If we had practiced these simple rules early enough and locked down long enough in the first place, we would not be treated to empty words from D.C. We would factually, measurably, truthfully, be in a far better economic, educational, and personal place now. It is a given that some would still contract the disease and die, but these internationally, per capita, excessive numbers are totally uncalled for. 

Covid-19  should not still be increasing. 

Yes, this is a war. We’re all tired of it but note: in both past world wars, Korea, and yes, Vietnam too (though by then we were all very tired of war), we unified. We pulled together. Fathers, husbands, sons were fighting on the front lines. We all knew someone who was wounded or had been killed. Blue Stars hung in military family windows. Sadly sometimes blue changed to gold, announcing a son, father or husband had been killed. Gold Star families were next door or down the street.

We did not panic, we were one nation! Our government asked and our nation’s factories retooled. Our flower gardens became vegetable Victory Gardens, moms’ kitchens became canneries, and ladies knitted sweaters, socks, scarves and caps for the troops. Men not in service shared the ride to work so gas and tires could be saved. Many women went to work (shared rides, rode a bus or street-car)  going to offices and factories, taking the place of men serving in the military. Kids worked in paper drives, peeled foil from gum and cigarette packs, fought over which kid got to stomp a rare tin can flat to put aside for a metal drive, saved great balls of string and rubber bands (I never figured out why) and even picked fluff from some kind of weed that would be filler for “mae wests,” which were flotation devices for our fighter and bomber pilots of the day. 

That was then, this is now. We can and should pay attention to present information, knowledge, and science, and should ignore internal and external divisiveness. So, vote as if your lives and your families lives depend on it, because they do. Let me remind you, social justice is not socialism. The memories above are how social justice worked. We were and are one nation. We didn’t tolerate fascists back then and we don’t tolerate fascists, or communists, or socialists or any other kind of “ists” now. No matter your political party, we are the United States of America. Now we’re all on the front lines. Just as we pulled together in the past, pull, dang it, pull! You don’t have to like it. Just do it and help resolve this. Beat this Covid enemy. It is a common, nationally divisive, weakening enemy. Beat this just like we beat our common enemies in the past. 

Shirley Ches

Franklin