Day 27: Dear Adults of the United States

April 14, 2020

As of April 14                Cases                   Deaths

Global                          1,973,715            125,910

National                           612,380             29,867

Michigan                            27,001              1,768

As of April 10                Cases                   Deaths

Global                          1,677,256            101,372

National                           492,995              18,248    

Michigan                            22,783               1,281

As of April 8                  Cases                   Deaths

Global                          1,475,978            86,979

National                           417,206            14,183

Michigan                            16,970                845

The deaths in Michigan have doubled in six days.  In the United States, as well.

The deaths are very close to us now.  On Sunday, we received word that a friend and neighbor, a vibrant, gifted organizer and activist, who just returned to work as a surgical tech, has died of the coronavirus.  Her beloved husband is ill too.  These are people from my block, from my life, from my community.  You can read about her here: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2020/04/13/coronavirus-cuts-down-metro-detroit-activist-monica-echeverri-casarez/2983592001/

All around us, the bodies are piling up.  This is not a metaphor.  Look at the horrifying pictures given to CNN reporter Marshall Cohen by staff inside Sinai Grace Hospital. https://t.co/zqzkv1sZAB. 

To make matters worse some for profit hospitals are not even reporting their cases and hospitalizations:

“Detroit Medical Center, Trinity Health Michigan and Ascension Michigan do not publicly report coronavirus cases or hospitalizations in Southeast Michigan, citing patient confidentiality.”

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/coronavirus/michigan-covid-19-deaths-cases-spike-after-recent-declines

But we don’t need the newspapers and twitter feeds to feel the grief all around us. One of the men in Wes’ singing group is going to fly to Florida to go to his cousin’s funeral. His partners—which included one choir member whose brother just died from the virus-- begged him not to go.  But he will go.

One of my former co-workers at Congress of Communities has been keeping her ghastly numbers: she now has 37 people in her life who have died from the coronavirus.  One of the artists in my Kresge Arts Fellowship cohort has been posting stories of the deceased every day. There are now 10 stories on her feed.

During prayers of the faithful, shared during our Facebook live Easter Services, the names of people in our parish who are sick, hospitalized, and dead took five minutes to read.

Yet some people want to open the economy.  Do they want this menace in their midst?  Do they somehow believe that they are immune from dying?  That the dying will stay in Detroit? 

It makes me want to holler.

Dear Adults of the United States,

Enough is enough.  We are at the crossroads.  How much longer are we going to allow this genocide? 

We must choose

the culture we want--

More exploiting, more destruction, more death

OR

Cooperation with natural systems

         Clear skies

         Good clean water

                  Homegrown and sustainable

                           Food, shelter, and clothing

Public control of public goods and utilities

         You know…

Water (for a re-start)

                   Decent Medical Care

                    Public Education

                           The basics of a civilized society

OR

Endlessly fueling consumption

         Which endlessly hurts us

                  But provides more power and

                           Control to those

                                    Who already have too much.