Since we last spoke, the bodies of two black men have been found hanging from trees in California, an armed militia member shot a protester in Albuquerque who was trying to pull down the statue of a 16th-century Spanish conquistador, and three police officers in New York City have claimed to have been served bleach milkshakes by fast-food workers. The last story, as you may have heard, turned out not to have been true. Sadly, however, the other two are. Oh, and, Texas, Florida and Arizona all experienced their biggest COVID-19 infection spikes to-date today. Closer to home, we now have 6,034 COVID-19 deaths here in Michigan. And yet, from what I can tell, we pretty much continue to slog forward as though nothing’s wrong.
I had to go to Kroger today, as we needed something. It was my first time since the shutdown, some 100-days ago. And the number of people not wearing masks was way more than I’d expected… Kroger used to be my main go-to grocery store. When the shutdown hit, though — after a period of having our groceries delivered — I started going to Costco, as they require for everyone inside their stores to wear masks. It seemed to me like a good, responsible policy, and I wanted to support their decision, especially knowing that the anti-science, “I demand my right to put myself and others in danger”-shouting Trump supporters among us would be attacking them for taking the public health-informed stance. And Kroger, which is considerably closer to my home, never even attempted to do the right thing.
Fortunately, I have the $60 to pay for the annual Costco membership, and the ability to afford the upfront cost of buying things in bulk. And I have a car, which allows me to drive to Costco, and buy quantities of things that I couldn’t possibly hope to get home by bus. And, as a result, I get to shop more safely. It hardly seems fair, but there it is. And, of course, there’s even that level above, of people who pay other people to go to stores like Kroger for them, and contend with the maskless hordes on their behalf. And, at the outset of this, as I noted earlier, we did that as well. We literally didn’t leave home for the first few months, as we waited to see whether or not our local hospitals would be pushed beyond capacity. Others, of course, did not have that luxury. Unlike me, they couldn’t work from home, had to continue taking public transportation, etc… all of which put them and their loved ones at great risk. [The opportunities for “privilege self-examination” are everywhere these days.]
As for my experience at Kroger today, I was talking with a PhD friend about it, noting all of the people without masks, when I shared the completely unscientific observation that most of the people not taking precautions were white. And this led to a conversation about the fact that most white people likely still don’t personally know anyone who has died from COVID-19, during which my friend offered the following observation. “Things will likely change when we reach 300,000 deaths,” she said. “At that point, pretty much everyone in the United States will know someone who has died.” I don’t know how she arrived at that number, but, assuming she’s right, it’s a terrifyingly large number to contemplate. And, if true, it makes one wonder what’s wrong with us as a nation that we won’t take action until we actually see the death in our own lives. [By the same token, maybe we’ll get gun reform once we all have a neighbor who has lost a child in a school shooting.]
From my own experience, I can certainly say that I see a difference between how I see the pandemic, as someone who has lost a friend, and how some others see it. Without getting too far into it, I’d like to share one anecdote which I think encapsulates this moment of ours pretty well. I was on a video call a little while ago with the husband of my friend in Detroit who passed during the first big wave. It was heartbreaking, as you can imagine. And we were at a point in our conversation where we were talking about his recovery. [He not only had to deal with the loss of his wife, but to do so while also suffering with the disease himself.] So, as we were talking about his chronic lung issues as a result of COVID-19, and how much we still don’t know about the long-term effects of the disease, I had a notice on my screen pop up from a relative who, after telling me she ready to get her “life back,” informed me that she was taking a short vacation, and wanted for me and the family to join her. It was jarring, just sitting there, at my desk, straddling these two realities. And I do think, to a large extent, it comes down to how wide your circle of friends is, and what your own experience has been with the disease. To a lot of people, I’m afraid, it’s just an abstract kind of thing… something that doesn’t even seem real. It’s like staring into the ocean after watching Jaws for the first time. You’re scared, but it’s not like you’ve ever even heard of anyone getting anywhere near a shark, let alone being eaten by one. So, after a little while, you decide to venture in. It doesn’t make you bad. It’s not like you’re yelling, “hoax.” It’s just not part of your reality. Meanwhile, though, if you know nurses treating these people, and you know people who have died from it, or who have fought it off and are still struggling, you know exactly how fucking real it is.
