We are immersed, submersed, engrossed and totally vigilant of the the Coronavirus Saga. We look at the events surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic from the macro and micro window of information available country by country. Medical tests, medications, death tolls, avoidance techniques, governance and lack of governance, everything is important. The one flag that came up at the beginning of this ordeal and has remained a constant in my mind is that Coronavirus has been tagged as the illness of and for the old human beings. Nastiness has emerged about how the virus will finally rid others from the Baby Boomers ( people born after WW2). As time and events unfold before our eyes we have seen the untruth of this tag/wish. People of all ages and genders have unfortunately become hosts of the deadly Coronavirus.
Italy, a country that I love dearly, stands out to the world on how the disease is running rampant in spite of their efforts to curtail its deadly hand. About 48 hours ago a news story broke about how Italian doctors were crying in hospital hallways because they were instructed to remove respirators and all medical assistance from patients older than 60 years of age in favor of younger patients walking in the door. They have a shortage of everything. My assumption is that since hospitals are quarantined, relatives have no access to these relatives and do not even know of these events. The older patients are being removed from life savings treatment in favor of younger patients. This is factual.
At first instance, I joined the general consensus of “what a shame, poor doctors crying”. Then these events started to scratch at the back of my mind like long fingernails against a blackboard, screeching dissent. To silence the annoyance I revisited the Italy kill the old in favor of the young events and saw it in a totally different light. What if my 80 year old parents, or yours, were receiving treatment for Coronavirus and 30 year old John Doe arrived at the hospital with the expectation of bumping the old in his favor. It so happens that my parents life expectancy is 100 years of age. I kid you not. We have glorious genes and are lifelong health nuts. There is no dementia, diabetes, cancer, heart disease nor other health flags that most people have. We are a ridiculous tribe of healthy people. There are no smokers, alcoholic or drug users. These two eighty year old’s ride a bike one hour every day. They would be “put down” based on the age criteria robbing them of 20 more years each of their lives. Suddenly the touchy feely tears of the doctors, acting on others instructions, appear to be criminal behavior. A civilized society that stands by the rule of law cannot, and should not, subscribe to attributing “special values”, ” special events” to human life based on age. The correct protocol is to stand in line waiting your turn, like everyone else.
Let’s walk another scenario to this same situation. The 30 year old, John Doe, is in this hospital bed receiving treatment and in the door arrives a 80 year old presidential candidate. Is John Doe’s life to be cut short because of the perception that a 80 year old presidential candidate’s life has more value than his? Of course not! As a society, we must be clear and remain firm on the right side of ethics.
The good old United States of America is living through very turbulent and confusing times. Misinformation, manipulation are rampant while our government works feverishly to make us lose our way. “First they came for the Jews….” Remember history and do not allow it to repeat itself. Stand on the correct side of ethics, always.
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