You know what’s going to lead to a whole lot of unnecessary, preventable deaths? Two uniquely America traits.

One: that “handouts” from “the government” is only for “those people.” The safety net is called that for a reason: it’s supposed to be there to catch you when you’re falling. Yes, YOU TOO.

Two: the idea that your “freedom” means that “no one can tell you what to do.” You’re told what to do about a lot of things, and you do what you’re told when it suits you to do it. If you value and respect the person telling you to do things, you do them.

What so many of you fail to realize is a fundamental truth: we are all interconnected. What you do affects me, even if I don’t know you. My choices also affect you.

I understand the economic uncertainty so many people are feeling. I run a nonprofit with a dozen employees. We provide legal services to some of the most marginalized people in our state.

That’s why so many of our colleagues have been working non-fucking-stop to come up with policy ideas that will protect our clients. Ideas that will actually work to YOUR BENEFIT TOO if they were properly implemented.

I wish that more of you realized that. But you’re not going to, and I have neither the time nor the energy to waste trying to explain it to you. AGAIN. We have to focus our energy on ensuring that policymakers understand what is needed. Because too many of them don’t.

Yeah. We are making big asks. That’s because the need is even bigger. So while you’re out there whining about wanting to get your hair cut or a manicure, we’re focused on doing what it takes to save people’s lives. You do you. You’re going to do that anyway.

The rest of us have work to do.