The collective consciousness of the world is focused in one direction: the pandemic. In and out of the mind thoughts of its effect haunt us: what personal consequences? what systematic consequences? how long? they all roll around vying for our attention and trying to emotionally control our mind. Once we manage these looping thoughts, with awareness that we still have control of this mind, where do we focus our mind?
On a walk outside yesterday I noticed the birds coming closer. I wondered why? Could it be that nature senses our collective fear of the the pandemic, and moves in to comfort us? Or perhaps us US Americans are actually releasing some of the space we take up, developing some humility away from our collective imperialism and exceptionalism? Animals sense our humility. Perhaps this is the first time where the United States acknowledges it has no control. During the past devastating pandemic in the 1800s, the power of the US was not as large and global as it is today. Today, with all the power it wields across the globe, it is and was unprepared for the wrought of a pandemic: an inadequate administration, insufficient public health infrastructure due to individualistic health values and profit over people, a historic underprivileged population of Black, Indigenous and people of color with health disparities more vulnerable to illness and death, low income workers with no collective benefits of health care, paid time off, or vacation time, and a racial capitalist economy that systematically places profit over people: people with white-skinned privilege and power.
Maybe we reflect on how we rebuild today and tomorrow? Are we going to continue along this same path that brought us to this catastrophic place today: a pandemic fueled by big corporations’ greed to destroy our delicate ecosystem and the poor who become caught up in making ends meet in an unjust system; the corrupt governments that are controlled by greed and individualism.
The pandemic broke open the existing cracks, exposing what many of us have been historically experiencing: a racial capitalist system that exploits the vulnerable with no checks and balances. The data showing African Americans and people of color disproportionately being affected by the virus, service workers being kept on the job even if they report symptoms, inadequate protective equipment for all essential workers, incarcerated populations inadequately attended to, etc, etc can wake up the political powerful to act. The action toward change will require not just a verbal acknowledgment of the existing injustices, it will require a heart opening that is prolonged, hurts like it’s our loved ones on all the front lines and dying from this system of inequity and exploitation. Something similar to the heart opening that occurred when US Americans viewed Black children being hosed by firefighters and attacked by police dogs. The white population moved the political leadership into action; some were moved by the heart knowing that the degraded humanity they saw on television was not the humanity they could claim for themselves and their children.
This led to action by the political elite that could be implemented only because there was an ongoing Civil Rights Movement enduring the ravages-death- of / by / for a racist America. Today, as we reel from the horror of the inequity in the way this pandemic is disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable and under-resourced populations again, are we waking up? And what will we do now, now that we are woke? Can the image of mass graves being dug in New York break our hearts open again and lean us into questioning how our humanity contributed to this type of massive death of people with no one to claim their bodies?
During these times we cannot physically mobilize. We can virtually organize and mobilize, through webinars and phone calls and petitions, and commentary, op eds and social media. These remain powerful tools…will they be sufficient to affect the heart consciousness of US Americans? Sufficient so that political leadership is moved to act to dismantle the inequitable economic system that consistently under-resources communities of Black and of color, service workers, low income and homeless, and wrongfully arrests Black and brown bodies to warehouse away from the fear of white Americans?
We can live in faith that justice will reign down. And while we breathe and stay grounded so we see clearly and make wise choices, we can roll up our sleeves and collect names to send to our local, state, and federal political representatives, with specific ways we want them to shift systems of economic, social, spiritual, and emotional oppression. We can organize and organize. We can call and send emails; we can share on social media. We can start a petition or donate to the many funds that are serving those impacted by COVID19-and those who have been serving our vulnerable communities before COVID19. Every state and local jurisdiction can be demanding compassionate care for the incarcerated, for the homeless, appropriate protective equipment for essential workers and other frontline workers, that a basic minimum income should continue forward, not only during the pandemic. Living wages in every state should be passed, tuition forgiveness for college debt more than 10 years, health care for all, funding for an effective public health infrastructure, immigrant camps dismantled, more affordable and less luxury housing development, low-income landownership, participatory democracy, resourced public education. This list is not comprehensive. Find something that you can stand up for, let the energy of renewal fuel you into action, and keep standing after the pandemic has passed.
This is the time for each of us to take responsibility for how we come out on the other side of the pandemic. Will we continue on as before? Or will we rise up together and act collectively for justice. To do nothing is to show no respect for the thousands of people who have lost their lives to this man-made pandemic, fueled by greed and corruption, and consumption. How will you act in your sister’s and brother’s name?
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Ways to support those impacted by COVID19
Petition to keep workers with symptoms safe at home, sign by April 13 2020:
Donate to residents in Public housing in Baltimore City:
Funds for supporting Incarcerated impacted by COVID19
