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The problem with being at "war" with the coronavirus? Leaders invoking battle terminology to galvanize national action risk achieving the opposite, writes : @YasmeenSerhan https://buff.ly/2yttm4R
This is something that has troubled me, for a number reasons 1/
This is something that has troubled me, for a number reasons 1/
As Yasmeen points out, associating #COVID19 w war, "can have the unintended consequence of causing fear and panic too. One look at the barren supermarket shelves and the surge in U.S. firearm sales suggests"
The other issue w/ associating #COVID19 w war is who is the enemy? In this instance a virus. But countries & people have a tendency to want to see an opponent. Hence, Trump & Pompeo's insistence on calling the "Wuhan" and "China" virus. War encourages xenophobia. 3/
Here's another great point Yasmeen makes: "Another problem with using battle analogies is that they aren’t particularly well suited for telling people what not to do." In war, we mobilize & get into action. Amid #COVID19 we have to "do nothing." 4/
And if the WH & other leaders want to use the war analogy re: #COVID19, then let's stop for a moment and ask, why the hell were we not prepared for this "war?" How in the world is it possible for the richest country to run out of masks, gowns, & equipment, such as ventilators. 5/
Yesterday, @npr had McCrystal on to talk about this analogy of war amid #coronavirus. While I actually do admire McCrystal, I think it's dangerous to look to military leaders during this time. We have to stop looking at everything from the prism of war, guns, and battles. 6/
If we're going to defeat #coronavirus, we're going to have to do it by being civic minded, focused on what the health experts say, and not the generals or, worse, Wall Street investors. 7/
Connected to this, I've heard analogies to 9/11, where we were caught unprepared. I was in NYC that day, it was HORRIBLE & terrifying. We lost about 3K people. According to @JohnsHopkinsSPH, in NYC there have been 1,374 deaths. And we haven't even reached the peak yet. 8/
After 9/11, the USG jumped into action to pass the Patriot Act, and up defense spending. Glad USG has passed the stimulus bill, but what about action on healthcare across America - to ensure that every American has health insurance. 9/
Health insurance is something that has repeatedly come up in WH press briefings, and the only answer that Trump/Pence give is that "we're looking into it." LOOKING? Where are you looking? Do you not see the hundreds of thousands that are infected and dying? 10/
Where is the USG action to ensure that Americans are protected and given proper access to doctors and health services? Where is that discussion. Thank god for @BarackObama & #obamacare, without which so many more ppl would be in jeopardy. 11/
On Obamacare, let's not forget that it has been the @GOP that has continually tried to roll that back, depriving millions of health coverage and protection. If there is a war to be waged, it should be on leaders that care more about Wall Street & not average Americans. 12/
