We’re experiencing a trifecta of sorts: Pandemic, recession, social unrest. It’s a tremendously difficult time. I love this country. I also know that ultimately we’re an experiment of sorts. A very successful one in many ways, with many bumps along the way. Some bumps are bigger than others. We’re encountering three gigantic ones. As my father used to say, “America is turbulent, great for innovation, not so great for social cohesion.”
I agree with your feminist take. Misogyny is rampant. Worse than it was even 10 years ago. Sadly, men still rule the roost.
I could write a book in response to this post, but I shall not.
JpDave – If you do though – please send me a copy! To me you are one of our quintessential Bostonians and your comments often remind me why I love it here so much. You personify to me a classic Massachusetts guy/husband/Dad tough, rowdy, loving, liberal, stable, reliable and down to earth. A true new englander in my view!
Joshua,
I am interested in your ideas on the COVID-19 data situation in Brazil. Thanks!
In response to Mama Mia…video footage. As far as I know there is none with Breonna Taylor killed in her own home. With George Floyd, 9 minutes lying on the pavement with killer cop posing right into the camera phone no less for the entire world to see at anytime, anyplace. THAT is the difference!
This is a really good point. We are now so visual and you’re absolutely right. The video, the 8:46. The eternity. I guess people needed to see it to actually believe it. For me the reality of the systemic issue FULLY hit 2 years ago now – when I saw my incredibly strong, smart black friend who can handle anything – crying and shaking like a leaf bc she had been pulled over – on the way to dropping her kids off at school in Concord – by a clearly racist cop with an agenda.
The Stow police chief was not interested in helping when the husband reported it later that day.
Yup. That Stow police chief.
And at the end of it all I can’t help but wonder why a protest based on lumping a group of people together by an arbitrary common trait and treating them badly as a group seems to me now to be lumping all police together and trying to attack the group. Although I don’t have any close friends or family who serve as police officers, I cannot imagine the anguish felt now by the vast majority of police who are – truly – heroes in blue.
Maybe we are missing some clear lessons here?
Wow. And wow again. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this post. I am sickened by the experience of your friend and so many. I understand as much as possible about the horrible world we have created for black folks. But I feel very caught in the middle. Your comment about police is something I…..and anyone with a family member who wears blue…also needs to hear. My son is an amazing man. My favorite story is the one where there was a very young black man in the jail who was hearing impaired. He was scared and confused. My son taught himself sign language so he could reach out to him. There are so many of his friends and fellow officers who are good and decent people. Parents of his friends are my friends on FB and My heart aches because I know full well what they feel. I’m fairly certain my son has Coworkers who read here.
I cannot tell you how many times I have said that you cannot ever judge all by some who are bad. And that is what the protesters are trying to correctly tell us but…….
My youngest has said police reform will take care of the bad cops but won’t have any impact on the good except to stop the ones who are also putting their lives in danger. I fully believe she is correct.
I started to post these thoughts this morning. I didn’t post because I am often criticized for saying there are many good cops. So when I say this has meant more to me than you will know, I truly mean it. I am in tears. Some from your words. Some is letting out the worry and emotion I’ve been feeling since the start of this and before by just knowing there are folks who see this. The CNN/Sesame kids town hall yesterday also mentioned this. But you rarely hear it.
Thank you.
Vicki –
Your posting helps bc it will further help educate people who read your posts that this urgent need for systemic change doesn’t equate to it being ok to now vilify an entire group en masse. And that doing so is unbelievably cruel to the majority of police who are truly great people.
However that pain you feel now for your son – for your family and friends who serve and defend and are good cops, good people, not bad ones. Who are now worried they are being viewed and judged solely by the color of their uniform. That a few rotten apples doesn’t make it ok to curse the whole bushel. I’d – in true kindness and friendship bc you know I love you – will point out that perhaps that’s how black moms feel about their own children every day and all the time – think what it would be to feel that way your whole life. To be scared and angry and hurt for your kids every minute of every day. I guess that’s what I consider to be the best definition of “non-black mom” privilege.
But no way around it – this is hard. Please thank them for me – also FYI I do basic estate planning docs – wills, hc docs, powers of attorney – pro bono for first responders – take on a few a month if they know of colleagues who need those!
Thank you and I absolutely understand that what I feel is what black moms feel But to a much greater degree. It makes me sick to think about. I believe with all of my heart that we are a racist society and somehow, someway we need to understand that unless you are a white.christian, male, you are are looked at differently..particularly if you are black.
I can never fully understand because I am white. But because I feel even a part of this, i have an idea. I cannot even imagine what it is like to have to face this every single day when your children from the time they can walk head out the door. And it isn’t just police. It is across the board. It has bothered me since I was a very young child.
