Editor:
The U.S. has now surpassed 200,000 deaths from the COVID virus — 20 percent of the world’s deaths despite having only 5 percent of the world’s population (“Seventh COVID-related Death Reported,” posted Sept. 24). We now know, in the president’s own words back in February, that he knew of the dangers of the virus. He said that he did not want to alarm Americans, so he played down the impact and even lied to us.
Two of the 20th Century’s greatest leaders, FDR and Winston Churchill, saw their responsibilities much differently. Churchill said, “There is no worse mistake in public life than to hold out false hopes soon to be swept away.”
“The British people can face peril or misfortune with fortitude and buoyancy, but they bitterly resent being deceived or finding that those responsible for their affairs are themselves dwelling in a fool’s paradise,” Roosevelt said. “The American people must be prepared for it and they must get it straight from the shoulder.”
According to Jon Meachem, author of the book, Franklin and Winston, “People respect candor if they are confident their leaders have a plan for moving forward.”
Oh my!
Edward “Buzz” Webb, McKinlyville
This article appears in Reaching for Resilience.
Trump didn’t set up 125 cots at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds with quiet plans for mass-graves, he didn’t require “reopening” of local service jobs without mandated hazard pay or health insurance, nor did he require our local official’s (and Mr. Webb’s) public silence of the only effective measure addressing COVID-19 worldwide:
A universal public healthcare system.
The incompetent and malevolent “boulders” weighting our nation down will never move so long as they are supported by the little pebbles underneath.