As I am "enjoying" my microwave reheated Gevalia this morning, the concept of 'normalcy' keeps percolating in my brain.
On Thursday this week, we set a record for the number of deaths due to the Coronavirus - about 2900 people died in this country. This number about equals the number of people killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack (2977). Imagine that number for a minute. We are still engaged in a war half way around the world because this country was attacked and we lost 2977 people. In the Pearl Harbor sneak attack we lost 2403 which lead to a declaration of war against Japan which lasted a bloody 4 years.
I read where one pundit asked what would happen if we lost 2000 passengers in airplane crashes in one month. Hell, we shut down Boeing's manufacturing of the 737 Max because of two crashes killing 346 people. I'm pretty sure we would pull the plug on the airline industry in a heartbeat if we lost 2000 passenger in a month, much less than a single day. Yet, in spite of this likely reaction we are continuing down a path to restore the country to normalcy whilst we are setting records for deaths in this country. Frankly, I don't get it. Are deaths from viruses less compelling than terrorist or airline crashes?
I truly understand the desire to return to normalcy and get people back to work and school and into the restaurants and malls again. I just don't understand the currency for valuing that desire. What is an acceptable price for normalcy? Are you willing to put your children in the car without seat belts? Are you willing to swim on the beach after a shark sighting in the area? Do you drive on a highway with tread below 4/32 of an inch? Do you check the temperature of your chicken before you put it on the table? We make a judgement all the time about the risks we are willing to take. Usually, the outcome is not perceived as life or death, although I sometimes wonder.
So, as I sip my java, I confess to being in a quandary with conflicting data. On the one had we have more people unemployed since the great depression and on the other hand we continue to set records for deaths from the pandemic. I do know one thing. People who resist common sense health guidelines, e.g., social distancing, face covering, and social gatherings, are selfish jerks. What does worry me is how much of the 'executive' decision making is being done for political reasons rather than a firm commitment to balance normalcy with public health.
As I grab my second cup of coffee, I wish I had the wisdom to suggest the correct road, but I'm not sure there in a definitive answer. However, I will continue to hunker down until I reconcile my desire for normalcy with the risk of bringing the virus into my home."