Wow. I will tell my son. I have been after him to address estate planning. You are amazing. But I knew that first time you posted on WHW
You know what? For the first time since Nov 2016 I’m not frightened for the immediate future of this country. People are awake again and I think because we are basically a country made up of good people we will be ok as long as people are awake and talking and participating again.
For the first time in 4 years I think we will be ok.
For reference if anyone missed it here was my post from the early hours of this morning that is referenced here – very long and soapbox worthy but even better was the article referenced by Joshua yesterday in Forbes – a great read! Also this article is the one I mentioned below –
This is one of the only spaces I feel ok sharing these thoughts during such a charged time. Thanks guys for listening!
My post this morning –
“Joshua – Just finished the article – excellently written and clearly we are of a mind. What a difficult, unusual situation we are evolving into everywhere now. There’s an incredible piece up on the Washington Post about homelessness that follows a family in extreme financially tough times in Kissimmee, FL. due to the shutdown. It’s heartbreaking and should be required reading by everyone in the US. After so many years of increasing partisanship at least partially due to people’s unwillingness to compromise on so many issues they considered the hills to die on (guns, abortion, religion, Trump, global warming) we now find ourselves at this pivotal moment with 3 competing – possible equally compelling – hills to die on – economic and/or socioeconomic disparity to the point of increasing homelessness and food insecurity (as we race headlong towards becoming a 3rd world economy – 99 v 1 percent), vs. urgency to address racial inequality that has escalated to physical assaults and murders by Police, and has finally reached its moment of revelation – versus the immediate and valid need to prioritize public health and social distancing over everything in the face of a global pandemic. And I truly can’t say which of these 3 competing priorities is THE one that needs to come first now. I volunteer in the public health space and wrote my college thesis on the need for universal health care in 1997, so part of my intellectual DNA says pandemic and public health trump everything so stay home, but my son’s best friend is like a second son to me and he is Black and so wonderful and he’s 10 and already I have seen enough to know this issue is REAL and it’s BIG and ROTTEN. And it’s not okay to watch my friend explain to her beautiful and sweet 10 year old son the different rules of the game for him vs. my son so he can stay safe. Or see how she worries about her older son – not because of him (he’s also a wonderful kid) but for him. But what about the fact that the protests could lead to more sickness which might mean more shutdowns which then means more hungry kids living in cars…..
Wow – how did we get here? And is now the tune to add that as a twist I see the Floyd movement as potentially another #metoo moment as well? The feminist in me can’t help but wonder why it wasn’t enough when a woman was killed the week before. Is it meaningful that in the end it was a man’s death that triggered a movement. But that’s for another day.
Except – the problem is that for all of these issues we are already too late – we cannot wait for another day.”
SClarke, Brazil has overtaken the U.S. in both numbers of daily new cases and deaths. My guess is the deaths are higher than the government is reporting. Test positivity in Brazil remains staggeringly high, which means that there are many, many more infected people than the official tally.
The problem for Brazil is that its healthcare system is truly ill-equipped to handle some of the severely ill patients. Mexico is in a similar boat.
The only `advantage’ Brazil (and Mexico) have is that their populations are younger than ours. Death rates may therefore be lower than ours.
On this weekend’s numbers in the U.S., today’s data is flawed. Usual Sunday issues. Nevertheless, there is a positive trend. In spite of continuing on the 20k/day trend in cases, the death rate is coming down. This was to be expected. After all no-one thought the case fatality rate was as high as 6% – peak crude estimate in U.S. Ultimately, that death rate may come down to as low as 1%. My guess is, however, that when all is said and done the infection fatality rate is somewhere between 1% and 2%. Of course, this needs to be broken down into age groups. For those over 65 the death rate is higher, and for those below 45 the death rate is much lower.
Thanks you Joshua. I really appreciate being able to read your informed opinions here!
Globally, there is a discernible trend of a lowering death rate. Not dramatic, but enough to pay attention to. Even in places with very low testing rates we’re seeing a small decline in the death rate. In countries with increased testing (U.S.) death rate decline is a bit more pronounced. In countries with high testing rate (like Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain) death rate is decreasing rapidly.
Does this point to, among other possible explanations, a weakening virus? We shall see.
Vicki (and Mama Mia), I think your perspectives on the police are very important.
The vast majority of law enforcement personnel are good people. Not racists, not sadists, not fascists. We also need them. That’s why calls to defund are, in my view, nonsensical.
