We all belong to the Human Family
Across the globe, at least 13 religions call their faithful people to care for their neighbors with kindness and integrity. Christians call this the “golden rule.” In broader circles, it is an “ethic of reciprocity.” Since we share this vital common denominator to form a community with those close to us, we are called to extinguish COVID-19 together as a global community. We also share a primary objective of striving to express the excellence of human character as best we can.
The “Golden Rule” of Christianity: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matt. 7:21)
Islam: “None of you believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” (An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith 13)
Judaism: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary.” (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty: do nothing to others that would cause you pain if done to you.” (Mahabharata 5:117)
Buddhism: “Do not hurt others in ways you yourself would find hurtful” (Udanavarga 5:18)
Taoism: “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.” (T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien 21-218)
Our Human Family is in Great Peril due to COVID
Yet, many suffer around the world. According to Reuters, approximately 14.4 million people around the world have been infected and 604,000 people have died. The USA, Brazil and India have the highest incidence of infection.
The US is Failing to be a Good Global Citizen
As of July 20, 2020, the US has 3.78 million people who are infected with COVID-19, and 145,401 people have died. Instead of leading the world in defeating COVID-19, we lead the world in spiking numbers of new infections.
Our federal leadership has utterly failed us in calling upon us to care for one another. Instead, Trump compliments armed protesters for resisting pandemic protocols. When Americans refuse to adopt safety procedures for the common good, we demonstrate a lack of kindness and maturity in caring for one another.
Epidemiologists warned against allowing the “U” to occur. They mean implementing quarantine practices to create a downward curve like the left side of the “U.” But, if the quarantine measures are let up too soon, infections rise and even spike like the right side of the “U.”
That’s what is happening, especially in the southeastern US where governors have refused to employ strict quarantine measures. Here is a map from the Centers for Disease Control showing the increase of infections.
Michigan and “Michigan United for Liberty”
In my home state of Michigan, our Gov. Gretchen Whitmer implemented some of the strictest quarantine rules in the country. But organizations have sued Gov. Whitmer over the quarantine and mask usage. One such group, Michigan United for Liberty has staged at least two events at the Michigan capitol complex. They assert their right to freedom is violated when they “have to” wear a mask in public spaces.
Armed protesters at the capital carried signs stained with swastikas saying, “Heil Whitmer.” They implied a martial-law approach to stemming the spread of this deadly virus. We were leading the country in greatly reducing the virus. Our infection rate was initially very high in Detroit, and that led to the governor’s taking decisive action in establishing our quarantine in mid-March.
I support “that Woman from Michigan”
Trump criticized Whitmer’s actions, referring to her as “that woman from Michigan.” That has not gone down well in the Great Lakes State. In my neighborhood, hundreds of residents have posted signs saying, “I support that Woman from Michigan.”
But now, after opening up due to political pressure, Michigan has experienced the dreaded “U.” It’s not as serious as many states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona because of our initial quarantine, but our hard work and sacrifice during the first quarantine could be lost unless we return to more stringent sheltering in place.
Obviously, a spike in infections somewhere could result in a spike everywhere. We can’t shut off the flow of these infections and deaths like a water faucet. And, we cannot assume a vaccine is around the corner, although Oxford University is showing promising results, as reported by BBC News.
In reality, we don’t have a safe vaccine until we have a safe vaccine.
~If You’re Happy and you Know it, Wash your Hands!~
Remember this kids’ song? ~If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands~? We would sing these lyrics and clap our hands twice after singing “hands.” Well, my mom used to constantly tell me to wash my hands, or asked me if I’d washed after coming out of the bathroom.
This went on into my 30’s until I finally asked her to stop. But I had made a joke about it with friends by changing the lyrics to this silly little song.
It became, ~If you’re happy and you know it, wash your hands!~ Well, sadly, my late mother isn’t here to tell us all to wash our hands, but you can be assured she would be! Come on, everybody, let’s wash our hands!
Let’s Wear our &#*$%# Masks! Let’s Practice “Safe Six!”
Even as a civil rights attorney who understands the importance of our Bill of Rights, I do not get why people are so up in arms (literally) about wearing a mask. I understand the frustration, fear, and anger over losing jobs. The economic impact of this has been enormous. But throwing a fit in a retail shop over refusing to wear a mask? I just don’t get it.
We need to care for our neighbors especially if our faith tradition calls us to do so. In turn, our neighbors must care for us. Our civil rights cannot be so dominant that they suppress the rights of others in a pandemic or endanger them. Everybody needs food, and for that, we have to go to the grocery store. Let’s work together using “safe six”-feet distancing, hand washing, and using masks. Let’s take care of each other.
This is a Bare-Knuckle Brawl with COVID-19
We’ve got to fight COVID-19 together, and I mean with our gloves off. Fighting this invisible common enemy requires bare-knuckle, smash-mouth defenses. Let’s embrace this fight as the battle of our lives. If we do not quell the spread of the disease, I fear for all of us.
Americans cannot travel to certain countries, including much of Europe, because infections are spiking and seemingly out of control. Despite our resources, the US fails miserably at establishing national protocols and sticking with them. The world sees us as sick and infected, and they don’t want to be around us.
Listen to the Experts—People of Science and Faith
Three leaders in the fight against COVID-19 point to science and faith working in concert. Dr. Anthony Fauci credits his Jesuit education for teaching about the call to service of others and the importance of social justice. He is the National Institutes for Health’s (NIH) senior infectious disease specialist. “And now is the time, if ever there was one, for us to care selflessly about one another,” Fauci told a group of high school graduates in a recorded video, as followed by the Associated Press.
In the same article, Robert Redfield, director of the CDC said, “One of the great things about faith is, you can approach life with a sense of hope–no matter what the challenges you’re dealing with, that there’s a path forward.”
NIH Director Francis Collins established a nonprofit called BioLogos. Its mission is to further dialogue about the relationship between science and religion. Collins complimented the many faith communities that are helping those most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Collins also carefully critiqued the “occasional examples of churches who reject the scientific conclusions and demand the right to continue to assemble freely, even in the face of evidence that this endangers their whole community.” A case in point would be the Rev. Tony Spell of New Life Tabernacle Church in Louisiana.
Trump about Fauci, “[He] is a little bit of an alarmist”
Trump’s administration has sharply criticized Dr. Fauci in the last few days, and Trump refers to Fauci as “a little bit of an alarmist,” according to CNN. I find Trump’s attitude as the US leader very alarming indeed–all but absent concern over COVID-19.
Even GOP senators are showing increasing signs of breaking ties with Trump, as reported by the New York Times. As the Congress debates another relief package, Trump wants to block billions of dollars for use in COVID testing and contact tracing. GOP senators want to send billions in funding to the CDC, plus money for the State Department and the Pentagon to deal with COVID-related issues, both in the states and abroad, according to the Washington Post.
Calls to Action
As we move into the fifth month of living with COVID-19 in August, be in contact with your two US senators and House Rep about the importance of providing testing and contact tracing resources. Click here to find contact info for your federal and state reps.
So, love your neighbor as your faith tradition teaches, and wear your mask in public.
Come on, America! Let’s show the world what we’re made of despite our government leaders. Let’s be global citizens together. Let’s kill COVID with kindness to one another!
