Not just chase them out from over-working them… no, let’s ALSO give them hell when they try to tell us to wear masks, practice safe social distancing. Let’s demean them, talk about them - ostracize them. SHAME them. We’re BETTER than THEM.
www.npr.org/... had an interesting piece a couple of days ago that I just stumbled on.
"The values of hard work, the value of community, taking care of your neighbor, that's what small towns shout from the rooftops, this is what we're good at. We are salt of the earth people who care about each other," Darnauer says. "And here I am saying, then wear a mask because that protects your precious neighbor.”
They’re not just shooting themselves in the foot, and shooting each other in the foot by not wearing their masks… the other effect is the dismal way, apparently, that they’re treating their health care professionals. After months of this, those very professionals that they need to nurse them are getting sick and tired of this treatment.
But Darnauer's medical advice and moral admonition were met with contempt from some of her friends, neighbors and patients. People who had routinely buttonholed her for quick medical advice at church and kids' ballgames were suddenly treating her as the enemy and regarding her professional opinion as suspect and offensive.
I live in Los Angeles. I’ve lived in my house for almost 30 years just north of downtown in a lovely, old little neighborhood where I know my neighbors, hang out with them… just this morning while leaving stopped to chat with the couple who live two doors down - they were just back from their morning walk. I see my neighbors at the market, at the local bar/restaurant hangouts (wow… I DO miss that). I’ve always considered my little neighborhood an island of “small town america” in the middle of the BIG CITY. This short article makes me question that comparison.
My neighbors are great about wearing their masks, as are my friends. I’ve had one or two loonies over the course of the past several months come in to my business not wearing their masks. I’ve given my staff the go ahead to tell them “no mask, no service”. They typically turn around in a huff and leave. Bad as things are, I don’t need their business THAT badly. But for the most part, everyone I see is wearing a mask.
I suppose this article shouldn’t surprise me, and it doesn’t all that much. Sad that it’s come to this.
