Putting the Cart Before the Horse: Too Soon to Reopen Texas
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
I am aware living in a country known for its freedoms of choice and expression that has implemented rules and regulations to restrict that freedom goes against everything in an American's nature and fiber. I am also aware being cooped up at home with nothing to do other than what has been identified as an essential activity is starting to effect people's mental health and well-being.
I also understand disrupting one's routine throws people off. While people experience things differently, one of the side effects of my "cabin fever" is a strange bout of insomnia and vivid, strange dream sequences. On any given night, I am usually unable to sleep, and I will not get to sleep until sometime after 2:30 in the morning. During one of the most extreme examples, I stayed up the entire early morning, and I was unable to sleep until six in the morning.
Protests have erupted around the country. In the Midwest, protestors in states like Missouri are congregating in large groups, completely ignoring the social distancing guidelines and refusing to wear facial coverings as they yell and fight for being allowed to do whatever they want. Social media has shown images of people using slogans like "My Body, My Choice" emblazoned on poster boards, a slogan typically reserved for people supporting pro-choice rights.
Worse yet are some of the things these protesters believe and say. Several protesters interviewed believe the COVID-19 pandemic is a hoax; and others believe it is a conspiracy and a biological weapon artificially created by the Chinese in order to weaken the West.
I understand people want a return to normalcy, but I will state the obvious — we are nowhere near ready to returm to normal, if we will ever be able to do so.
The President of the United States, along with the Governor of the State of Texas, have released their plans to begin allowing businesses and other non-essential isntitutions to reopen within the remainder of the month. Other states have followed suit. A press release by the Governor of Georgia announced his intentions to begin reopening the state next week.
In Texas, state parks have been reopened, and people will soon be allowed to play tennis and golf. Non-essential businesses will soon be allowed to offer curbside services with restrictions relaxing as the weeks go by.
While some avid outdoor enthusiasts are asking why activities like golf and tennis are being allowed while activities like fishing are still restricted, the simple truth is it is way too early to begin reopening the state for non-essential and recreational activities.
I understand there are a lot of people who are feeling the pressure of not being allowed to work because their place of employment is currently not allowed to open, but one has to weigh the consequences of trying to restart the economy too soon verus the potential risks of prolonging and enhancing the spread of the virus.
It doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you're on. It doesn't matter whether or not you like, or dislike, the president or the governor. Politicians are making decisions based on the people's displeasure of staying at home rather than in the interests of public safety and the welfare and good health of the citizenry. I understand politicians are elected by the people, and the people in power right now were put there by the types of people who are protesting the shelter-in-place orders, but there are other more important things to consider rather than elections and holding political office.
You don't have to take my word for it. Numbers don't lie. I do not want to choke my readers with statistics, and you can do some more research on the subject, but let;s take a look at some facts. There are rougly 29 million people in Texas. Of the 29 million, only around 200,000 people have been tested. That number represented as a percentage is 0.69%. Think about that for a minute. Less than one percent of the recorded population of Texas has been tested to date.
There is no way of really knowing whether or not the "curve is being flattened." No matter what pro-return-to-normal media outlets report, there aren't enough people being tested, there aren't even enough tests to go around, and there are even those who believe the PCR tests for COVID-19 are not as accurate as the antibody tests.
It would be in all of our best interests if we were to allow medical science and technology, along with legitimate, measurable statistics to tell us when we are beginning to make a real dent in turning the tide against the virus. This is not the time to lead with our emotions. This is not the time to govern and make decisions from a position of fear, weakness, and being influcnced by a mob-mentality.
We need to make sure people are safe and the virus is well on its way to being eradicated before we are able to do some of the things we were used to doing before this all started.
I am aware living in a country known for its freedoms of choice and expression that has implemented rules and regulations to restrict that freedom goes against everything in an American's nature and fiber. I am also aware being cooped up at home with nothing to do other than what has been identified as an essential activity is starting to effect people's mental health and well-being.
I also understand disrupting one's routine throws people off. While people experience things differently, one of the side effects of my "cabin fever" is a strange bout of insomnia and vivid, strange dream sequences. On any given night, I am usually unable to sleep, and I will not get to sleep until sometime after 2:30 in the morning. During one of the most extreme examples, I stayed up the entire early morning, and I was unable to sleep until six in the morning.
Protests have erupted around the country. In the Midwest, protestors in states like Missouri are congregating in large groups, completely ignoring the social distancing guidelines and refusing to wear facial coverings as they yell and fight for being allowed to do whatever they want. Social media has shown images of people using slogans like "My Body, My Choice" emblazoned on poster boards, a slogan typically reserved for people supporting pro-choice rights.
Worse yet are some of the things these protesters believe and say. Several protesters interviewed believe the COVID-19 pandemic is a hoax; and others believe it is a conspiracy and a biological weapon artificially created by the Chinese in order to weaken the West.
I understand people want a return to normalcy, but I will state the obvious — we are nowhere near ready to returm to normal, if we will ever be able to do so.
The President of the United States, along with the Governor of the State of Texas, have released their plans to begin allowing businesses and other non-essential isntitutions to reopen within the remainder of the month. Other states have followed suit. A press release by the Governor of Georgia announced his intentions to begin reopening the state next week.
In Texas, state parks have been reopened, and people will soon be allowed to play tennis and golf. Non-essential businesses will soon be allowed to offer curbside services with restrictions relaxing as the weeks go by.
While some avid outdoor enthusiasts are asking why activities like golf and tennis are being allowed while activities like fishing are still restricted, the simple truth is it is way too early to begin reopening the state for non-essential and recreational activities.
I understand there are a lot of people who are feeling the pressure of not being allowed to work because their place of employment is currently not allowed to open, but one has to weigh the consequences of trying to restart the economy too soon verus the potential risks of prolonging and enhancing the spread of the virus.
It doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you're on. It doesn't matter whether or not you like, or dislike, the president or the governor. Politicians are making decisions based on the people's displeasure of staying at home rather than in the interests of public safety and the welfare and good health of the citizenry. I understand politicians are elected by the people, and the people in power right now were put there by the types of people who are protesting the shelter-in-place orders, but there are other more important things to consider rather than elections and holding political office.
You don't have to take my word for it. Numbers don't lie. I do not want to choke my readers with statistics, and you can do some more research on the subject, but let;s take a look at some facts. There are rougly 29 million people in Texas. Of the 29 million, only around 200,000 people have been tested. That number represented as a percentage is 0.69%. Think about that for a minute. Less than one percent of the recorded population of Texas has been tested to date.
There is no way of really knowing whether or not the "curve is being flattened." No matter what pro-return-to-normal media outlets report, there aren't enough people being tested, there aren't even enough tests to go around, and there are even those who believe the PCR tests for COVID-19 are not as accurate as the antibody tests.
It would be in all of our best interests if we were to allow medical science and technology, along with legitimate, measurable statistics to tell us when we are beginning to make a real dent in turning the tide against the virus. This is not the time to lead with our emotions. This is not the time to govern and make decisions from a position of fear, weakness, and being influcnced by a mob-mentality.
We need to make sure people are safe and the virus is well on its way to being eradicated before we are able to do some of the things we were used to doing before this all started.
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