Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

We recently celebrated Memorial Day in honor of our fallen soldiers. Every year, we reflect on the meaning of sacrifice, service, and bravery and how our country remains a strong and united nation thanks to the collective effort of great Americans who put America’s values before their own.

Memorial Day is also the symbolic start of the summer. That usually means fun gatherings with family and friends, which is a proper reminder that we are free because someone else was brave enough to sacrifice their life for our freedom. Today, America continues immersed in a battle against COVID-19. Nonetheless, unlike the wars of years past, this battle is not being fought by our armed forces, but by every single one of us.  

In the last couple of months, several states across the country issued “shelter in place” or lockdown orders, which limited economic and social activities. That meant sacrificing some of our freedoms to save as many lives as possible. So far, this battle has shown us that the best ways to fight the virus and keep ourselves and others safe are pretty simple: respect physical distancing, wash our hands as frequently as possible, and use facemasks when leaving our house. We know the goal, and we know the protocols.

COVID-19 has taken over 110,000 American lives, an alarming number that has made the US the country with the highest confirmed cases and deaths in the world. Let’s focus on our actions and behavior. For example, how careful were we during Memorial weekend? Several news outlets and social media posts show that being cautious was not part of the plan, at least in some states. Despite the guidelines to maintain social distancing, several videos showed large crowds gathering at lakes or other locations standing close to each other, and not wearing face masks. In Missouri, the county executive, Dr. Sam Page, said: “This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we made in slowing the spread of COVID-19”. 

“You only live once,” wrote one Instagram user, posing with a large group in a crowded pool (Gajanan, 2020). We can assume that the caption implies that those involved knew the risk but chose to defy guidelines. Yes, not all of us live in Missouri, but one infected tourist is enough to spread it across different cities and even states. That is just one occurrence; how many others happened without us knowing? 

Not every person breaking the health protocol can be attributed to reckless behavior and putting others’ fun before others’ safety. In some cases, it is due to not accepting that COVID-19 is real. “We thought the government was using it to distract us… so we didn’t follow the rules or saught help sooner”, explained Brian, 46, while calling from his hospital bed in Florida. His wife is critically ill-sedated on a ventilator in an adjacent ward. They read online conspiracy theories and thought that the disease was a hoax, or at the very least, no worse than the flu, but then the couple caught COVID-19. “It’s out there, and it’s spreading,” Brian now says (Spring, 2020).  

The previous stories find a worrisome echo in other videos that show customers demanding that businesses reopen despite government guidelines or being rude towards cashiers and managers who ask shoppers to wear a facemask as a condition for entering the stores. I highly doubt they are doing it to upset us or to curtail our freedoms. People are dying, and we have high unemployment; some hospitals are struggling to provide protective equipment to health workers because of the worldwide supply chain disruption. Yet, some people are upset because they have to wear a facemask for 30 mins while entering a store or postponing their haircut and pool parties for a little longer. Klee (2020) suggests that our quiet stoicism is running out, and baseless arrogance is taking over, and the more we see others give up on best practices for preventing contagion, the more inclined we are to join in them. What good is my abundance of caution if no one else will do the bare minimum? Klee ponders. 

According to a survey conducted by HuffPost and YouGov, 62% of Americans think that wearing a facemask is a matter of public health, 29% say it is a matter of personal choice, and 9% are not sure. That 62%, whether real or inflated, provides solace, but what about that 29%? Is wearing a facemask - during a pandemic - a personal choice when the protection they provide is not just for the individual but for those around them? While we think about the answer, New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order authorizing businesses to deny entry to those who do not wear masks or face coverings. New York, the epicenter of the disease in the country, says, “No masks, no entry.” This measure is not without its detractors; some say it is un-American. But I wonder if knowing that over 110,000 people have lost their lives and doing nothing about it - keep business as usual - is not more un-American? 

We are experiencing a set of tough circumstances, and that might be an understatement. But unlike other wars or battles, this one can be won without physical confrontation, just through discipline, respect, and empathy. I can assure you that businesses need customers and wish they can receive them with open arms. Yet, right now, employees are being brave and are standing up to those who think that rules don’t apply to them, by looking after the wellbeing of the collective, not the whims and desires of an individual. Let’s follow them and be brave to correct those who still think that COVID-19 is a hoax or not as dangerous. 

We are all looking forward to hugging our loved ones and returning to normal, but that sense of normalcy can only come back if we understand that the risk is still imminent. Living in a free society is a privilege, but we must always remember that it is also a responsibility.  

What are the things that you miss the most and are looking forward to? What measures have you and others around you taken to keep each other safe? As always, dear reader, I would love to know. 

For more information, visit:

Edwards-Levy, A. (2020). Here’s How Most Americans Really Feel About Wearing Face Masks. Available in: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/face-masks-poll-partisan-culture-war_n_5ec584fcc5b642a7d150e103

Gajanan, M. (2020). Public Health Officials Urge Hundreds of Missouri Pool Party Guests to Self-Quarantine. Available in: https://time.com/5842600/lake-of-the-ozarks-coronavirus-memorial-day-party/

Klee, M. (2020). America is Officially in ‘Fuck It’ Mode. Available in: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/america-is-officially-in-fuck-it-mode

Spring, M. (2020). Coronavirus: The Human Cost of Misinformation. Available in: https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/stories-52731624