COVID Takes A Back Seat

While America burns, a space shuttle takes off and COVID-19 takes a back seat.

Since early March, the coronavirus has been the main topic on all news broadcast, dominated peoples' conversations and impacted our daily lives.  It's unprecedented to see governors and other officials holding daily press conferences, addressing their citizenry.  Not even during 9/11 did this occur.  If there were other major news happening during the two months, it wasn't covered or we missed it.

However, in late April, early May, we learned of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and news of the circumstances which led to his death was allowed to creep in between the corona coverage.  Mr. Arbery was killed on February 23rd, however, it wasn't until an April 21st New York Times article and the release of a video shortly thereafter, that we were informed of his killing.   A team of father and son executioners claimed he was involved in break-ins in the neighborhood and attacked and shot him as he jogged.  It took the publicity for the murderers to be arrested.

Then came the case on May 25th of the Caucasian woman who called the police on a Black man who reprimanded her for not leashing her dog as required in Central Park.  He videotaped her as she called 911 and said an African American man was threatening to attack her.  It enraged many and she received more than her fifteen minutes of infamy; she was fired and had to return her dog to the shelter.  

However, who knew that on that same night a greater tragedy was to take place.  George Floyd was murdered by a police officer who choked the life out of him with a knee lodged in Mr. Floyd's throat for 8 minutes and 64 seconds. Three other officers looked on, doing nothing but to hold back the crowd that had gathered.  All four officers were terminated as civil protests began and agitators started looting.  As the protests intensified, the knee killer was arrested, but merely charged with Murder 3 and Manslaughter.  Violent rioters infiltrated what had begun as peaceful protests and looted, burned and destroyed property. 

The Space X, launch on April 30th had over 3 million watching at home on their television set and 1,000 in person, a low number because of social distancing.  It received its share of press coverage, however, not what it would have gotten all day long, but for the Floyd's coverage.

COVID is no longer the news of the day.  It was not in the minds of some who were protesting.  It was not in the mind of some of the law enforcers.  Social distancing and face masks went out the window as people gathered in the thousands, chanting, some screaming, letting out saliva and sputum, brushing against or touching each other, possibly passing the virus from one to the other.  This comes after all the work some of the states had done to bring their numbers down and were in the phases of reopening.

The new wave of COVID-19 was supposed to come in the fall.  I fear the second wave will be now.