Half A Million Too Many
The playground is silent

Half A Million Too Many

I just learned that a small-town school near my family has suddenly closed today because of COVID. It looks like teachers might be infected, which means that tonight, anxious parents are watching their children and going into a two-week isolation period. In a tiny community, everyone feels the pain; everyone wants to help but there is nothing that can be done.

That this is familiar to many of you, is a terrible thing, and I feel for your concern. So many are concerned…

By April of next year, there may be 530,000 Americans who will have died of COVID (University of Washington).

That’s like having a World Trade Centre terror attack every two days!

How do you feel about the leadership that actively brought this about?

This death-rate is not an accident. America has the world’s worst response to the pandemic: most number of infections, most deaths.

It happened because of one man.

He wouldn’t let a cruise ship dock in an American port because it would make his pandemic numbers look bad.

He encouraged mass gatherings.

He disdained medical advice.

He targeted state officials who tried to follow safety precautions.

He not only ignored the statistics on the rising numbers of deaths, he actively supressed them.

He triggered riots in the streets and hatred between neighbours.

He hid behind a bible while indulging in rape and abuse.

His sycophants were cowed by his rages and applauded his misdeeds.

In the midst of this death, he doubled down: he accelerated the number of executions of Death Row inmates at a pace not seen in 130 years.

He tried to remain in power by tricks like hobbling the Postal Service to slow down voting, and when that wasn’t enough, and he lost, he ranted and tried to cripple American democracy.

This man is leaving the helm soon, but his legacy will be with America for a generation. If Washington or Lincoln could see this man now, they would be mortified for their country. And probably outraged as well.

Let us not speak his name anymore; let only the tombstones whisper his name as the winds of night blow over them. For America, he is Ghost of Christmas Past. The dead are waiting for him.

There is a new world arising and a stronger America awaits it: weary perhaps, but thankful to be over an ordeal hand-made by their own leadership. If America can survive this, then nothing can beat it! Onwards and upwards! Make this count, for half-a-million reasons!
['Barry Gander']
['Covid', 'Trump', 'School', 'America', 'Pandemic']