I am a coronavirus carrier.
So are you.
I can’t prove that because I haven’t been tested, and I feel fine, but that’s tricky. One insidious thing we know about the virus is that it can take 6 or more days to incubate in your body. During that period you may feel A-OK, while you are infecting others.
Then — wham! You are in the hospital if you get hit hard, or hanging around home if you are lucky enough to contract a light dose.
Among all the advice I have read, if you are a responsible adult, the best is this: Act as if you are infected. Take all the possible precautions to avoid infecting your friends, relatives, neighbors, and even strangers.
Although the health professionals say face masks do no good in protecting you — which I do not believe — they say they are effective in protecting others if you are infected. It’s a one-way street?
I wear one when I am going to be among other people, such as at Acme. I wear latex gloves under rubberized winter gloves and discard the latex after any errand.
I take every precaution I can think of. My mask is not a super effective N95, but does no harm that I can see.
If you are like me, which is to say a responsible adult, this is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, we have a subset of our fellow citizens who don’t give a rat’s ass about anyone but themselves. And I thought the ‘80s was the Me Decade.
Who are they and what do we do about them?
We are in World War III, fighting an invisible, stealthy, unforgiving enemy. Can you recall another time when drivers with out-of-state license plates were pulled over by police at the state line and warned to self-quarantine? Is that even legal?
Various news outlets have spot checked and found — despite government urging 6-foot social distance — kids (young adults) playing basketball, friends gathering in parks, even holding parties in rented Airbnbs. Chicago had to close its popular lakefront recreation area because of overcrowding. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is threatening to close the parks because too many mopes are hanging there, possibly spreading disease. Do they need to be hit with a brick?
Imagine the lack of responsibility.
First, the violators. They put themselves at risk, sure, but they also put others at risk by their blockhead activities.
Second, the hapless leaders who are afraid to take serious action, even when lives may be on the line.
Example: Pennsylvania “non-essential” stores that opened received “warnings.” What — don’t make them stand in a corner? In Philly, do you expect enforcement from Mayor Jim Kenney and D.A. Larry Krasner when they spend most of their time trying to empty the jails?
A couple of days ago, in response to basketball players, Philly removed basketball hoops from city playgrounds. That is effective in keeping them from playing, but how long will it take for the kids to up hang milk crates for hoops, as they do in the streets?
Here is my dilemma. I have a libertarian streak in me, battling against my core belief in order under law. (I like that better than the easily satirized “law and order.”)
The libertarian streak is supported by our brilliant Constitution, and especially the Bill of Rights, designed to limit the power of government and to guarantee the freedom of the citizen.
That’s why I endorse most forms of free speech, even so-called obscene or hate speech, neither of which I like, but I like the government boot of censorship even less.
If you buy the premise that giving someone the virus is potentially lethal to them, doesn’t the state have the duty, the responsibility, to protect its citizens from that kind of harm, from those whose selfishness is giving us a raised middle finger?
Those who deliberately violate the protocols must be dealt with. How?
Some jurisdictions have authorized arrest.
For me, slap individuals with a hefty fine and a spray of some type of skunk odor before being sent home. Yes, to mark and embarrass them. I am half serious, kind of like ink cartridges banks place in cash bags they surrender to robbers.
For businesses that open against the rules, I suggest heavy fines, while a friend wants the state to post a list of violators, “so we know who they are and we can give them a middle finger back” by boycotting their stores.
Ostracize them, shame them.
As for the rest of us, the responsible people?
Pretend we are infected. Play act and save lives.
Hey Stu. Great piece. The hardest part for me is folks who think this won’t affect them. I think they’re selfish pricks.
You are correct. Actually, criminal selfish pricks.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
DAMN ! you are one handsome guy ! (as I sit here typing with my N 95 mask steaming up my glasses ) My wife, being bored yesterday, made a few face masks. I told her that mind should be a “bulls eye” ! go figure.
Pallie,
as always, your blogs cause people to THINK ! How dare you ?!? You are eliciting the famous common sense theme, or lack thereof. Of course you protect yourself – and others – by “suiting up”. Some of us are more vulnerable than others (me?). With lung damage and heart valve replacement ( yes Stu, you know that I have a heart ) I force myself to think of others and think for others. If our so called neighbors and business people need a little encouragement, then count me in. As I said, I protect me AND you. Please do the same .
Tony
Stay safe and my mask steams my glasses, too.
Yup – I noticed that same problem too!
FYI
Take note of Stu’s head gear. I’m sure that he’s wearing it, in honor of the anniversary ( 3/22/1941 ) of the founding of the Tuskegee Airmen
Unaware of that date, but very aware the Tuskegee Airmen were the finest group of men this nation has ever produced. I had the honor of interviewing some of them.
