Monday, May 25, 2020

#AMWRITING #BLOGGING - WE ARE A NATION OF HOLLOW DREAMS


For the last three months I have been in a voluntary quarantine. As soon as I heard about the Coronavirus and the first cases were announced in Seattle, I went straight to my PCP and in our short-hand lingo, discussed triage, supplies and what it all would mean for me, as I'm high-risk. Having worked in a tertiary care facility for four years, I knew that I was way down on the list for any kind of care, other than palliative, and in five minutes, I knew that I would be staying indoors for the duration of whatever this was, until a suitable vaccine was cobbled up, by our health industry.

I just had no idea that beneath the layers of what seemed to be a functioning (albeit, a dysfunctional one) nation, lay fault lines that were well-nigh insurmountable and that, moreover, the Powers-That-Be would not be swayed by a mere Pandemic to let their Better Angels out to save the day. No, all this lay ahead, to be peeled back in an ugly and rapacious manner that becomes uglier and meaner each day.

In early March*, when it seemed that we would have most of our work force staying “at home”, with the exception of the essential workers, and it was being bandied about in the House and Senate regarding Incentive checks and PPP for small businesses, there was also discussion about rent and mortgage “forgiveness” that would allow people to stay in their homes or apartments if they were furloughed. It was called H.R. 6515 and introduced 4/17/2020. This was to take care of folks to make sure that the homeless population didn't worsen, and to keep PEOPLE IN PLACE, during the Pandemic.
*Not precisely sure of the time lines, or when this was first talked about. 

I hate changing tracks like this, but I must at this juncture; one of the reasons I haven't blogged as much as I used to, as everything has overwhelming, but this, this is too much. My fiancé came home the other day from work (he works for the DOD and IS essential) and had a small children's bicycle, and a kids' hot-wheels toy in the trunk. I asked him where they had come from.


We, of course, have no children. We're going to fix them up and give them away; it just breaks my heart to see them.

It turns out that there is an apartment complex about ½ mile from our house, and it is for lower-income people. Our dog, Ripley, always runs over there and plays with all the other dogs when he gets off of his chain, or out of the house; we're familiar with the people there. So, James told me that people are being evicted right and left there. There are toys, clothing; kids' clothing, furniture, all piled up out there. I'm just enraged. What happened to all this “forgiveness” of rent? Is it because we're living in a Red State, but this doesn't translate to a Black or Brown State? Did the money just disappear into some fat cat's pocket up there in Columbia, or Raleigh, or wherever?


The toys are well-used and also well-kept. The children obviously were proud of them.

Every one of those toys is some kids' ruined dream; a failure on the part of this country. We can't teach them, we can't house, feed, or clothe them. What is wrong with this society, and what do we have to fear by teaching everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, to the best of our ability, to be the best that they can be. NO child should have his or her dream, or ideal kicked to the curb by some money-grubbing fat bastard who doesn't need another goddamned dime from the American Public, or from anyone, period!


We have no way of knowing where the families may have gone, or if they're homeless. We're in a small town. So, they're probably in Greenville, or Spartanburg.

The Pandemic laid bare the fault lines that may have remained hidden for five years, or a decade. This country has become a weakened shell; a former chimera of itself. Our infrastructure has rotted to nothing. Bridges collapse daily, killing people in cars trying to cross them. Dams burst, flooding towns; two in Michigan burst last week. We have a golden opportunity to put together another CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to re-build our infrastructure, yet, our government is so corrupt with nepotism and incompetence and revolving door-ism, if Trump doesn't like the cut of someone's jib that nothing gets done, except some more GOP judges, who are unfit to judge dog shows are packed onto benches, because right-wing matters. If Trump doesn't like the news, he either lies about it, or he lies about what he just said, claiming it was "sarcasm". Who does that?


My baby Glenn, wondering why Mama's crying.

