Your Opinion: Not safe to attend reopening party

Tony Smith

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

Donald Trump and his friends like Gov. Mike Parson are throwing a party. Millions of us are not attending. It is a reopening of the economy party and a pretend party that the virus plague is gone. Various polls show almost 70 percent of the public does not believe the president when he says come on out and get back to "normal" life.

Millions of us do not believe its safe yet for several reasons. First, we have seen three years of a president lying to us about the most trivial of issues. Secondly, most citizens know there is no cure yet nor therapeutic treatment for COVID-19. That could take up to two to three years in development.

I am saddened by the lack of contact with grandchildren and friends. I miss SEC sports, Cardinal baseball, and trips to the YMCA three times a week. I miss weekly outings to favorite local restaurants. I miss music at the Mission and the Southside Philharmonic. I miss coffee meetings and breakfasts with friends. I know you miss many things in your lives.

Around the world, other nations got on this contagion early and now have widespread testing, tracing, quarantining and recovery efforts going. In America, state governors acted first. They used the only tool they had (social distancing). President Trump started in delusional fantasy, wavered briefly, and now has returned to delusional cheer leading. At every step he has refused to lead or take any responsibility. At this point, he is fully expecting to blame any failures on the various governors. Except most Americans clearly see that is crazy. Unlike Parson, many governors both Republican and Democratic have led bravely without federal participation. Testing and tracing are essential to saving the economy. Neither President Trump nor Senator McConnell seem willing to save our economy and do what needs to be done. Going to war against this plague requires money. Should states put in place large tax increases?

Today's news in America today is based on public health measures taken two weeks ago. If you have recently been on Missouri Boulevard, you can clearly see many people not distancing nor wearing masks. Conservative radio and TV personalities are betting that politics will beat medical science. A Trump cult is abusing, threatening and challenging doctors and health care workers. This party is turning sour.