I do think there isn’t sufficient training in the U.S. on how to de-escalate, not use weapons or brute force unless absolutely necessary, and engage in dialogue. The Dutch police devote a large portion (perhaps as much as 35%) of their 3 years of training to this aspect of policing, as do the British police.
I been kind of staying away from Covid talk and the protests on here but I am starting to be afraid for public health. This virus has impacted the urban areas hardest where there is higher concentrations of PoC’s. My Dad who works at MGH and is in charge of the blood and specimen labs have told me that expect a major rise in cases the next two weeks and they already have put measures in place for this spike. They are also making a connection to certain diets being linked to the more susceptible groups.
I also have a very hard time supporting the police if they are going after medical staff which have been found to be true. They have also gone after FBI agents and scientists( which are just going to their labs)
Are the firefighters next?
I feel that police officers need to have a 4 year degree plus the 19 week training.
My reasoning, you don’t hear noaa and fish and wildlife officers/managers committing these racists acts and shooting people for no reason. these positions have the same ability as police officers in the state they are assigned yet they require that 4 year degree. you sometimes hear game warden but that does not include everything these people do. These people take part in science projects, management, regulation formation and enforcement (mainly in terms of environmental issues).
These spikes indicate the virus is not weakening, unless it weakens in areas that it’s already hit hard? That’s a running hypothesis I have. But, I’m not an epidemiologist.
I’d be interested in diet. And it is scary to think of what kind of a spike this might cause. Mostly because once we reopen, I don’t think you’ll be able to close again
While my son has a five year degree In criminal justice (not many do four any more) and extensive academy training, a good number of police are exmilitary. That is the first qualification for hiring …at least in MA. I’d say that is significant training. And you may not see shooting in the business world, but you see discrimination in some areas…I refuse to group all in anything….and lower pay. That has an impact also. We need reform everywhere.
Have you looked into bakers reform proposal high level guidelines ?
Most Important, please thank your dad for all he is doing.
Racists come in all educational levels.
IMO police departments do not need these powerful weapons. I highly doubt this planet is going to be invaded in anyone’s lifetime. Widespread police reform is needed.
C-19 for 6-8 is up…
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Great post, Mama Mia.
We’re experiencing a trifecta of sorts: Pandemic, recession, social unrest. It’s a tremendously difficult time. I love this country. I also know that ultimately we’re an experiment of sorts. A very successful one in many ways, with many bumps along the way. Some bumps are bigger than others. We’re encountering three gigantic ones. As my father used to say, “America is turbulent, great for innovation, not so great for social cohesion.”
I agree with your feminist take. Misogyny is rampant. Worse than it was even 10 years ago. Sadly, men still rule the roost.
I could write a book in response to this post, but I shall not.
JpDave – If you do though – please send me a copy! To me you are one of our quintessential Bostonians and your comments often remind me why I love it here so much. You personify to me a classic Massachusetts guy/husband/Dad tough, rowdy, loving, liberal, stable, reliable and down to earth. A true new englander in my view!
Joshua,
I am interested in your ideas on the COVID-19 data situation in Brazil. Thanks!
https://apnews.com/bd42a5a5b9abfc8a582a86af1dd7790a
In response to Mama Mia…video footage. As far as I know there is none with Breonna Taylor killed in her own home. With George Floyd, 9 minutes lying on the pavement with killer cop posing right into the camera phone no less for the entire world to see at anytime, anyplace. THAT is the difference!
This is a really good point. We are now so visual and you’re absolutely right. The video, the 8:46. The eternity. I guess people needed to see it to actually believe it. For me the reality of the systemic issue FULLY hit 2 years ago now – when I saw my incredibly strong, smart black friend who can handle anything – crying and shaking like a leaf bc she had been pulled over – on the way to dropping her kids off at school in Concord – by a clearly racist cop with an agenda.
The Stow police chief was not interested in helping when the husband reported it later that day.
Yup. That Stow police chief.
And at the end of it all I can’t help but wonder why a protest based on lumping a group of people together by an arbitrary common trait and treating them badly as a group seems to me now to be lumping all police together and trying to attack the group. Although I don’t have any close friends or family who serve as police officers, I cannot imagine the anguish felt now by the vast majority of police who are – truly – heroes in blue.
Maybe we are missing some clear lessons here?
Wow. And wow again. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this post. I am sickened by the experience of your friend and so many. I understand as much as possible about the horrible world we have created for black folks. But I feel very caught in the middle. Your comment about police is something I…..and anyone with a family member who wears blue…also needs to hear. My son is an amazing man. My favorite story is the one where there was a very young black man in the jail who was hearing impaired. He was scared and confused. My son taught himself sign language so he could reach out to him. There are so many of his friends and fellow officers who are good and decent people. Parents of his friends are my friends on FB and My heart aches because I know full well what they feel. I’m fairly certain my son has Coworkers who read here.
