Is This Where We Are Now as a People? | Eastern North Carolina Now

    As we enter the final month of 2020, we reflect on the oddity that 2020 was so out of focus and there is no immediate indication we will soon return to normalcy. Looking at the data from John Hopkins University COV19 Site, we see that the death rate from this disease is just a shade below 2%. That means that 98% of those who get the disease recover. Yet we have been cowering in our homes under the thumb of Governors that treat us like we are trying to stop a pandemic that is claiming the greater majority of those what fall victim to the disease. AS we cower in our homes, consider this:

    Let's start in 1620 with the Pilgrims, an appropriate place considering we just celebrated Thanksgiving. The pilgrims left on a ship to the new World. Approximately 102 of them sailed into the unknown for a better life. They had to survive a 2 month sea trip through storms into a land they knew nothing about. After they landed they had to establish a colony from scratch, build homes, grow and hunt for food and deal with the Indian population. In fact by the time they celebrated the 1st Thanksgiving they had lost all but 51 of their group yet even with a death rate of just over 50% they still successfully faced the unknown and moved forward. Do you really believe the Pilgrims would not have sailed if they knew that only 98% would survive the trip and settling?

    Do you believe the Colonists would not have fought with Great Britain for their freedom if they were told only 98% would survive? The fact was between battles, the weather and lack of supplies, I am sure the Colonists would have welcomed a 98% survival rate. Yet they fought on facing much greater losses.

    Look at the westward expansion of this nation. Tens of thousands of people crossed this nation facing the cold and heat while dealing with the barriers such as rivers, deserts, mountains and hostile Indians. Yet they faced the unknown and took the risk to make a better life. Do you believe wagon train after wagon train would not have left to go west if they knew that only 98% would survive the trip and settling?

    Let us fast forward to World War II. Our men and women went off to fight the Nazis, Italians and Japanese knowing they might die, be wounded or be captured. In fact on D day projections were that 90% of the 1st wave would be dead or wounded yet they went anyway. Do you think they would not have gone if they were told that only 98% would survive? The same could be said for World War I, Korea and Vietnam.

    Consider the moon landing. Astronauts travel over 250,000 miles through space hoping they will return safely. They faced the unknown to include; will they miss the landing site? Can they take off? Will the moon dust and rocks carry disease from another world? Yet they went. Admittedly, we did everything possible to ensure success but the unknown of being in space and an issue could arise like Apollo 13 and it limping back from space. I believe they would have welcomed a 98% guarantee everything would work and they would return successfully. Do you believe they would cancel the mission if given only a 98% guarantee of success?

    The point of all this is why we continue to lock down and wear masks when we know from facts 98% of us will survive should we contract the virus. Yes those that are more susceptible should take extra precautions but the rest of us should be able to go about our normal lives.

    Other generations faced certain death at war, or faced the unknown with no guarantee of success. Are we really going to allow this great Nation to again ground to a halt over a virus with a 98% cure rate?

    Is this where we are now as a people?