I've said this before and I'll say it again; two of the finest Americans who were at total opposites of the spectrum as regards politics are no longer with us and I'm talking about my parents. My father used to joke about how he was to the right of the John Birch Society and my mother used to say she was a bomb-thrower (Anarchist, for those not in the know), yet, we had some of the best political discourse around our dinner table that I'll never forget, and I'm so goddamned glad they're not here to see this mess of a country. I have a passport and don't think that I'm not thinking about maybe packing it in and making it back to the Auld Sod, as an Ex-Pat, when all of this shit is over. I'm so done with whatever is going on here and I'm not even sure if the U. S. is able to see its way out of the mess that is COVID-19.

As long as people keep lying to themselves and going outside and doing all of the things that are counter-intuitive and playing politics, there is going to be THIS Pandemic. Coronavirus don't care if you're GOP, DEM or INDEPENDENT. It's not about politics. It's not about your stupid freedoms. You're not having a “Rosa Parks” moment, by defying any government's (Federal or State's) orders and herding up together with your friends. Your Civil Rights are not being trampled. Imagine this were WW II. Would you go outside in London during the Blitz, because the German bombs were taking away your rights to stand in the streets and get blown to bits? I thought not. Think on that, this Memorial Day, and remember those who died for us, so we could live.

4 comments:

Melissa said...

I believe in taking precautions and that high-risk folks should be allowed to stay home, but I must disagree. As a nurse, I've been working full-time this whole time (and no, our hospital is not overrun with covid cases). So has my daughter, who works for the local grocery store. We are fine.

Part of this Covid thing IS about our freedoms. The reason our country is in such a state is because of the politicians have been stealing from the people (mostly the left, but right-wing, too). Our freedoms have been eroded. The answer is to get people back to work and give the economy a chance to recover. It's a pandemic. People are going to die. We need to accept that fact and find a reasonable medium between total shutdown and the way things used to be.

ViolaFury said...

@Melissa

I understand. You're a nurse and have been working full-time, but listen to what the people who ARE overrun with COVID cases are saying, and I know from my own experience and what I've seen in states with total lockdowns who quickly they knock this out. There is NO vaccine. You also make the statement "because of the politicians have been stealing form the people (mostly the left, but right-wing, too)" You JUST politicized your entire argument!

COVID don't care if you're GOP, DEM, Independent. We have NO vaccine. We don't even know if we're going to develop a "herd" immunity! There have been reports that this recurs in some individuals. It is also ZOONOTIC and jumps species. I really don't think I need to make it any clearer. The left didn't cause all of this, nor did the right. This has been 40 to 50 years of neglect in this country and BOTH parties need to take a hard look. Being a nurse gives you no agency. I worked in a Tertiary Care facilty for four years and saw horrors you wouldn't believe, so spare me your "authority". This is probably not the worst we'll see if people like you keep running around with such a cavalier attitude!

LA Paylor said...

oh, you're MY kind of person... free speech is revered. Kindness and respect, integrity. Yes... I remember those, and all my friends have those qualities still. I wish we could wake up those following the clothes-less emperor. If we all stood up, arm in arm,agreeing to have a country who can discuss issues from different points of view at the dinner table, then things would change. Too many people are afraid of a bully, erratic, belligerent, pandering to the worst in people.
LeeAnna at not afraid of color

ViolaFury said...

@LA Paylor

Welcome! Thank you so much for visiting! I truly believe in all that you stated. Each day we wake up and make a choice; that choice is not dependent on how we feel, or our class or politics. We choose to be open-hearted, kind and loving. I listen to all takes on politics and religion. I may not jump right on the bandwagon, but I'll hear it. It's what we used to do in this country and it's called "discourse". Unfortunately for us all, Coronavirus doesn't care about what political stance we take. We're not choosing sides when we wear masks; we're being smart and protecting not only ourselves, but others.

I have been in quarantine since mid-February and have not left my house; my symphony canceled its season in early March and they will in all eventuality have a season in 2020-2021. This is the ONLY way to stop the spread. I live in a red state, so it may be a minute... I apologize for not having responded sooner, LeeAnna, but I welcome your company, and I shall return the visit. Thanks again for stopping by! <3 VF aka Mary