calling people "heroes" in this crisis is pretense that their sacrifice is born of voluntary heroism instead of desperation and the failings of multiple social systems, and frankly i hate it

endlessly thankful for the people doing their damndest in this horrific situation–healthcare workers, cashiers, transit, etc–but to call them heroes without offering hazard pay and protection is tantamount to saying "these are acceptable deaths".

i keep hearing exhortations to stay at home but my grocery cashier has student loans that won't be forgiven, an ailing parent and rent looming overhead with no relief. she's not a hero. she's drowning. fuck off with your rhetoric.

who do you think has the luxury to stay at home? most of my colleagues who can (and i am VERY lucky to do so) don't look like me. "heroes", huh? just say you're happy to mark people in poverty and people of color as martyrs to whom you owe nothing.

i'm so mad. i'm SO fucking mad. i don't want to clap at 7 pm, who does that even HELP? why can't we show gratitude by protection, by freezing fucking rent, by blasting every official we can reach about this?? i don't want to clap! i want them to LIVE!

talk is so goddamn cheap. HEROES. hahaha. fuck you. pay them, HELP THEM. help your communities. who the fuck are we without each other.

HELP THEM. no one can hear clapping when they're fucking dead. https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1248267836881088513?s=20