There have been some standout successes for some countries dealing with this Covid pandemic. Sadly, it has not been the richest countries in Europe or North America.
The US has been the standout failure where many have taken ill, been hospitalized, or died. Today the official US Covid death count is near 1 million and the unofficial count certainly exceeds that. Many deaths were avoidable.
So What Happened? How Did We Get It So Wrong?
I could make a list several pages long of where we went wrong. But an old Italian proverb says it best. "A fish rots from the head first". And the first job of an American President is to protect the people from all enemies foreign and domestic. I, as have many others, took that solemn oath and never did I consider it null and void when I ended my formal service. The time is now, for those that have taken this oath, to fulfill that oath. Internal enemies to our democracy do exist.
Families have been torn apart in their time of spiritual need by internal bickering touted by a right-wing media that fed them a daily diet of falsehoods, cons, and lies. At best, many of our "mainstreet" media have failed to adequately help protect people from misleading information. All this led to many who are dazed, confused, and angry. And worse they are ill-equipped to act defensively against a fast and relentless evolving virus.
This malfeasance has become a reoccurring pattern. The Bush Administration and Republicans left a big economic mess for the Obama Administration to clean up in 2008. The Trump Administration, not to be outdone, left an even bigger economic mess and our health care seriously in jeopardy. And much to our distress, there is even evidence to suggest that some of the missteps may not have been in error but intentional. One day we will know the whole truth.
It Didn't Have To Be This Way
We knew early in this pandemic that transmission of the virus was airborne. Yet, little substantial corrective action was taken. In fact some of the practices were even counterproductive like plexiglass shields in stores that interfered with air circulation. A country that once produced tanks, ships, and planes by the millions at the drop of a hat for World War II could not produce a 50-cent N-95 face mask in a timely manner to protect the frontline healthcare workers or the public. Left to the private sector, they failed. Good grief.
And the Republican Party and their financiers have, at best, dragged their feet and blocked best public health practices. At worst, they have adopted, for political gain, a stance that is killing their own supporters. The shame of a democratic nation for allowing that is overwhelming. Simply, we as a nation have lost our will to perform together for the better common good. That loss hasn't been by accident or by our lack of ability. It has been by the design of the roughly 400 oligarchs who have brought this grand people's experiment called America to a standstill, now subject to foreclosure, and all just for short-term financial gain.
When I was young, we used this phrase to practice our writing> "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country". Well now is that time for all good men, women, and children, from every corner, rich and poor, north and south, urban and rural, to come to the aid of America.
Our country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty of thee we sing. Land where our fathers died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
About the Author
Robert Jennings is the co-publisher of InnerSelf.com, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering a more connected, equitable world. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, Robert draws on his diverse life experiences, from working in real estate and construction to building InnerSelf with his wife, Marie T. Russell, to bring a practical, grounded perspective to life’s challenges. Founded in 1996, InnerSelf.com shares insights to help people make informed, meaningful choices for themselves and the planet. More than 30 years later, InnerSelf continues to inspire clarity and empowerment.
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