I'm responding to a column that recently appeared in the Tampa Bay Times called, "I Will Not Die of Stupid," by a columnist named Leonard Pitts, Jr. A friend of mine posted the column on Facebook with the comment, "This is spot on." I could think of nothing he said that was spot on, and said as much to my friend. Here are my edited comments to her post. I linked Pitts' column at the end, as well as a link to a Commentary podcast that deeply troubled me, having to do with what we should really be afraid of--the disruption of the supply chain.
I'm not sure I understand what Mr. Pitts wants. He closes this essay by saying, "I need to know sufficient testing has been conducted and that they [serious, credible people] feel the virus is no longer a threat." The virus is a threat today, tomorrow, and likely for years. It may always be a threat. What is he asking? What is he advocating?
I agree that he should stay inside, stay safe, stay away from restaurants and crowds. I don't agree if he's saying the same should apply to everyone. He says we should defer to Dr. Fauci. But Dr. Fauci's expertise is immunology, not the economy. What is Dr. Fauci saying about the supply chain? What will Mr. Pitts say when the entire country is facing not just toilet paper shortages, not just meat shortages, but store shelves that are empty of milk, bread, fresh vegetables, eggs, dairy.
I find it truly offensive that he derides the "MAGA-wearing halfwits." He shows his hand here. This is not about Trump followers. This is about people like my hairstylist who hasn't had a paying client since end of March and, if the governor of California has his way would not be able to cut hair for several months. Is Mr. Pitts fine with that?
Here's the thing. The world is not safe. Mr. Pitts is entitled to stay confined to his home, and if he's fortunate to have a job that will pay him to do so, then God bless him. But for him to deride others for being seriously worried about what will happen if people like him had their way and wanted everyone to stay sheltered until the virus was vanquished, regardless of what happens to the supply chain and the serious damage this will incur to our nation and to individuals—I’m thinking riots and violence and abject poverty.
Honestly, the arrogance.
Stupid? Yes, the rest of us will die of stupid because of stupid columns like this. But he'll be safe. He and these arrogant governors will still get their paychecks. This kind of thinking is what I call stupid.
If Mr. Pitts lived on an island that was separated by a body of water that was swarming with crocodiles and the other side of the island had a fresh-water well, such that the only way one could survive would be to somehow cross the body of water and retrieve water, surely he would figure out how to cross that body of water. No, he would not step into the water. He would get eaten alive and would die a horrible death. But if he didn't want to die another type of horrible death—thirst, say—he would have to figure out how to navigate the unsafe world he inhabited. In other words, he would have to step outside his door.
That's what we need to do. It will never be safe. Never. Even if Covid19 is finally vanquished, either through vaccine or treatment, there will be another, and another, and another thing that will threaten us. We need to cross the crocodile-infested waters and start to live again. But figuring out how, that's the hard part.
Staying inside? That's stupid.
****
