Help me understand

Beaker from the Muppets: Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the colour 9. 

As I think about the tension between the ReOpenNow and SaferAtHome factions, the lyrics to People are People  by Depeche Mode comes to mind…

People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully

So we're different colours
And we're different creeds
And different people have different needs
It's obvious you hate me
Though I've done nothing wrong
I've never even met you so what could I have done

I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand

Help me understand

Now you're punching
And you're kicking
And you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced
But I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel
From your head to your fists

Depeche Mode meme: I just can't get enough. 

CNN is tracking how each state is progressing through phased reopen plans. NC recently transitioned to Phase 2 Safer at Home which is set to run from May 22 until at least June 26.  

Phase 1 began May 8 with retail stores limited to 50% capacity and child care facilities opened for children of working parents or those looking for work.  

Phase 2 is less extensive than originally planned. Restaurants, hair salons and a few other businesses are allowed to open with restrictions but bars, nightclubs, gyms, and indoor fitness facilities will stay closed for now. Gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.  

The governor exempted churches from his executive orders so congregations can worship as they wish.  

A few businesses have openly disregarded public health guidance including two race tracks and at least one indoor fitness gym. As far as I know, neither the attorney general nor local law enforcement have issued citations or filed charges against these businesses for flouting recommendations. 

Mac Ernest, a retired physician living in rural Pamlico County wrote a column published in his local newspaper explaining how to stay safe during Phase 2. It is well written and easy to understand so I hope folks take a few moments to read it. 

Albert Einstein: If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. 

I support Gov. Cooper’s phased reopen plan. It isn’t perfect but it seems reasonable to me, and most North Carolinians agree. Being a democratic governor in a state controlled by a republican general assembly is a tough gig, especially during a pandemic. All things considered, the minor inconveniences Greg and I experience are small sacrifices in exchange for avoiding contact with the virus. Right now we have no need or interest in returning to a pre-pandemic “normal” lifestyle.

Being a cautious person, I’m not ready to eat in a restaurant or get my hair cut yet. However, today I scheduled a June appointment for Minerva at the Pfafftown Pet Pawlor. I’m willing to trim my own bangs but need professional help cutting her nails. I’m grateful the pet salon is open with new physical distancing protocols. The owner is pregnant and her shop will be closed during her maternity leave July through September so Minerva is going to have a long break between pampering sessions no matter what.

One reason I’m hesitant to go out much is because of people who refuse to wear a mask. For me, wearing a mask is a social contract, a way to signal that we care about other people as much as ourselves, that we are taking personal responsibility to be as safe and healthy as possible. Because along with rights, I understand and readily accept that citizens also have responsibilities. Wearing a mask may be uncomfortable for some, but I don’t consider it tyranny.

mask social contract quote above and info graphic below  

When I see a person wearing a mask I immediately feel I can trust them to be a good citizen and to stay at least 6 feet away from me. When I see a person NOT wearing a mask in public, my gut reaction is distrust, fear, and hesitation. The mask-less person may be perfectly healthy or they could be an asymptomatic carrier; it’s impossible to know. Rather than risk becoming infected, it’s easier just to avoid people altogether.

Beyond the health risks, I also worry about the temperaments of mask-less people. As Trump would say, “I’m sure some of them are good people” but after reading angry anti-mask comments online and watching videos of people deliberately and dramatically coughing at strangers, I don’t want to risk running into someone like that. To be fair, there are angry mask wearers shopping in stores too.

Even though I admit I am biased against people who refuse to wear a mask, I long for peaceful coexistence with them. Sometimes I scan the ReOpenNC Facebook page in an effort to understand their point of view and to look for common ground. Some of the posts are militantly off putting though not always.

What are reopen protestors truly trying to communicate? After reading countless ReOpenNC posts on social media, reading news reports, and watching videos online I believe I have a basic understanding of protestors’ objections to Gov. Cooper’s Phase 2 Safer at Home guidance: 

• Data shows that people are not staying home despite orders from state governors.
• How can we be safer at home in NC with open borders between SC, TN, and VA?
• There is insufficient regulatory infrastructure to monitor or enforce every business.
• Why is it ok to go into a liquor store but not a bar, gym or movie theater?
• Why is phase 2 set to last 5 weeks? What is the data supporting that decision?
• What is the magic number NC needs to reach in order to reopen fully?
• 50% occupancy of businesses is not boosting the economy.

ReOpenNC protestors believe forced business closure decisions have been an arbitrary and unconstitutional act of tyranny by Gov Cooper. They want 100% freedom and 100% return to normalcy immediately; nothing short of that will be acceptable. They also take offense to the notion that choosing not to wear a mask in public is seen as not caring about people. In NC, face coverings are encouraged by the governor but not required by law. 

Personally, I would feel safer if everyone wore masks. Based on public opinion polls and Memorial Day protest rally attendance records, most folks agree. 

mask public opinion poll

ReOpenNC protestors organized rallies in 5 cities yesterday:

Asheville – approximately 50 people gathered downtown.

Charlotte – about a dozen vehicles participated in a rolling rally. 

Greensboro – around 100 people gathered downtown.