Interestingly, after talking with my PhD friend today, and noting how black folks here in Ypsilanti seemed to be taking the threat more seriously than white folks, as least based on mask usage, I saw an Associated Press article co-authored by our old friend Katrease “Kat” Stafford, formerly of the Ann Arbor News, and now on to much bigger and better things with national bylines. [Congratulations, again, Katrease.] Here’s the article’s headline: “Black Americans most likely to know a COVID-19 victim, polls find.” And here’s a brief excerpt from the article.
…Eleven percent of African Americans say they were close with someone who has died from the coronavirus, compared with 5% of Americans overall and 4% of white Americans.
The findings are based on data from three COVID Impact surveys conducted between April and June by NORC at the University of Chicago for the Data Foundation about the pandemic’s effect on the physical, mental and social health of Americans…
It’s not surprising, of course, given the legacy of racism we’re still living with in America, and the various health factors which continue to put African Americans as greater risk, but, when you see the COVID-19 fatality numbers broken down by race, it’s sobering. Looking at American society through the lens of COVID really puts things in perspective. It makes it clear where both the privilege and inequalities reside.
In Michigan, four times as many black people have died as white people as a result of this pandemic, and that’s with just 14% of Michigan’s population being African American. That’s absolutely indefensible. [Across the nation, 2.3 times as many black Americans are dying from COVID-19 as white Americans.]
While we’re on the subject, I just saw the following from University of Michigan professor Enrique Neblett about how the impacts of COVID-19 may be generational in the black community.
Black Americans are disproportionately likely to say a family member or close friend has died of #COVID19 since March, according to new surveys.@umichsph's @DrNeblett spoke w/ @NewsHour about the impacts of that loss, economic fallout, and unrest: https://t.co/3jp4SaV1b0 ⬅️ pic.twitter.com/N9PyFtPh5d
— MichiganPublicHealth (@umichsph) June 16, 2020
When I’d set out to write tonight, my thought was to write about my kale crop, which is coming in incredibly well. [We just ate from the garden for the first time this evening, and it was great.] It hardly seems appropriate now — seeing as how I’ve decided to focus instead on more weighty and important subject matter — but I figure that I should at least mention it, seeing as how I started the post with a photo of my kale.
OK, as I still have a few minutes before my self-imposed curfew. Here’s the transcript from a tweet thread shared by CNN’s Marshall Cohen earlier this evening… just in case, after reading the above, you thought that things couldn’t possibly get any worse. [The links are mine.]
A member of the far-fight “Boogaloo” movement allegedly killed two cops during Oakland’s post-Floyd riots. Three Boogaloo members allegedly infiltrated BLM protests in Las Vegas and tried to blow up a power station, according to the DOJ. Trump hasn’t said a word about this. Meanwhile, Trump has his own version of reality. He claimed Antifa and far-left groups were responsible for 100% of the violence and told Americans not to “lay the blame on others.” He also claimed, unprompted, that white supremacists weren’t “mixing in” with the rioters. The DOJ still hasn’t charged any Antifa members, though Barr says there are several investigations underway. Surely, left-wing extremists are responsible for some, perhaps most, of the post-Floyd violence. But Trump exaggerates their role and fully ignores far-right groups.
So, for those of you keeping track, we now have very real evidence that far-right provocateurs were active in the protests surrounding the murder of George Floyd, attempting to use them as a way of advancing their own nefarious objectives. At the same time, and in spite of everything we’ve heard to-date from Donald Trump, we have no evidence of coordinated ANTIFA activity aimed at increasing violence, chaos, etc. Do with that knowledge what you will.
There’s more that I want to say, but the alarm is ringing, and I intend to honor it. Until tomorrow, my friends.
41 Comments
1. Live free or die /s
2. 100 days is a long time, but it depends on comfort level, I suppose. I’ve had the experience of working constantly around different level of COVID infectivity, and most of us where I work have a sense of what works around what situation, and more importantly, what does not, learned through awful experience.
