The state's mask mandate begins today (Saturday). I had to ask around to even get leads on where I might acquire masks. This shouldn't be necessary, because when the government totally mandates something, there should be no mysteries about compliance.
I got some masks at Town and Country in Morris: a sack for a little over $10. There are many people for whom $10 is not a negligible expense. The degree of financial stress is going to worsen for many people and families. I have wondered why the government cannot simply supply masks, make them available from a big laundry basket at the courthouse.
I want them "for free?" Well yes, as we all do pay taxes. We'd get a little more help if we were more receptive to electing a few more Democrats. But them is fightin' words in Morris, MN, it would seem.
I was at Willie's on Friday and mentioned to a carry-out person that I was aware of the new mask rule that would begin today. He quickly responded "I'm not the mask police." Indeed, the nature of enforcement is going to put us all in a quandary. I asked a restaurant employee if they'd "call the police" if they noticed someone without a mask. I was told no.
If the mask mandate is deemed so necessary now, we must wonder why it was not implemented when this whole thing started. Remember the specter of disaster that danced in our heads when all this began? I'm thinking of the word that went around about how the Appleton prison was going to be this huge Covid treatment facility. It seemed to be presented as fact. I actually asked a friend if a south wind might cause a hazard for us, coming from Appleton. I was told the virus didn't spread that way, although we're always told that there is so much we don't know about it.
Whoever made the announcement about the Appleton prison, as it turned out, was talking out of school. The OK hadn't been received from higher up. There are people out here groping and striving to make the prison viable again. I wondered who on earth would want to go and work at a big Covid treatment facility.
We had visions early-on of this disease cutting down perhaps a huge swath of the population. You might think of various apocalyptic-themed movies. And the change happened so suddenly. On the last Sunday when I attended regular church, no one had an inkling of what was coming. I remember who I sat across at church coffee that morning. That Sunday might have been the last time for a very long time that we could have a routine gathering at church.
I later heard that our church council was "50/50" on having a Sunday service the next week. I sort of wish we had. Considering the re-opening period that we went through, I hardly doubt the risk was any greater on that Sunday.
We went through a shutdown that did of course cause no small amount of frustration and grousing. I had bagels for breakfast several times at the picnic tables outside of Willie's - an adventure if there was a wind, but I developed skills.
People who were strongly inclined to be on the Republican/Trump side then agitated seriously for a re-opening. We had to rescue our economy which seems like a rather laudable aim. But then we got surprising "spikes" around the country like in certain sunbelt states. A close friend tells me "it was a mistake to let bars re-open." Quite spot-on. Bars are 100 percent frivolous with their purpose in society. And while we're on that subject, let's look at "spring break" gatherings of college students.
Which makes us wonder: should we not be feeling some sense of panic here in Morris MN as UMM plans a re-opening in mid-August? We usually hear the number 1500 as a ballpark for number of students. They come from a variety of places. They will begin to filter around. They are young so they may not be prone, themselves, to being cut down by the disease. The Morris area has a large senior population. Church is going to be the remotest of possibilities because of the high percentage of quite old people in the pews.
Sounds like UMM has contingency plans for if the virus gets worse in fall. As a supporter of UMM I'd normally love to see the wheels turning here again in fall, as per usual. Wouldn't you know it, I'm primarily a supporter of music at UMM. And wouldn't you know it, music activities like singing are among the riskiest activities now. We can't change reality. The UMM choir has already been deprived of its trip to Peru.
Don't we all have to wonder when we hear certain people say we simply "must" return to normal life soon, including sending kids off to their usual school? We seem too easily persuaded by these arguments. I had breakfast with a Morris businessperson Friday and asked him: "Are you willing to sacrifice your life to help the economy?"
Let's join hands, survive
The U.S. is a very rich country and we ought to be able to hunker down for a time without the usual business routine humming along. Without the usual billionaires raking in more billions, for a time. Maybe the billionaires could buy us all some masks. We have the resources to prevent widespread panic and desperation. It would mean a little more sharing - the very wealthy making some sacrifices while the poor are given guarantees of not being thrust out on the street.
How silly that just a few years ago, we thought "gay marriage" was so important. Also, how silly that the City of Morris got so carried away with a water softener law that made us think the softener police were going to be out and about. The city manager actually did a radio interview where he admitted "a rumor was going around" about enforcement. And, why would we not think there was going to be enforcement? It was on the front page of the Morris paper.
The city manager denied there would be any such door-to-door effort. So, the city passes a law, then its spokesman says it isn't going to be enforced. Just like now, we wonder to what extent the mask law is going to be enforced. For sure the police are going to get an occasional call about someone seen not wearing a mask. I doubt they will respond to these.
The bottom line, is that this nation needed strong and consistent federally-directed measures from the very beginning vs. the virus. A caring president would have formulated words to make us realize the strong sense of sacrifice we'd have to share. Naturally we did not get that. A concerted effort from the start would have left us in such better shape at present.
I am certain that Hillary Clinton would have called for such an effort. I have a "tea party"-oriented friend, initials D.P., who sniffed at the thought of Hillary being president by saying "she's just after power." Interesting comment, because we'd have to juxtapose this with what Trump is now doing dispatching federal police to various places. Of course Hillary wanted power because any person seeking the presidency wants power. Power is what that position is all about, presumably to be used for the public good.
Trump's self-centeredness is on display for us to see almost daily. Hillary? She would want to be remembered as a benevolent soul who lifted up the country. What else could possibly matter to her? We have the consolation of knowing she won the popular vote. That's all. Our reality now seems like it might be spiraling into hell. Wait until the dollar crashes.
Addendum: I am having a hard time staying informed because my access to newspapers is reduced. I haven't seen the Morris paper for about four months. Normally I see the Star Tribune at the Morris Public Library but that place is closed for all practical purposes. As time goes on, we'll have to start wondering if we should keep fully funding institutions like the library. My lack of access to papers might make me a little less informed for my online writing, sorry. I normally see the Morris paper at my church or the senior center, both in suspended animation.
My podcast for today: My "Morris Mojo" podcast looks ahead to next summer, hard as that might be at present, but maybe it would be good for us to start planning for our "Sesquicentennial," the 150th birthday of Morris. Please click on the permalink:
https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Talk-of-the-Sesqui-yet-eh7vr4
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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