Raleigh – around 150 people gathered downtown.

Wilmington – unknown.  

Nike has a current ad campaign promoting the tag line #YouCan’tStopUs which has become popular among Hong Kong protestors. I hope ReOpen protestors don’t try to co-opt it. By the way, I’m old enough to remember #BeLikeMike and #JustDoIt.  

The overlap between reopen, anti-mask, anti-vax, and second amendment supporters is not surprising. Sadly, it takes only a few extremists to put everyone at risk. Even more sad, some are perpetuating an unfortunate us vs. them narrative with declarations like, “We will not have THEIR NORMAL!”  

Conspiracy theorists boggle my mind. A recent survey revealed that a startling number of Americans (50% of people who rely on Fox News as their main source of information, 44% of republicans, 24% of independents, and 19% of democrats) believe the debunked conspiracy theory that Bill Gates wants to use a COVID-19 vaccine to implant a microchip with a digital ID that would track the recipient's movements. Bless their hearts. 

Trump and others have claimed coronavirus was a hoax perpetrated by democrats and exaggerated by the media to make the president look bad. Eric Trump said the virus would go away after the November election. If they truly believed their own propaganda then why doesn’t Trump continue to hold campaign rallies in huge stadiums? Why does Eric do interviews from his home instead of Fox News studios or at MAGA events? Why are White House staff tested daily and required to wear masks? Hypocrisy, that's why.  

Political tribalism is leading to more and more hypocrisy and misinformation: 

• All lives matter, except the elderly and immuno-compromised at highest risk of COVID-19.  
• Businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, including sexual orientation, but it's an authoritarian government conspiracy to refuse service to those who won't wear a mask.   
• Every fetus and baby must be saved yet nearly 100,000 dead Americans is an acceptable loss.
• My body, my choice applies to mask choice, but not women’s bodies. 
• No shirts, no shoes, no service is reasonable but wearing masks for public health is tyranny. 
• I don't need to wear a mask because God will protect me. 

Parker Malloy recently explored how public health became politicized in the US and the current partisan divide was traced directly to Trump. Despite numerous scientific studies and recommendations from doctors, Trump criticizes those with whom he disagrees. Trump claimed he took the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure yet he refuses the easiest and simplest precaution of simply wearing a mask.  

Stay at Home Supporters	Reopen Now Protestors
Solid majority	Vocal minority
Believe scientists / doubt Trump	Doubt scientists / believe Trump
Masks for all in public	Masks by individual choice, not law
Shop online and/or wear mask	Want businesses open now
Online church services	Want churches open now
Most are willing to wait for vaccine  and approved treatments	Some are willing to experiment with hydroxychloroquine
Values collective good more than personal freedom	Values personal freedom more than collective good
Adapting to new normal	Wants immediate return to normal

In the spirit of sharing softer news and/or silly vibes:  

• Former President Barack Obama joked at White House Correspondents Dinner.
• Jon Stewart's political comedy film Irresistible starring Steve Carell premieres June 24 on demand.  
• Shuler King playfully asks “Anybody wanna tell me…?” in a series of comedic videos. 

Daily pandemic update:  

India reported its biggest jump in coronavirus cases for a seventh consecutive day, taking its total number of infections to 145,380.  Aljazeera.com timeline

26 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
14:13 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	5,525,084	5,622,939	347,106	348,715	2,315,832	2,393,539
US	1,686,791	1,709,243	99,311	99,883	451,745	465,668
NY	371,193	372,494	29,231	29,310	64,082	64,528
CT	40,468	40,873	3,693	3,742	6,622	6,622
NC	23,364	24,167	784	795	11,637	11,637

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 in the US.

As of today 18% of closed cases in the US resulted in death; 82% recovered.

Globally 13% of closed cases resulted in death worldwide; 87% recovered.

Currently 2% of all active cases are considered serious or critical.

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter. Son Reid lives in CT. I live in NC. 
Worldometers     Coronainusa     Starsexpress2020     https://ncov2019.live/

In the news: 