3. There’s not going to be another extended shutdown, as it’s not fiscally possible. July is a big month where rent relief will drop, cash reserves of most small businesses will run low, and most importantly, when fiscal years of many states and municipalities. The only government entity that can run a deficit is the federal government because they can print money, but the likelihood of support from that source is very little until next year, depending on the outcomes of the national elections, and then, it’ll be too late.
4. Avoid crowds, confined spaces, and close contacts with people outside your “quarantine unit”. Non-95 masks/face coverings work if everybody wears them. I have 6-7 different “models” to choose from, and always have one in the car and 1-2 on my person. In my experience, the commercial ones produced by Gap and its affiliate companies are the most comfortable for extended wear in warm or bold conditions. The ones from Athleta even have small adjustment tabs on the ear loops so that you don’t look like Prince Charles.
5. Save the N95 equivalents if you can get them for when you must go into a situation like your Kroger, when nobody gives a flying f___. Then you’re on your own and have to look out for yourself. Bye-bye beard and make sure you have a good fit. If you are lucky enough to have multiple, then you can have a three day drying rotation to keep them functional.
P.S. I was at Costco where everybody was wearing a mask. A man came in dressed in camo and full respirator with dual cans. His female companion had on “regular” clothes and a cloth mask. Clearly the message that he wanted to convey was not the one that was received.
Aloha, Oshkosh which had only 100 confirmed cases of the Trump virus in the first 100 days, since liberation 30 days ago now has 532 cases. After 100 days, 1 death now up to 9. The end of the first (yeah right) wave was two days ago when the US only suffered 350 deaths. Back up to 750 yesterday and i suspect that tomorrows will be back over 1000 MAGA.
Pretty good PBS episode of Front Line last night on what went wrong with the US response.
Too bad about Kroger. At least you’re not in Congress with those death cult mask eschewing covid spreading GOP.
Funny how FF and HW never mention Boogsloos, huh?
Hey Mark,
I know it’s expensive, but our local co-op here in Philly is taking this pretty seriously. For little things maybe try your co-op?
If the Ypsi co-op has a mask policy it isn’t outlined on their website. There’s nothing on their website that I can find about either covid or coronavirus, and the measures they’re taking to mitigate the spread.
https://www.ypsifoodcoop.org/
Detroit News: “Customers are reportedly having tantrums over wearing masks”
Read more:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/06/17/some-restaurant-bar-customers-arent-handling-mask-rules-well/3191705001/
Yeah, it’s so funny how I never mention something I never heard of till yesterday. I’m sure you think the President is responsible for it somehow. Trying to start a race war is what the CIA does so it would serve them to have operatives do it on both sides, not only the left.
Feel free to educate me about the new group, Jean. I first heard of them a month ago. My understanding is they first appeared on the scene a few months ago. I know almost nothing about them. I am guessing you don’t know much about them either. What is funny about it exactly?
This is somewhat anecdotal, but I’ve read multiple stories about people (presumably retired people, or those with a lot of spare time on their hands ) who are making a point of visiting stores and other public places while not wearing a mask, and if/when they are questioned or asked to do so – stridently claim they “can’t” because of “medical” reasons, and then if asked what those reasons are, claim they don’t have to answer …because of HIPAA (medical privacy laws). The common thread seems to be that they believe COVID-19 is a hoax, and that they are making some kind of political statement by refusing to go along.
Likewise, I’ve read numerous comments on various news stories or blog posts that are basically some version of this: “If old people, and those with preexisting conditions are afraid, they should just stay home … but why should I be inconvenienced?”
I understand there’s a degree of risk in doing virtually anything, and that as the COVID-19 crisis drags on, we’ll all need to make decisions about how best to navigate a variety of situations, but I simply cannot fathom why some people can be so selfish and uncaring – completely unwilling to make such a small sacrifice (wearing a mask when likely to come in close contact with others outside your household circle).
Why are the only states with big numbers led by dems who sent covid patients to NURSING HOMES??? Wtf is going on with this shit!
Even if it is only partially effective, wearing a mask when in close proximity to others outside your household group seems like such a small inconvenience, a simple step that is a gesture of concern and goodwill toward others who may be at risk, or who may have loved ones they are trying to protect.
Of course on one level, any single person deciding to wear a mask – or not – means very little.
