Kudos to New Jersey

From the Asbury Park Press:

New Jersey is one of three states on track to contain COVID-19, a remarkable turnaround for a state that once led the country in per capita deaths, according to the nonprofit Covid Act Now.

Not only are cases steadily decreasing in New Jersey, but the state’s COVID preparedness “meets or exceeds international standards,” Covid Act Now said. New York and Michigan are the other two states rated by the organization to be on track to contain the coronavirus.

I am posting the above because I support Governor Murphy while many others don’t.  While we have a total and complete lack of leadership from the White House sociopath, I am lucky enough to live in a state where the governor dug his feet in for the long haul.  I applaud Governor Cuomo as well who, when told people questioned his handling of the pandemic and said it would cost him reelection, dismissed it all because he said his job was to save lives.  Governor Whitmer of Michigan also got a bunch of heat for how she handled the pandemic in her state. 

I am so tired of people thinking the term “bleeding heart liberals” is an insult.  You’re damn right we are.  These governors actually cared more about human life than about their popularity and electability.  I have had many sleepless nights since November 8, 2016 when the Russians installed their puppet and America became a place I can hardly recognize.  Trump supporters seem unable to see past the fact that their exalted leader does not give a flying fig what happens to them or anyone else living in the country.  The man is unable to feel human emotions.  Never mind bleeding heart,  how about beating heart?  

I have had various people say, “New Jersey is a great place to be from.”  I understand that New Jersey is not the place for everyone to live.  It is expensive, crowded, etc. but New Jerseyans have a je ne sais quoi about them. I am going to call it grit.  It is the stuff Springsteen’s songs are made of.  Real people.  People with soul.  I am not saying people from other places are not good people; I am saying there is a unique quality to New Jerseyans that make them different from the rest.

I know New Jersey is not perfect and, pandemically, we have our share of naysayers and malcontents who bitch and moan about masks.  Really? Suck it up, buttercup, unless you have a health issue that prohibits it.  In that case, you probably shouldn’t be out in crowds, anyway.  And dining inside restaurants.  Really, yet again?  I certainly feel for restaurant owners and employees who are not able to work, but I don’t need to eat out that badly.  I am content to wait until the governor says the data dictates the safe reopening of places.  

One of my biggest concerns/fears is asymptomatic people.  As one commentator on television said, “Keep your droplets to yourself!”  We have no vaccine and no treatment.  Our best defense is masks and social distancing.  Why is that so hard to understand?  Maybe because Fox continually shows the toddler-in-chief refuse to wear one.  My three-and-a-half-year-old grandson inquired why the pizza delivery person had on a mask and I said, “to keep us safe from the sickness.”  He said, “I don’t like wearing my mask.” I simply responded that I understand but we must do it to keep everyone safe.  The end. Wear the mask. Do what they tell us to do.  It has worked in New Jersey.  

I am very happy some other businesses are able to open up, following state-issued guidelines.  Lord knows I am tired of my long, awful, multicolored hair.  I haven’t had my hair (which is usually done every 5 weeks) done since February 21st. Guess what?  I am surviving and I will gladly wear my mask to the hair salon when they fix this debacle.  Guess what else?  If I had to wait longer still, I could’ve.  I am not in Auschwitz having my hair shaved.  It is an inconvenience, not life or death.  So many people have died and I am alive.  I spent a whole lot of time social distancing and being away from my grandchildren.  It has made me even more grateful when I finally got to see them.  I truly feel like I appreciate things more after not having them for these months.

During WWII, the country came together.  They accepted rationing (of really important things like coffee and sugar!), grew Victory Gardens, and supported the cause.  Governor Murphy likened this pandemic to fighting a war.  Governor Cuomo worked for 111 straight days.  He said he was not taking a day off since the virus didn’t. Today was his last daily press conference. 

Early on, we had people gathering despite the warnings and we still do.  There is a crowd expected in Tulsa, led by the biggest law breaker in the country.  All we can do is make choices, I guess.  I count myself lucky to be from New Jersey where the hard choices were made by the governor to keep me and my family safe.  I am not in a hurry to get back out there.  I am content to be able to do some of the things I couldn’t for the past three months, but I can wait awhile longer to be out in the thick of things.

Dr. Fauci is hopeful a successful vaccine will be available by the first quarter of 2021, at least seven months from now.  We are said to be in the first wave still, with another expected by the end of the summer.  I am not anxious to risk it.  The world is very scary and I don’t see the need to hurry back out there.  I will heed the warnings of the health officials and the government officials who are just trying to keep us safe.