OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
EDITORIAL
Will March 1 Mark the Start of Better Days or the Slide Over the Cliff?
Schools in the Greater Washington Area and across the U.S. continue to point to March 1 as “D-Day” – the proposed date when many school districts will pivot toward increased in-person learning for hundreds of thousands of students. But March 1st will be “D-Day” for another reason which will undoubtedly be equally alarming for Americans, particularly those living in the DMV: the end of a months-long moratorium on evictions and protections from the shutoff of utilities. In both cases, with the parents of students being urged to send their children back to class and with utility service providers, landlords and banks in control of mortgages allowed to kick start legal proceedings in search of past due balances, the results, we fear, may be catastrophic. However, we’ve heard very little about what Americans can expect on March 1 as the last weeks of winter come to an end and spring begins to rear its normally beautiful head. We have heard promises about more opportunities being readied for those who wish to take the vaccine for COVID-19. And we’ve heard that plans have been set in motion to assist taxpayers with early filing and, if appropriate, earlier tax refunds. But we remain concerned about the coming weeks and the possibility that for millions of Americans, the long, inevitable slide into the abyss may begin in full force – like a fast-paced avalanche. There’s no way that the average American family will be able to pull themselves out of this quagmire that impacts so many due to the coronavirus and the changes that we’ve been forced to endure. It will take time – weeks, months – for some even years. Unfortunately, plans and strategies that might assist Americans with this difficult process of recovery remain vague at most – if they exist at all. And that should cause all of us to fear the future. WI
The Trust Blacks Won’t Give, but Need COVID-19 presents yet another case of Black America’s distrust in government institutions. Even though Black people reportedly represent the highest number of U.S. citizens to contract the deadly virus and the highest number who die from it for many reasons, they are also among the most astounding number by race that refuses to take the life-saving vaccine. This is of no surprise to Black doctors or legislators. For months, they tried to prepare for the hard sell required to get the message into the heads and the vaccines into Black people’s arms. The horrible truth about the men who died in the Tuskegee experiment or Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used for research without her consent, are commonly known among Black people. Why trust institutions responsible for denying them equal and affordable access to healthcare that also allows them to suffer and die more from preventable and curable diseases? Yet, the resistance by Black people manifests the depth of their suspicions about government-related programs and policies. When banks were allowed to sell sub-prime loans and engage in other predatory lending practices, Blacks were the victims; and they were so distrustful that they resisted programs aimed to help. Consequently, the impact of the housing crisis lead to a profound Black loss of wealth and the impact continues. With the COVID-19 moratorium on rental and utility payments, again, Black people represent the highest number of potential victims of evictions and utility shut-offs, yet they are not responding to programs that offer help. When Black people don’t get a quick and positive response for aid, they most often decide it’s not meant for them. They are painfully accustomed to being discriminated against and treated unfairly. And, in many cases, their feelings are spot on. But now is not the time to distrust resources aimed at helping every American including housing and utility assistance programs, and a vaccine that save lives, including Black lives. WI
TO THE EDITOR Pandemic Snow Just Not the Same While I love the snow days we've had, they don't quite feel the same during a pandemic. Snow days use to be a reprieve from the world, now it feels like even more of a chokehold. Aside from the scenic views, there are no upsides to snow these days, not even a day off. Hilaire Bivens Washington, D.C.
Readers' Mailbox
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Back to School I believe kids need to return to school! People want to talk about safety, but children are going everywhere else — the gas station, the mall, grocery stores, birthday parties, etc. Just like they wear a mask to those places, they can do the same to the most important place — SCHOOL! It's a must. The rich kids are just fine while the poor are suffering! Vernon Gregory Washington, D.C.
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