STOP THIS MADNESS!!!

I do my best to stay away from the divisiveness of politics. I can't be silent any longer. First of all...no haters please. I respect your right to your opinion. Please respect mine.

Portland, OR is a lovely town. The people are kind, they are tolerant of others, they even allow those that are down on their luck (the homeless) to put up a tent or tarp wherever it is not causing anyone harm. Unbelievably, even in heavy traffic they will allow your vehicle to merge into places that you need to merge.  

Since the horror of George Floyd's death there have been mostly peaceful protests about the use of extreme policing and racism. Enter federal troops who don't identify themselves, act as commandos, not peace officers (I believe most officers still swear to protect and defend...people?) and quickly prove that the very problem Black Lives Matter protestors are trying to address NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! This overreach of the Executive Branch of Government is completely unacceptable. The protests in Portland were lessening...enter the stormtroopers (they really do look like that) with unfettered use of tear gas, rubber bullets (which broke the skull of a man), billy clubs (regular policemen haven't been allowed to use those for years), flash bangs, and an authoritarian attitude that smacks of tyranny.

My beloved Papa served for three years as a paratrooper and infantry man during World War II. He was very proud of the service that he gave for his country. This action against our own citizens would sicken him. He believed in our country and the values that we are supposed to stand up for. 

Maybe this president could spend more time focusing on ridding our country once and for all of a pandemic that is increasing exponentially? Perhaps, he could see that our health care heroes have the supplies that they need without having to wrangle to get them. Maybe the money that is being spent to send federal troops into Democratic cities instead could be used to get our health care workers the supplies they need? Or perhaps that money could go toward the expense of creating the vaccine that we need to end the Covid19 virus once and for all!  

What about the record number of unemployed people that are scrambling in our country?  Remember those down on their luck folks that I mentioned above?  There may soon be much larger populations of tent cities as people are unable to pay for housing for themselves and their families.  Perhaps some money could be put into this effort?

Finally, in what world does it make sense to send our precious children back to school in the fall?  When I was a child we were encouraged never to swap hats because it increased the exposure to ringworm and lice from other children.  Can you imagine 7 years olds that continue to wear their masks all day long without swapping with another child?  What about children who are asymptomatic but bring home Covid19 to other family members, those immune compromised or elderly?  Who will pay for the health care that all of them will require?  How about the teachers, and the staff when they become sick and must be quarantined.  Who will care for their costs?  As usual our president makes decisions without a single thought about possible consequences for others. 

Remember when a certain current president made NOT wearing a mask in a pandemic a political statement?  Remember how sharply the Covid19 cases rose because people were NOT wearing masks in public?

Please, let's stop the madness.  Here are some reasoned ideas to consider.  
 1.  Quit sending federal troops to cities that have largely moderate protests.  If there is looting, let the city, county, and state officers who have been trained to deal with these actions without exacerbating violence, police them.  That will save a large quantity of money.  
2.  Let's use that money that we have saved to ensure that our health care workers have the appropriate equipment that they need to keep themselves safe in this pandemic.  Let's make certain that there are guaranteed lines of replacement for all of that medical equipment.  
3.  There needs to be a plan to fund some sort of employment for all of these people who have no income.  There must be work that needs doing that could be accomplished from homes.  
4.  Let's establish a stay at home school program for at least this school year to avoid causing the possible health consequences of children returning to school during a pandemic.  Teachers could teach more practically remotely, than trying to teach masked children in socially distanced classrooms.  
5.  Let's require people to wear masks in any situations where they can't stay six feet from others.  We must close down places or situations that can expose us to this virus.