Jul 31 2020
Life in the Time of Corona(virus) – Day 138
If you were one of the many hundreds of attendees at Thursday’s research resumption meeting, you know the plans. There will be a gradual reopening, and its success will depend upon our collective responsible behavior. For now, all didactic learning will be virtual. Coronavirus marches on, even as an elected member of the House of Representative wonders if his case of COVID-19 was caused when he was forced to wear a mask. I guess he just does not want to be confused by the facts. It’s no wonder that the pandemic is thriving in our country, where foolish thinking has led to inadequate, uncoordinated action by the federal government and given license to undisciplined, irresponsible personal behaviors.
Speaking of collective responsibility, I took a brief midday break after seeing a few patients using the TeleHealth platform and watched part of the deeply moving funeral of John Lewis. Three living former presidents attended and spoke. Former President Carter could not be there but sent beautiful prepared remarks. One president apparently chose to not be there to celebrate the life of this remarkable man. The speeches were eloquent, but the most powerful and moving statements were from Rep. Lewis himself, who arranged for his self-written eulogy to be published today in the New York Times, timed to coincide with his funeral. Even though he is gone, the memory of his example and the majesty of his words live on, and it may well be that history remembers him with greater attention and appreciation than all of those presidents. He made me reflect on the American form of apartheid, increasingly revealed to be the will of a savage minority hell-bent on preserving power and money at all costs — just as in the waning days of minority rule in South Africa. How fitting then that former President Obama gave the eulogy that I believe John Lewis would have wanted — reminding us of our collective responsibility to preserve democracy by assuring that every citizen has a right to vote, and here I quote Lewis, “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
Collective responsibility to assure a fairer society that reflects American ideals starts with the ballot box, but it does not end there. I think of our little part of the world — education, research, health, community — and know that we can and must do a better job in all of those dimensions. How can we better attract, nurture and celebrate underserved minorities in our schools, labs and clinics? How can we best assure access of all people to quality health care that focuses on healthy behaviors, disease prevention, early intervention and effective, affordable therapies? What can we do to help our racially, ethnically, economically diverse communities join together — not by pureeing them into a bland melting pot, but rather by creating a cultural bouillabaisse where each community is distinctive, yet connected and interdependent with other ingredients in the delicious broth that can be the America of the future — one joined by a commonly held belief in freedom, democracy, equal opportunity and justice for all? As a great university, Georgetown has both the opportunity and responsibility to be a transformative player in this process, and it has accepted these challenges unhesitatingly. And, as long as I have the privilege of directing Lombardi, I commit my effort to help bring this about, because it is the right and just path.
Have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and be well.
Lou
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.
No responses yet | Categories: Uncategorized