is a grave error not to ask everyone to wear a mask--any mask--and not to shut down as much interaction as possible NOW. Unless we are completely wrong and severely underestimating the true infection rate, every single day lost means that more people will die needlessly. It is too big a risk to take with the lives of our loved ones.

It would be far better to have tried too hard to save lives than to not have tried hard enough.

So let's all hunker down there, folks. Be well. Stay well. Stay at home.

See you on the other side.

Stayin' Inside

Just found on the interwebs


Be safe y'all. Be well.

Stay inside.

This Surreal, Nearly Unbelievable President and Presidency

Donald Trump was bizarre, sure, and lots of even Republicans and conservatives warned of him even during the 2016 election campaign for the Presidency, sure. We all know that and we've watched him in this now Presidency and seen how he is, over time.

But with this coronavirus pandemic, he's naturally in the public eye even more, as anyone in that office would and should be but he's outdoing himself for bizarre statements and action.

Proof?  Look no further.  First, here's this--what he said to Michigan's governor.

Apparently, Michigan's governor wasn't reverential enough to Mr. Trump.

Michigan governor says vendors ‘being told not to send stuff’ to her state — after Trump bashed her

Not done there, we even have this man's own words, showing how partisan he is and how he wants American citizens to grovel to him first, before he assigns any assistance to us out here.

Trump Says He Told Pence Not To Call Governors Who Aren't "Appreciative" of White House Coronavirus Efforts

Then there's this bizarreness.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ASKED ALEX RODRIGUEZ, JENNIFER LOPEZ ON CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

I cannot even begin to imagine how this Donald Trump President thinks.

He has a physician and immunologist in Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 to ask questions of but he calls a Major League Baseball player.

John Santucci

✔@Santucci

During marathon day of meetings earlier this week, President Trump continued outreach across the country regarding coronavirus & phoned former Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez. Multiple sources tell ABC, the president spoke to ARod from the Oval Office via me & @KFaulders

John Santucci

✔@Santucci

A source close to Rodriguez told @ABC the call with Trump was “pleasant” adding that Trump was seeking thoughts from ARod about the coronavirus response. Sources say there was no discussion of AROD or his fiancé Jennifer Lopez taking on any official effort.

Trump used to refer to ARod as a "druggie" so apparently he thought the baseball player would have some insight on this pandemic.

Then, amidst all the turmoil, uncertainty and decisions that must be made, Mr. Trump busies himself with this.

Trump Sends Cease-and-Desist Letters To Stop New Ad Using His Own Words Against Him

I'm just glad he has such great priorities, aren't you?

Meanwhile, finally, for all the rest of this, his madness, here are some things that are absolutely true of this President and his tenure in the White House to date.

All those firsts but hey, thanks, Republicans!

That's quite a guy you put on us there.

Fortunately, there are glimmers, glimmers of hope out there in the country regarding this--what?--madman?  simpleton?

Check out what none other than Rupert Murdoch's own very Right Wing rag, the Wall Street Journal had to say about this Boob in Chief:

Wall Street Journal compares Trump to a "drunk" clinging to "an empty gin bottle" in scathing editorial

Herewith:

A President’s Credibility

Trump’s falsehoods are eroding public trust, at home and abroad

Now it's just up to us to get rid of him this November.

Meanwhile, God help us all.

Prescient Quote of the Moment

Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote this in 2007. Amazingly prophetic.

Pity The Nation

Pity the nation whose people are sheep,

and whose shepherds mislead them.

Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced,

and whose bigots haunt the airwaves.

Pity the nation that raises not its voice,

except to praise conquerors and acclaim the bully as hero

and aims to rule the world with force and by torture.

Pity the nation that knows no other language but its own

and no other culture but its own.

Pity the nation whose breath is money

and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed.

Pity the nation — oh, pity the people who allow their rights to erode

and their freedoms to be washed away.

My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.”

Y'all be well out there Stay safe. Stay home. Stay quarantined.