But on another level, it deeply symbolic of the kinds of compromises that become inevitable whenever we act as a family or community member, or as a member of the human race.
Me. Us.
Rights. Responsibilities.
Anomie. Community.
Now they’re coming for Aunt Jemima. No one is safe. The American way of life is over.
I want my traditional American syrup. Who’s on the syrup bottle now? A white slave? Ridiculous.
https://nytv.to/eBLZ6
LA Times: “Suspect in killing of 2 Bay Area officers tied to right-wing ‘boogaloo’ group, prosecutors allege”
Read more:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-16/suspects-charged-killing-santa-cruz-cop-and-oakland-federal-officer
So sorry John Galt that Quaker is taking away your ability to pour racism on your pancakes. I also heard that Sambo’s was changing their name so you might find it hard soon to get racist pancakes. When will we stop oppressing white men like this?!
Interesting attempts at humor. When I grow up I want to get my political worldview from Comedy Central. Are there a lot of people upset at Quaker’s decision? I have no idea….
In related news I heard the Democratic Party is seriously considering changing their name because they party partially grew out of. and gained power from, their racist KKK past. Maybe one of our resident Democrats knows if that is true?
So right and left-wing extremists are joining forces to start a race war. Yay! It’s so exciting. You’ve been working towards this for a long time and now you have reinforcements.
FF, I have heard nothing about the Democratic party changing their name because of their racist past nor have I heard any people of color suggesting such an action. The only people I hear talking a lot about the racist past of Democrats are Republicans. Not even most Republicans either. Just the ones without a good sense of history. Usually, the same morons who like to think that Margaret’s Sanger’s opinions on eugenics make the Planned Parenthood organization of today look bad. Trump voters usually. You know the type. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer… I always think it would be interesting if those who engage in such thinking would apply the same standards to the founders of our country. By their logic, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were slave owners which of course means that the USA of today endorses slavery. *rolls eyes*
Despite her masterful use of logic it is not clear: Is Lynne saying that it is dumb for organizations to confront their racist pasts?
Thanks for the diary updates, Mark, and trying to put so many dynamics in perspective when we’re all going through so much of this collectively, yet so separately. And kudos for honoring your self-imposed curfew. It seems self-discipline is an increasingly important skill in our new way of the world.
So much of today’s tribal U.S. politics reminds me of petty high school posturing. At my school (and likely others) if you were smart and got good grades, you weren’t cool. So some kids actually intentionally didn’t do as well. Science? Sure, it led to my car working, my gun shooting, my TV broadcasting, but why should I believe them about this virus? If those same people thought MAGA masks made them anti-establishment, they’d never take them off.
Btw, the Ypsi Food Co-op’s been a great option—email them your order, the next day it’s ready, pay by phone and they bring out to the curb so it’s completely contactless. Yes, there’s a bit of guesswork involved.
And I’m still scared of sharks, even when I’m swimming in a lake. I find it tragic that so many Americans won’t take this pandemic seriously until they personally know someone who’s been bitten.
HW— Boogaloos have been mentioned in every article I have read (along with Antifa) about violent protestors . How did you miss them? I thought you were well and independently informed ?
Is Mrs. Butterworth safe? I’d hate to lose her, we’ve shared many breakfasts over the years. She’s not just a picture on the label – she is the bottle.
Will there be more about the Kale?
Or should
I cancel my subscription?
You can always keep your old bottle and fill it with real maple syrup.
Aloha Demetrius, ” I simply cannot fathom why some people can be so selfish and uncaring – completely unwilling to make such a small sacrifice”, I suspect they are members of the Trump virus death cult. I am sure most are like HW, self-righteously sure of the rightness of their position that discourse is useless.
The death cult, which includes a growing segment of the media is pouring the propaganda on folks that it is ok to return to normal. 1000- 2000 deaths a day, no big deal, MAGA
Keep track of the targets, humor experts.
https://youtu.be/sC_T0BHJdJU
No FF, I think it is good for organizations to look at their racist pasts. It is important to have that context. And in schools, so much opportunity for discussion! I mean the man who wrote “All men are created equal” owned slaves and was a rapist (because the enslaved cannot consent).