Stu,
The history of the Tuskegee Airmen is lost on the youth ! Actually, anyone who cries racist should read up on this brave group of very integrated, segregated and just plain hated group of men that became one of the best fighting forces the USA ever put together ! These pilots were the best that not only blacks should be proud of, but all people – world wide should embrace. The support personnel were no less full of promise.
Tony
Great article Stu. 100% accurate. What will we call the generation of 20 somethings? God help the future. They think they are invincible. These are not the same times as when we thought we were. 😏
I think that is Gen Z. Leading edge of millennials are approaching middle age.
Fantastic article. 100% spot on. Its how I have been functioning since this started, despite ridicule from others.
Thanks
Great article Stu. I would love to know what places are risking our lives by ignoring the order to close. What we all need to do is try to pressure our governor, mayors, etc. into releasing the names of the criminals so we can boycott them into bankruptcy once this pandemic ends. Is that harsh? Maybe it is but it is far less harsh than giving this virus to an untold number of people by staying open.
H.B.,
rather than calling out a business for possibly not following a directive, call out the politicians that don’t do the job that they were elected to do, namely protect their constituents. Gov. Wolf had to retract one order to issue another. That one will go to court for any number of reasons. In his case, giving the Governor the benefit of the doubt, he acted to hastily in trying to issue a directive that was designed to protect the citizens of the commonwealth.
City council, Kenny and Krasner should all be held accountable at the polls.
Tony
Anthony Clark, Sr,
I agree with you about the politicians but it appears you do not want the places which are defying the shut-down orders outed. If I am correct I would like you to tell me why you feel that way? They, are contributing to the spread of the virus and causing more people to get sick and die. The people who own, or run, these places are just as bad, if not worse, than the politicians.
I would like to see the names of violators made public.
As would I Stu.
I would also like to hear from people who do not want the violators names made public along with their reason(s).
my buddy has a small engine repair shop. It’s open. No walk in customers. He’ll deliver or pick up problem equipment. Do you want his name, etc ?
If your friend is considered an essential business and/or is doing work for essential businesses he is allowed to do the work. If he is not considered an essential business or is doing work for non-essential businesses than he should not be doing it. It does not matter what you or I feel. His name should be published.
I, along with a number of friends, have small businesses. We have shut down to hopefully help slow the spread of the virus. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who decides to say FU are, as Stu put it, “criminal selfish pricks.”
Anthony, while you asked about your friend, and I answered you,you failed to answer my question. So you do not have to scroll back my question to you was/is;
“…it appears you do not want the places which are defying the shut-down orders outed. If I am correct I would like you to tell me why you feel that way?”
H.B.;
Other than “technically” not being a essential business, it could/would be argued that what my friend is doing, is part of agricultural work, which is essential.
I would further argue with anyone, that you have a better chance of catching the virus at a grocery store than at a one man shop, that is NOT open to the public, etc. Furthermore, I haven’t seen any caution tape or police barricades in any stores that sell items in addition to food.
A lot of common sense would go a lot further than more ridiculous laws. I believe that Japan has not shut down. True that it’s smaller. Everyone wears a mask. Because there is very little common sense, people disregard safety, never mind law. A COVID-19 party, etc is right up there with being very stupid. Never mind illegal.
I have to get to work outside with the boss, before she yells at me again…..
Tony
Tony, your failure to answer my question plus how you did respond tells me quite a lot about you, and it is mostly negative.
Golly gee H.B.. can I call you H. ?
You make no sense nor do you try to expand on a dead topic.
Should I use capital letters to explain my position ? My buddies name is of no consequence to you.
The Governor’s degree is clearly not clear. ” or other essential….”
Does this mean that you wont be sending me a Christmas card, H.?
T.C.
Tony, is there any reason you refuse to answer my question?
H.B,
While the small engine repairman is technically violating the directive, common sense always remains in play. The goal of stopping the spread is obviously not being compromised in even the smallest way, by his fixing the engines. When I was in first grade, a classmate wrote on a desk. Teacher asked who did it. No one responded, so the result was, our entire class had to stay after school for a week. Absence of common sense allows both scenarios to exist. Common sense will always remain undefeated in the arena of thought. It is immune to emotions and groupthink.
Tom, you said “The goal of stopping the spread is obviously not being compromised in even the smallest way, by his fixing the engines.”
Tell us how you know this. What basis are you using?
BTW…I am not saying that fixing the engines spreads the virus. It’s the contact with others that spreads it.
still HAPPY TUESDAY !!!
also, APRIL FOOL’S DAY !!!
H.B.
I can’t believe that this conversation is still playing out. It’s almost as if you were one of my brothers, when back in the day, as we sat sipping our bourbon and smoking a good cigar, we would argue if the sun was going down. Then, after we beat that up pretty good, we would argue if the sun was going to rise. Turns out, each time, we were all wrong !
