LETTER: In response to Ball op-ed
This is in response to Dave Ball’s May 16 op-ed in which he uses quotes from the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address to support his mistaken belief that our governments have overreached when imposing COVID-19 restrictions on the general population.
From the Declaration of Independence: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Please note “life” is first in the list. Over 88,000 people have died from this pandemic so far.
From Abraham Lincoln’s address at Gettsyburg: “Of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Of the people and by the people were taken care of in November 2016 and will be again in this coming November’s elections. Following recommendations by scientists, our governments from the federal level to the smallest township are doing their best for the people by issuing shutdown orders.
People are hungry, although I believe not starving. Before this pandemic, 1 of every 7 children In the country was food insecure. Food banks, church food pantries, WIC, Blessings in a Backpack, and free and reduced meals through school districts continue to function. Unilever, manufacturer of detergents and sanitizer, has donated thousands of dollars to food banks rather than keep their monetary benefits from the virus. We are better than to let anyone in the United States to starve if we know of their extreme hunger.
As for bankruptcies, the payroll protection funds designed to keep money in the economy have not been mailed by this chaotic administration. The grants and loans meant for small businesses went to Harvard University and Starbucks and other large profitable entities because the administration chose to administer the funds through big banks. The small community banks would have been more efficient and would have made better use of the administrative fees paid by the Treasury Department.
We made it through World War II when gasoline and meat were rationed, no butter was available, wool and cotton fabric were in limited supply and cars had to last for years. There was hunger then, too; however, I believe there were not people converging on state capitals demanding freedom to consume. We will survive this, too; we just have to make sure the people in charge afterwards are willing to do the work to keep us the great nation we have always been.
Martha L. McFadden
Washington