As a lot of you know, I'm a big fan of the TV show 'The West Wing.' It was actually one of the first shows back on the air after 9/11. It broke from its intended storyline for an episode called "Isaac and Ishmael." (1/?)

One of the lasting takeaways from that episode was the idea of pluralism...the ability to hold multiple, even conflicting ideas, at the same time. They used the idea in the scope of talking about terrorism and extremism, saying that pluralism drives extremists (even more) crazy.

I've been thinking a lot about pluralism in the past few days, because it sure seems to be in short supply in the public discourse surrounding COVID-19 and the possible reopening of some states. The discussion has been framed in such a way that only the extremes get represented.

Either you're a coward who wants to hide under the covers forever, or you're a money-grubber who is willing to kill everyone's grandparents so the Dow Jones goes up a couple of ticks.

I don't believe many of us can be pinned down like that.

I think that most of us have a lot of ideas rattling around in our heads, and that they are all equally valid.

I believe the following statements can all be true at the same time:

- I'd like to see a sustained decrease in all of the significant COVID-19 indicators (positive cases, deaths, hospitalizations, doubling time) before I feel comfortable with a large-scale "reopening."

- I feel a deep hurt for friends who work in restaurants, bars, hair salons, etc. given the financial strains been put on them through no fault of their own.

- I'm concerned for those essential workers - doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, truckers - who have had so much extra put on their shoulders in the past two months.
- My hair is the longest its ever been and I want badly to get it cut.

- I'm going to be weirded out by anyone in my vicinity who coughs without a mask on.
- I'm not an infectious disease expert.
- I'm also not an economist.
- I worry what kind of additional job losses would come from keeping businesses closed.

- I also worry that reopening too soon will put us right back to where we were two months ago.

And those are just the ideas at the top of my brain.

So I guess my plea in the coming days is to remember pluralism. Be respectful. Be considerate. Be caring. Just be human, dammit.