H.B., never mind your hypotheticals. It is very real that human contact transmits coronavirus. The big question is, what are we going to do about it? I, for one, don’t panic. Somehow, I always managed to assess the situation before I ran off half cock.
BTW since my buddy works by himself, handles all equipment by himself and gets paid by credit card, there is no human contact. Let us be done beating this to death.
If you want to be entertained, go to Babylon Bee and Patriot Post. They have humor and they take shots at everybody. Did you know that President Trump said (something like) destroy this economy and in three days I’ll build it back up ? How about,”CNN publishes real news story for April Fool’s Day” ?
Tony
HAPPY TUESDAY !!!
Tom,
HOW DARE YOU ! You used common sense and teacher when you should have been in praise of her majesty, Sister ….., ruler of our heaven and earth. My nuns would have started breaking knuckles to get the answer.
Now, on to a ridiculous topic…………
Tony
Tony
Patience indeed is a virtue, and you have proven why
God bless you
Heavenly Sisters of the I.H.M.
Tom,
My cousin was a nun at Holly Innocents in Juniata, back in the ’60s. I don’t think she was 4′ tall – bonnet and all. Of course, the guys that I later new from North would tell me that you didn’t mess with the “mob” ! ( I wonder if she ever heard that nick name ? I wonder if the kid survived when she heard that nick name ?!?
Tony
Thanks for the laugh, I miss my breakfast buddies.
My 3 brothers went to North. Oblates?
Tom
Oblates of St. Francis DeSales.
the one disciplinarian – Fr. Butler, had a brother that was a cop. Butler had a riot stick, that he liked to use. As long as you weren’t on the receiving end of any discipline handed ( fisted ) out by the priest are lay teachers, you got a very good education.
Quite a few of the priests and Reverend Misters use to work out lifting weights. Then they would work out on you.
Tony
I wasn’t a wise guy or trouble maker, but did get caught in the middle of a yard stick or paddle’s sting.
Having said that I will forever be grateful for my Catholic education, although I couldn’t wait to graduate.
Tom
I fear what I now write may incur the wrath of many, but I do think my questions are fair (and is this not what free speech is all about?): Question: Will the incredible– perhaps even fatal — damage we are inflicting on the economic engine of the USA turn the victory over the virus pyrrhic? Question: Does anyone else sense that perhaps we are being manipulated by a government that has all too often lied to us for its own purposes? Yes, the virus is serious (no argument there), but is it so serious that we should ruin the nation? Italy is the nation most affected by the virus, having suffered a …”staggering” death toll of more than 13,000. Are 13,000 deaths in a nation of more than 60 million people really “staggering”? Looking at the number of coronavirus deaths in the USA from February 28 to today, one may note that it is about the same number of traffic fatalities for the same number of days. All I am asking is are we not ‘destroying the nation in order to save it’?
Vince
All reasonable questions that Trump has alluded to esp the economy. He’s walking a tightrope. He would be eviscerated. Imagine the headline.
Your, if you will, conspiracy theory, poses another question….What level of government? Certainly not the top.
Since the virus first started, nothing but questions. Few answers.
Unlike traffic deaths, cancer, heart disease, etc, they are not contagious, like this virus. And of course no vaccine. We are in a bind. We could use Obama’s “Magic Wand” comment.
And again I ask ‘What would Hillary do?’
Tom
barely HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
I just got lucky and realized that we already had Tuesday .DUH. Concussions.
Vince,
Excellent point ! I’m sure that there are more than the two of us, who thinks (knows) that the federal government has to get a lot better just to be incompetent . Rhetorically speaking, why is it that the flu shot only works on about 4 of the 20 +/- viruses. Why is it that government employees have games on their computers ? Why is it that most people in D.C. pretend to care about us, but really only care about the chosen few ? Why are we told that a mask is a waste for us, but necessary for the medical personnel ?
Two of my favorite words. Accountability and Responsibility.
A favorite phrase: “Drain the Swamp” !
Every one please stay healthy. We will get through this – TOGETHER
Tony
Well said, except you are going way too easy in referring to “hapless leaders”. Substitute the term “self-serving idiots” and start from the top with Trump and his son in law in the corona virus testing business. Then proceed to Governors and other politicians protecting family run businesses.
Yes- please post those open businesses-I’d like to patronize everyone- that is if I had any $- being out of work like everyone of my family.Let the kids play ball.Let the kids go to the beach.They are living a life unlike the rest of us cowering in fear.So Stu dies.So I die .So be it.How long does this economic suicide madness go on ?Come July martial law will not stop us from going to the beach.Let Cuomos mom die.A few thousand dead is not worth the anarchy we are courting.
I completely agree with you Stu. How many more “”passes” do we give to self absorbed people? Fine them on the spot.
As my father used to say when my brother and I did something he considered wrong, “penalize them.”