I cannot tell you how many times I have said that you cannot ever judge all by some who are bad. And that is what the protesters are trying to correctly tell us but…….
My youngest has said police reform will take care of the bad cops but won’t have any impact on the good except to stop the ones who are also putting their lives in danger. I fully believe she is correct.
I started to post these thoughts this morning. I didn’t post because I am often criticized for saying there are many good cops. So when I say this has meant more to me than you will know, I truly mean it. I am in tears. Some from your words. Some is letting out the worry and emotion I’ve been feeling since the start of this and before by just knowing there are folks who see this. The CNN/Sesame kids town hall yesterday also mentioned this. But you rarely hear it.
Thank you.
Vicki –
Your posting helps bc it will further help educate people who read your posts that this urgent need for systemic change doesn’t equate to it being ok to now vilify an entire group en masse. And that doing so is unbelievably cruel to the majority of police who are truly great people.
However that pain you feel now for your son – for your family and friends who serve and defend and are good cops, good people, not bad ones. Who are now worried they are being viewed and judged solely by the color of their uniform. That a few rotten apples doesn’t make it ok to curse the whole bushel. I’d – in true kindness and friendship bc you know I love you – will point out that perhaps that’s how black moms feel about their own children every day and all the time – think what it would be to feel that way your whole life. To be scared and angry and hurt for your kids every minute of every day. I guess that’s what I consider to be the best definition of “non-black mom” privilege.
But no way around it – this is hard. Please thank them for me – also FYI I do basic estate planning docs – wills, hc docs, powers of attorney – pro bono for first responders – take on a few a month if they know of colleagues who need those!
Thank you and I absolutely understand that what I feel is what black moms feel But to a much greater degree. It makes me sick to think about. I believe with all of my heart that we are a racist society and somehow, someway we need to understand that unless you are a white.christian, male, you are are looked at differently..particularly if you are black.
I can never fully understand because I am white. But because I feel even a part of this, i have an idea. I cannot even imagine what it is like to have to face this every single day when your children from the time they can walk head out the door. And it isn’t just police. It is across the board. It has bothered me since I was a very young child.
Wow. I will tell my son. I have been after him to address estate planning. You are amazing. But I knew that first time you posted on WHW
You know what? For the first time since Nov 2016 I’m not frightened for the immediate future of this country. People are awake again and I think because we are basically a country made up of good people we will be ok as long as people are awake and talking and participating again.
For the first time in 4 years I think we will be ok.
For reference if anyone missed it here was my post from the early hours of this morning that is referenced here – very long and soapbox worthy but even better was the article referenced by Joshua yesterday in Forbes – a great read! Also this article is the one I mentioned below –
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/virus-family-homelessness/?itid=hp_hp-more-top-stories-2_virushotels-1110pm-dontmiss%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans
This is one of the only spaces I feel ok sharing these thoughts during such a charged time. Thanks guys for listening!
My post this morning –
“Joshua – Just finished the article – excellently written and clearly we are of a mind. What a difficult, unusual situation we are evolving into everywhere now. There’s an incredible piece up on the Washington Post about homelessness that follows a family in extreme financially tough times in Kissimmee, FL. due to the shutdown. It’s heartbreaking and should be required reading by everyone in the US. After so many years of increasing partisanship at least partially due to people’s unwillingness to compromise on so many issues they considered the hills to die on (guns, abortion, religion, Trump, global warming) we now find ourselves at this pivotal moment with 3 competing – possible equally compelling – hills to die on – economic and/or socioeconomic disparity to the point of increasing homelessness and food insecurity (as we race headlong towards becoming a 3rd world economy – 99 v 1 percent), vs. urgency to address racial inequality that has escalated to physical assaults and murders by Police, and has finally reached its moment of revelation – versus the immediate and valid need to prioritize public health and social distancing over everything in the face of a global pandemic. And I truly can’t say which of these 3 competing priorities is THE one that needs to come first now. I volunteer in the public health space and wrote my college thesis on the need for universal health care in 1997, so part of my intellectual DNA says pandemic and public health trump everything so stay home, but my son’s best friend is like a second son to me and he is Black and so wonderful and he’s 10 and already I have seen enough to know this issue is REAL and it’s BIG and ROTTEN. And it’s not okay to watch my friend explain to her beautiful and sweet 10 year old son the different rules of the game for him vs. my son so he can stay safe. Or see how she worries about her older son – not because of him (he’s also a wonderful kid) but for him. But what about the fact that the protests could lead to more sickness which might mean more shutdowns which then means more hungry kids living in cars…..
