WE Are One

I'm fed up. With this uncontrolled plague, with my fellow citizens who haven't the patience our forebears fought so hard to preserve, and with miscreants and con artists who flood transit.

It would be politically correct to bow to the hordes who take advantage of humanity's probable downfall, but I cannot. From the mishandling of novel COVID-19 to the whiny punks who shove their way into courthouses armed to the teeth with guns they have no good reason wielding. What, do they think they'll shoot their irresponsibility into being? It's disgraceful. My father fought, my ancestors did too, for the dream we all are now pampered by. We're sniveling it away through a collective temper tantrum. We could all die for the ridiculous and callous disregard for human frailty, but we're too coddled by modern necessity that we refuse to accept this calamity for what it is: another plague through which only collective vigilance will guide us safely through its pestilence.

In 1918, the world was beset by the Spanish Flu. Then however, we were a society which respected intelligence and the advice it had to offer for our own good. Today, we're aggravated by the uneducated few who believe their ignorance outweighs the common good. Trained minds who sacrifice for humanity are trashed in the putrid wells of common "morality", believing somehow their horrid selfishness will be rewarded. Maybe in the afterlife, folks. I'd prefer to delay that. Some who have access to masks refuse to wear them. They mistakenly believe this worldwide plague is some political device through which only the "good" will be spared.

There is nothing "good" in any of this. People of all pre-conceived labels will die from Corona-virus. It doesn't matter what religion you eschew, what color your skin is, or where you live. If this bug attacks your immune system, your only hope is good ol' fashioned L-U-C-K and historic DNA which has fought to keep your lineage alive through thousands of years. The virus won't care whether you're red or blue, Italian or Irish, Mexican or Canadian, Australian or Russian. The most devastating example: MTA workers in New York City, Chicago, Rome or any other viciously-huge metropolis or lonely outpost. It will simply kill you, and leave behind a wake of heartbroken relatives and friends to mourn you.

Bus operators are there for you, even when you ignore us as you board. We're highly-trained, vigilant professionals who drive our vehicles 25,000 miles each year through the worst elements you're afraid to. We're tough, caring individuals who sacrifice our bodies for the common good. You not even trying to social distance or wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) grossly displays ignorance and lack of respect for your fellow humans. Sure, a mask goes only one way. I wear one to protect YOU,  knowing it cannot fully-protect ME. Your lack of one simply displays disrespect for me and anyone else you come into contact with. I'm driving that bus for 10 hours, which you ride an average of 20 minutes. I'm much more likely to be infected by the 150,000+ people I serve each year. So fuck your non-compliance to basic safety guidelines requested of you.

One hundred years ago, people had more respect for each other. Sure, there were those who considered themselves "better" than others, but they were as wrong then as you are today. If we can limit those micro-particles which linger in any confined (or public) space that are infected with this latest contagion, then more of us will survive to respectfully co-exist another day. This bug will not favor one group over another. It is an equal opportunistic assassin.

And fight is all we seem to do these days. Whatever happened to respectful and spirited discourse and debate with the likely outcome of an honorable compromise that benefits the many over the desires of the few? It has devolved into some contorted reality where many factions believe their set of morals overcomes that of others. That's not what America's Founding Fathers envisioned. They knew we would disagree; yet they expected us to work together to forge a collective agreement on what would work best for the greatest number. Now, hard-working, devoted Americans fight one another over silly principles, or lack thereof, buoyed by silent but powerful influences. We're torn apart, simply because of political differences. It's sad, but I refuse to allow Big Money to alter my respect for my fellow citizens. WE make this country work, even as powerful financial (and foreign) interests endeavor to push us apart, to their advantage. Divide and conquer is not only alive and well, but flourishing. Many of my friends disagree with me politically, but they fail to realize I'm not devoted to one party over another; I am simply in favor of intelligence over fear and graft.

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Mom taught me to respect intelligence and distrust public opinion. It is through argument and information that opinions are born. She taught me to investigate and use information, through several sources which conflict with each other, to form my own. It's a lesson which remains valuable today, when people are torn by numerous "sources". Many seek to falsely-lead people to believe whatever "side" influences any source. If you read both sides of an issue, that which is false is usually easily-ascertained. Only with calm and deliberate discipline can one sift through bullshit to smell fresh air. Unfortunately, many people don't want to read something which disagrees with whichever political philosophy they believe.

Adolf Hitler did murder millions of Jews, folks. It's not a "hoax". September 11, 2001 was a terrorist attack brought on by an Arab hell-bent on wreaking vengeance upon what he believed to be an equally-terrorist regime. I don't believe a lot of the hysterical crap I've read about 9/11; all I know is that humanity is most cruel to itself. We are a world community, and modern technology has shown us how evil our species can be. I wish it could be used to bring us closer together, but I'm afraid that's simply a naive notion. All we can do is hope the better versions of ourselves can find a way to come together before we agree that everyone should die for some bastardized version of "the truth".

I don't "hate" anyone. Yet, some with whom I disagree automatically accuse me of this horrid emotion. For 35 years, I have not felt that emotion; I gave it up for someone I once loved. It's abhorrent to me, it's not Christian or God-like if you choose to believe in the Holy Spirit. When someone disrespects, admonishes me for my beliefs, or insults me, my first thought is forgiveness because I am entirely fallible as a human being. It saddens me that good people think I could ever hate them for their beliefs. I may think they are misled, and they likely believe the same of me. However, I wouldn't consider them friends if there wasn't something within their souls which draws us together. Perhaps, they find something within me that helps them believe I'm not entirely hopeless as a fellow soul. Either way, I love them and hope they feel the same about me.

When I die, my greatest wish for my eulogy is that people remember my respect for them. No matter what you believe, or even that we disagreed, I hope you know that I value you for the person you are, not what others expect or encourage you to be. That's what drew us together.

With that, I wish you all the best. It's all I hope for, and that's something you can bank on. If it remains solvent, that is.

db