“Jean Henry
Posted June 17, 2020 at 11:22 pm | Permalink
HW— Boogaloos have been mentioned in every article I have read (along with Antifa) about violent protestors . How did you miss them? I thought you were well and independently informed ?”
Show me some links. The Hawaiian shirt wearing guys? Never heard of that till a couple days ago. It looks like a ridiculous parody by leftists.
That’s pretty wild they are in EVERY ARTICLE you’ve read about violent protestors. I’ve been reading and watching a shit ton about antifa. The “boogaloo movement” has been absent from all of it till this shit a couple days ago. What fuckin’ articles do you read?
But their point probably is not to say that the “Dems were a part of the KKK so Dems are the KKK”, right?
Aloha,
Trump campaign runs ads with marking once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners
Source: Washington Post
In its online salvo against antifa and “far-left mobs,” President Trump’s reelection campaign is displaying a marking once used by the Nazis to designate political prisoners in concentration camps.
The red inverted triangle was first used in the 1930s to identify Communists, and was applied as well to Social Democrats, liberals, Freemasons and other members of opposition parties. The badge forced on Jewish political prisoners, by contrast, featured a red inverted triangle superimposed on a yellow triangle.
A spokesman for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The symbol appeared in Facebook ads run by Trump and Vice President Pence, as well as the “Team Trump” account on Facebook. It was featured alongside text warning of “Dangerous MOBS of far-left groups” and asking users to sign a petition about antifa, a loose collection of anti-fascist activists whom the Trump administration has sought to tie to recent violence, in spite of arrest records showing their involvement is trivial.
Antifa uses that symbol now and they considered national socialists their comrades against the moderates at one time. Makes sense: communists and socialists uniting over their common goals.
“an armed militia member shot a protester in Albuquerque who was trying to pull down the statue of a 16th-century Spanish conquistador”
You mean he shot and killed someone who was attacking him with a knife screaming he was going to kill him, right? I watched the shooter push a woman near the statue which is provocative as shit and I think he ought to get a misdemeanor assault for it but he shouldn’t be murdered. Textbook self-defense, same as the guy who shot an attacker trying to pull him out of his car at one of the peaceful protests.
Aloha, HW, demonstrates just how fucking incoherent the Leader is. EOS, it Sounds like he wants some of his clones to “shotgun” the Chief Justice. With the decision affirming Equal Rights in Employment the other day (an obvious result of the recent passage of the ERA–these same Justices know that case is coming) and today’s case shooting down the Leaders signature achievement over DACA your “at least we are getting our kind of Supreme Court” logic seems pretty flawed.
“at least we are getting our kind of Supreme Court”
Don’t use quotes when you are making shit up about me, scumbag.
Re: But their point probably is not to say that the “Dems were a part of the KKK so Dems are the KKK”, right?
I think some of the people who like to bring up the past connection of the Dems with the KKK are indeed saying that the current Democratic Party is associated with the KKK. Or at least it seems that way when they get angry if someone points out the Southern Strategy and how these days the KKK tends to align itself with the GOP. Which I get is different from saying that the GOP aligns itself with the KKK. It generally doesn’t but I can see why the KKK might find the GOP more welcoming than the Democrats these days.
Aloha HW, you bootlicking sycophant, that comment was to “vote for the lesser evil” EOS.
“at least we are getting our kind of Supreme Court”
Don’t use quotes when you are making shit up about me, scumbag.
@hyborian warlord, I respect your brilliance but you are not the only HW on here. That is my quote and I deserve full credit because it is true. Please pay attention and stop horning in on my action.
@stupid name, excuse me but it is your logic that is flawed because in fact the Supreme Court defeated Obama today not Trump. Google it. How is it possible I am always correct and you are always so wrong? You people are so fucked.
Aloha HW, you bootlicking sycophant, that comment was to “vote for the lesser evil” EOS.
You moron, EOS gets his ideas from me. I deserve full credit.
Aloha,
https://lincolnproject.us/
my new favorite group
“that comment was to “vote for the lesser evil” EOS.”
Try using paragraphs, dick. Then maybe your nonsense will be somewhat readable.
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