• Alaska became first US state to fully reopen.
• Angry shoppers in Staten Island NY forced woman out of store for not wearing mask.
• Biden wore a mask as he visited DE veterans park while Trump visited Arlington Cemetery and gave a speech at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Memorial Day.
• Bolivian orchestra stranded in German castle during pandemic.
• Canadian official Sonia Savage said it’s a great time to build a pipeline because COVID-19 restrictions limit protests against them.  
• Class action lawsuit against Chicago McDonald’s seeks compliance with health guidance. 
• Clear face masks are recommended norm for all, to assist deaf and hard of hearing.
• Congress split over calls for additional stimulus vs. pause vs. tax cuts.
• DeVos’ education dept may be revising formula allocation table and methodology to distribute CARES stimulus funds to schools.
• Expose in St. Louis Post-Dispatch found Trump budget cut pandemic preparedness budget by $102.9 million, part of $595.5 million in requested cuts to public health preparedness and response outlay.
• GA high school students tested positive after participating in drive through graduation parade. NC high school student tested positive the day after he participated in a graduation ceremony. 
• Infectious disease expert offered advice to lower risk of infection when dining out.
• KY protestors hung effigy of Gov Beshear; the act was criticized by McConnell.   
• Thousands of Americans disregarded public health guidance as they commemorated celebrated Memorial Day weekend.
• LabCorp becoming NC Piedmont Triad top Fortune 500 corporation represents historic change. 
• Miami high school coach suspended for allegedly holding practices during pandemic.
• Mississippi church fire likely caused by arsonists wanting to prevent virus spread.
• Navajo Nation is among hardest hit community in North America. 
• NY Gov Cuomo pledged front line state employees who die from coronavirus will receive death benefits.
• Racial incident in NYC Central Park diffused with social media video footage clearing black man accused of attacking white woman during dog leash disagreement. Police in Minneapolis are accused of killing black man while in custody.
• Satellite images show Myanmar Rakhine village burning, lending credence to reports buildings were set ablaze by government soldiers in ethnic conflict.
• #TakeTrumpOffTwitter trended after widower of Scarborough staffer wrote letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey regarding Trump misinformation and conspiracy theory around wife’s death.  
• Trump lied in attack against congressman and Marine Corp veteran Conor Lamb.
• Trump withdrawal from Open Skies treaty is allegedly linked to ploy to resume nuclear testing. An infectious disease specialist for the Russian Health Ministry said Trump must really be taking hydroxychloroquine, since it’s known to cause psychotic side effects. Trump is also alleged to be giving Russia ventilators that they don't need. 
• Trump threatened to relocate RNC convention if Charlotte NC venue cannot be fully occupied. NYT speculated he may have wanted to host convention at his Doral FL property though he denied that allegation. Charlotte officials stated the event contract is with the RNC, not Trump.
• White House adviser Kevin Hassett said "Our human capital stock is ready to go back to work."

Following Kenny Beck’s lead to share a few signs of hope:

Art bus delivers craft supplies to kids in VT.  

In my personal life…

Monday was a strange day. Greg slept in later than usual so the house was quiet for a few hours. He made us strawberry smoothies for late breakfast using the same recipe as yesterday which I learned was technically a smoothie, not a milkshake. Anyway, it was kind of a boring afternoon until 3pm when I was scheduled to help my friend CH learn how to set up a Zoom meeting for her Ukestra (Ukulele orchestra). CH and I were just getting started when Greg told me his sister Robin had texted because she was in the area and wanted to stop by for a visit. I didn’t want to inconvenience CH so I told Greg to go ahead without me and that I would join him and Robin when I finished. I foolishly thought it would take about 30 minutes with CH but we ended up chatting while she practiced using Zoom so 2 hours passed by in a flash. Time flies like that when hanging out with a kindred spirit. She wanted to practice a little more so we made a plan to take a break and then Zoom again at 9pm.

Because Greg and I have a small house, and because Robin doesn’t wear a mask, Greg suggested they chat outside in the fresh air. He told her about his friend Bob who died of COVID-19, and that he didn’t want to hug her or get too close, that he would rather be safe than sorry in case one of them might be an asymptomatic carrier. Greg said Robin seemed confused, like she didn’t think coronavirus is serious enough to worry about. She has been working from home for 2 months so her employer clearly takes the health risk seriously. However, she doesn’t know anyone personally who has been infected or gotten sick so maybe it doesn’t seem real to her yet. They chatted for a while outside and then she got back in her car to drive home to Lexington, 30 minutes south of Pfafftown.

I would liked to have seen Robin, truly, but it upset me knowing she doesn’t follow physical distancing guidance. I worry about her and all the people she interacts with. The more I thought about her, my worry morphed into anger. It took me several hours to process my feelings and let go of the anger, most of it anyway.

In the midst of my self-righteous indignant outrage, Greg’s sister Tonya called from Raleigh. She shared good news about her husband Peter’s grandmother, a 99 year old woman who recently recovered from COVID-19. Also, she told us about Heritage Puzzle in Pfafftown which had been in the news recently because their jigsaw puzzle business is booming during the pandemic. I look for local news and feel good stories to include in the blog but didn’t know about this one until Tonya mentioned it.  

For dinner Greg warmed frozen mozzarella cheese sticks in our air fryer while I made myself a turkey sandwich and he baked a small frozen pizza for himself. After dinner Greg and I walked Minerva around the back yard. Greg spotted three ripe raspberries and pointed out some almost ripe blueberries. Sitting inside again I felt tired so I took a nap in order to be fresh for the 9pm Zoom with CH.

It had only been 4 hours since our last chat but quite a lot had happened in the interim so CH filled me in on recent developments. She also told me about her experience being interviewed by Jeff Piegari, aka DJ Jeff from Peacehaven Community Farm. After CH and I finished catching up and practicing her Zoom skills, I immediately listened to the interview. Hearing excitement in Jeff’s voice as he asked questions, and CH as she answered, was a heartwarming exchange; precisely what I needed to snap out of my funk.

DJ Jeff inspired me to create a Sound Cloud account to upload a few recordings, starting with Reid’s Mother’s Daypodcast from 2015. I spent the next couple hours listening and thinking and writing until I finally felt at peace. Went to sleep feeling hopeful, no longer angry or self righteous.