Wow – how did we get here? And is now the tune to add that as a twist I see the Floyd movement as potentially another #metoo moment as well? The feminist in me can’t help but wonder why it wasn’t enough when a woman was killed the week before. Is it meaningful that in the end it was a man’s death that triggered a movement. But that’s for another day.
Except – the problem is that for all of these issues we are already too late – we cannot wait for another day.”
SClarke, Brazil has overtaken the U.S. in both numbers of daily new cases and deaths. My guess is the deaths are higher than the government is reporting. Test positivity in Brazil remains staggeringly high, which means that there are many, many more infected people than the official tally.
The problem for Brazil is that its healthcare system is truly ill-equipped to handle some of the severely ill patients. Mexico is in a similar boat.
The only `advantage’ Brazil (and Mexico) have is that their populations are younger than ours. Death rates may therefore be lower than ours.
On this weekend’s numbers in the U.S., today’s data is flawed. Usual Sunday issues. Nevertheless, there is a positive trend. In spite of continuing on the 20k/day trend in cases, the death rate is coming down. This was to be expected. After all no-one thought the case fatality rate was as high as 6% – peak crude estimate in U.S. Ultimately, that death rate may come down to as low as 1%. My guess is, however, that when all is said and done the infection fatality rate is somewhere between 1% and 2%. Of course, this needs to be broken down into age groups. For those over 65 the death rate is higher, and for those below 45 the death rate is much lower.
Thanks you Joshua. I really appreciate being able to read your informed opinions here!
Globally, there is a discernible trend of a lowering death rate. Not dramatic, but enough to pay attention to. Even in places with very low testing rates we’re seeing a small decline in the death rate. In countries with increased testing (U.S.) death rate decline is a bit more pronounced. In countries with high testing rate (like Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain) death rate is decreasing rapidly.
Does this point to, among other possible explanations, a weakening virus? We shall see.
Vicki (and Mama Mia), I think your perspectives on the police are very important.
The vast majority of law enforcement personnel are good people. Not racists, not sadists, not fascists. We also need them. That’s why calls to defund are, in my view, nonsensical.
I do think there isn’t sufficient training in the U.S. on how to de-escalate, not use weapons or brute force unless absolutely necessary, and engage in dialogue. The Dutch police devote a large portion (perhaps as much as 35%) of their 3 years of training to this aspect of policing, as do the British police.
I been kind of staying away from Covid talk and the protests on here but I am starting to be afraid for public health. This virus has impacted the urban areas hardest where there is higher concentrations of PoC’s. My Dad who works at MGH and is in charge of the blood and specimen labs have told me that expect a major rise in cases the next two weeks and they already have put measures in place for this spike. They are also making a connection to certain diets being linked to the more susceptible groups.
I also have a very hard time supporting the police if they are going after medical staff which have been found to be true. They have also gone after FBI agents and scientists( which are just going to their labs)
Are the firefighters next?
I feel that police officers need to have a 4 year degree plus the 19 week training.
My reasoning, you don’t hear noaa and fish and wildlife officers/managers committing these racists acts and shooting people for no reason. these positions have the same ability as police officers in the state they are assigned yet they require that 4 year degree. you sometimes hear game warden but that does not include everything these people do. These people take part in science projects, management, regulation formation and enforcement (mainly in terms of environmental issues).
Good to hear from you, Matt.
I wanted to add this to the not good news on Covid-19, and it is that Houston is having a major spike in cases and hospitalizations. Article is from Friday, but I can confirm that since then the situation has gotten worse: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/COVID-19-cases-hospitalizations-spiking-in-15321171.php
We are NOT out of the woods.
These spikes indicate the virus is not weakening, unless it weakens in areas that it’s already hit hard? That’s a running hypothesis I have. But, I’m not an epidemiologist.
I’d be interested in diet. And it is scary to think of what kind of a spike this might cause. Mostly because once we reopen, I don’t think you’ll be able to close again
While my son has a five year degree In criminal justice (not many do four any more) and extensive academy training, a good number of police are exmilitary. That is the first qualification for hiring …at least in MA. I’d say that is significant training. And you may not see shooting in the business world, but you see discrimination in some areas…I refuse to group all in anything….and lower pay. That has an impact also. We need reform everywhere.
Have you looked into bakers reform proposal high level guidelines ?
Most Important, please thank your dad for all he is doing.
Racists come in all educational levels.
IMO police departments do not need these powerful weapons. I highly doubt this planet is going to be invaded in anyone’s lifetime. Widespread police reform is needed.
C-19 for 6-8 is up…