Letters to the editor for May 29
Call to cooperation in these times
We, not me. Our nation, based on this ideal, is now led by champions of “me”: ultra-nationalism, my state, city or health over yours, defying community health practices in favor of “my rights,” abandoning world cooperation. Mankind, the most rationale species, can be so irrational when led by appeals to tribalism, ego, fear.
The GOP espouses “local control” but hypocritical governors, mayors, councils defy that very principle, choosing me (my base) over we, the collective health. Irrational. From the top down, Trump’s ilk falsely assert “survival of the fittest” will prevail, economically, medically, geographically.
But they misuse Darwin. He didn’t preach “me,” i.e. every person, city, nation for itself. This was a co-opting of Darwin by Herbert Spencer, who misused Darwin to rationalize rapacious greed and abuse by the 1 percenters of his day. Trump embraces Spencer; so did Hitler. Darwin actually said that in humankind’s history — and animals’ — those who learned to collaborate and improvise together most effectively have prevailed. We, not me. Notice herds, packs, schools, covens, flocks, pods.
Custer chose “me” — how’d that go? The “me” of the Confederacy led to death, destruction and racist horrors. Not until we abandoned the “me/mine” of the Articles of Confederation could we form a “We the People” nation. Pro-social behavior, altruism to the “other,” seeking to benefit others and promote cooperation is what Darwin said made a species fittest to survive. Let’s support leaders who practice “us,” the golden rule, in this shared pandemic, and we’ll survive — together.
Gery Gerst, Olympia
Please, take this pandemic seriously
I have a child (34 years old) who refuses to follow the rules that Gov. Inslee has mandated. He spends the night with friends, sneaks onto forest lands to camp with his buddies, goes snowboarding in closed areas. I tell him this is selfish and stay 6 feet from me. He says to me, “People die all the time from the flu, and I am healthy so I have nothing to worry about.” The thought that he could be a carrier totally eludes him.
Here is the crux of the problem; he is not looking at it like me.
The number of our deceased soldiers during Iraq and Afghanistan was approximately 7,041. That number was just the start of our COVID-19 deaths.
The Korean war had about 54,246 US soldiers die; the number of deaths in the Vietnam War was approximately 58,209 of our soldiers. The COVID-19 death toll has surpassed those numbers also.
The number of deaths in World War I was 116,516 of our soldiers. The COVID-19 deaths in the United States surpassed 100,000 on Wednesday, and the number is still growing.
Let’s be clear about this pandemic: It is a war and everyone should take it seriously. It is the only way we can prevent further casualties.
Susanne J. Champion, Yelm