Our New Reality
We're here.
All of us. Together. In the most uncertain time that we as a nation have faced since 9/11. Even in those days, there was the underlying sense that things would be okay. That our buildings would be rebuilt. That our industries would recover. That our politicians would do the right thing. That we would, however briefly, unite behind the American flag. September 11th was a trying time for all of us, but we knew that we would recover. We were, after all, America.
This is different.
This time, the enemy is not a group of terrorists but rather a virus that knows no borders. It doesn't matter how patriotic a people are, or what their economic system is, or what kind of health care they have. This microscopic virus, invisible to the naked eye, is poised to potentially kill hundreds of thousands of people regardless of their race, gender, religion, beliefs, or ideologies. This virus cannot be contained by a border wall or a port of entry. It cannot be stereotyped or put into a cage. It is an invisible threat that lies among us, no matter who we are or where we live.
This virus won't be stopped, we can only do what we can to slow its progress. Those wanting a swift resolution to this pandemic do not understand the situation. It will get worse before it gets better. We might not reach Italy levels, but cases in the United States will increase exponentially if and when we finally get the much-promised testing kits. In the absence of a coherent and competent federal government response, states have been taking the lead in setting and enforcing public health policies designed to slow the spread of the virus. Professional sports leagues have been suspended, schools have been closed, restaurants have moved to take-out only, public gatherings over a certain size have been banned, and employers have moved to have as much of their workforce work from home. All of these actions taken knowing full well that we will continue to see more and more people contract the virus in the weeks and months ahead.
This is where we are in these difficult times. All we can do is heed the scientists' advice: practice good hygiene, avoid public crowds and spaces as much as possible, and be cognizant of our most vulnerable. That includes checking in with our grandparents, our neighbors with school-aged kids, and our friends who may not be able to work from home. That includes finding ways to incorporate technology to make up for missed meetings, classes, and church services. That includes working with local governments to delay evictions and to find ways for school-aged students to have access to the free lunch they would have gotten at school. That includes identifying who in our communities needs help during these trying times and what we can do to meet those needs in a way that doesn't put these communities at risk.
All that also includes thinking beyond yourself and your immediate needs. You can go a few weeks without going to the gym, or your favorite restaurant, or to your favorite local concert venue. You can go a few weeks without swiping right and meeting a new person for a date. You can go a few weeks without seeing your parent or grandparent in the retirement home but can call or FaceTime them instead. You can put off that elective surgery, knowing that hospitals will need that space for those infected with the virus. You can hold off on booking your summer vacation. And you can hold off on buying that soap or toilet paper in bulk, knowing that families of lesser means will need those items more than you.
At the end of the day, it is up to each and every one of us to do our part. Yes, it will be a sacrifice for some but it is a sacrifice we have no excuse not to make. After 9/11, we were a nation of flags; flags waving from our cars, flags waving from our homes, flags waving from our places of work. We truly felt pride in who we were as a nation. Today, we might not feel that collective pride but we can get there knowing that we did everything in our power to manage the crisis that came to our doors. This virus will not be defeated overnight but knowing that we, as a nation, did what we could to slow its progress and that we did what we could to protect our most vulnerable is something that we can be proud of. It is time for all of us to put aside our egos, band together, and make collective sacrifices for the greater good. Then, and only then, we can feel pride in what it means to be an American.
A pride that comes with thinking and acting beyond ourselves in a time of crisis.