Fantastic, Even Important Article on Covid-19 and All of Us

I just ran across this today, a bit ago, on a friend's Facebonkers page, from CNN. Not only is it, I think, an excellent, brief piece but I'm also proud it was written by someone from our own, my own generation. Here it is in it's entirety.

Covid-19 will change us 

as a species

Opinion by Marcelo Gleiser

I turned 61 last week, and am now, along with millions of others across the globe, within the higher risk group for Covid-19. Before this turn of events, ours had been the generation that had, along with billions of others younger and slightly older than me, avoided a major global crisis.

Unlike our parents and grandparents, we didn't face the tragedy of living through two World Wars; we avoided nuclear warfare during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Cold War. Now, our luck has run out.

With the Covid-19 pandemic striking full force across the globe, it's easy to stare in disbelief at the growing number of deaths. But the pandemic is here, and it will get worse before it gets better. How much worse depends on all of us. That's where the good news comes in.
The year 2020 will be remembered as a turnaround point in human history. Not just because many will die, but because the Covid-19 pandemic is offering us a chance to reinvent ourselves.
Wars force citizens of a nation to respond as one. When a country's citizens are under attack, they mobilize to face the common enemy. After the US joined World War II, towns ripped apart iron fences and collected scrap metal for tanks and armored cars; intent on beating the enemy, communities competed with each other in fierce collection drives. Fear galvanized action.

We now face a global enemy, one that doesn't identify its targets by religious, racial, gender or political choice; a virus doesn't care about maps and boundaries. What matters is that we are all potential hosts, irrespective of who we are or where we live. Under the cold lens of natural selection, the drama of life unfolds without moral judgment: it all boils down to living and reproducing.
The perversity of a virulent pandemic is that the affected hosts propagate the disease, accelerating the demise of members of their own species. Once infected, we can kill all who unwittingly cross our paths including family and friends.

Covid-19 will change us as a species. We must respond not just as nations fighting an enemy, but as a species fighting for survival. The virus will not wipe us out. But it is causing untold pain and loss, destabilizing global markets, and turning our daily lives into a surreal dreamscape. Our vulnerability and co-dependence are openly exposed.

Nature doesn't care about our arrogance. A tiny organism is forcing us to revisit our values, our divisions, our choices as we barricade within our homes with our closest family members and consider what will come next. We can taste the anxiety in our mouths, imagining what will happen if we lose internet connectivity, or run out of food and resources or worse, contract the virus.

We would be foolish not to embrace the central message of our predicament: that we must come together to survive, that we are fragile despite our capacity to create and destroy, that the tribal divisions that have defined our moral choices over the past millennia must be tossed aside for our own good.

We are entering the age of tribal override, the time when our species will begin to operate as one, as a human hive, working across the planet as a member of a living community of species and not as a destructive parasite. One tribe that embraces diversity and the common good.
We can already see the signs of an awakening. In Italy, a country devastated by loss, people sing together from their balconies, celebrating life and community. The internet helps, even as we distance from each other socially. Our children will miss school, their friends and teachers. We will miss our workplace, night life, distant family members, hanging out with friends.

Our global co-dependence is essential for our survival and for the stability of society, emotionally and practically. Where would we be without our health-care providers, and those who supply our homes with energy and heat, who keep the supermarket shelves full and the streets safe?

We must think collectively as a human hive, each of us playing an essential role. The first steps are simple: to be humble in the face of what we don't know, to be respectful of nature and its powers, and to work together to preserve not just our lives and those of our loved ones, but the lives of all of us in the hive, young and old, celebrating the gift of being alive.

So there you are, folks.  There we all are. Let's all be bigger and stronger than this pandemic. Let's work together. Let's come out on the "other side" of this bigger, better, stronger and smarter than we were, all across the state, all across the nation, all across the world.  Let's do this.

Here's hoping we're smart enough, wise enough to learn and grow from this situation, these events and this pandemic.

Be safe, be careful out there. Do well. And stay at home. For now.