Memorial Day 2020

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May 24, 2020. Memorial Day Weekend. This is the front page of the New York Times today: 100,000 thousand dead so far in the United States from COVID-19. So far.

The sub-head to the story states, “They Were Not Simply Names on a List. They Were Us.”

There will be more deaths. Probably many thousands more. Compare this number to the number of U.S. deaths in war.

Almost twice as many have died from COVID-19 as died in Vietnam. Almost as many as World War I. We’re working our way up to World War II.

But has there been any type of coordinated national response to the COVID-19 outbreak the way there had been for World War II or other wars? An “all hands on deck!” rallying cry? Not at all. Although, for a week, maybe two, during the earlier days of the pandemic, our dear leader Donald Trump called himself a wartime president. That spin didn’t last long, what a surprise.

Also not a surprise is that only 17 percent of Americans have faith in the federal government doing the right thing. That’s an all-time low.

All any of us can do is the best we can do. Act responsibly in an attempt to not spread the virus or catch the virus. Hope for the best, but with the leadership of this country, expect the worst.

I honor all those who have died from COVID-19. I honor those who have died in wars. Too bad I can’t bring myself to fly the flag.

By David Klein

David Klein

Published novelist, creative writer, journalist, avid reader, discriminating screen watcher.

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