Honor the dead, fight for the living

As you read this this during Memorial Day week the number of Washingtonians killed by the coronavirus is surpassing 1,100. Deaths reached 1,000 May 15. The number of confirmed cases in the state is over 20,000. The daily increases, in cases and deaths, have been slowing – the flattening of the curve – though the 304 cases reported Friday were more than double the number of the two previous days.

Nationally, the death toll rose above 100,000 this week. On this Memorial Day week it is important to reflect that deaths reached 58,000 in the United States in the 90 days prior to April 29. The 58,000 Americans killed in Vietnam were lost over a nine year period ending in 1974.

Now, as then, government decisions and policies preceded those deaths. During Vietnam, as now with the pandemic, information from the nation’s president has often been partial, incomplete and deliberately false.

We honored military men and women lost in wars this holiday. Flags flew at half-mast last weekend in honor of those taken by COVID-19. Now, and looking forward, we can “pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” Mother Jones, a union organizer in America’s coalfields a century and more ago, time and time again repeated this.

We honor the dead by working to keep others alive. The first life to fight for is your own. Defense is the best offense. Stay six feet, at minimum, from others. Father Paul Magnano reminds us that that gap is a show of love.

Honor the living by being responsible. Be a public health defender. Wearing a mask slows the spread of your breath, your germs, to others. Mask wearing supports your community. Support your community by keeping your distance. That will be hard as summer comes to the Skagit. That is hard as we endure additional weeks of forced inactivity. Everyone wants to be outside and they want to get together with friends and family.

Progress is being made. Over half of Washington’s counties have been given approval – often variances – from Gov. Jay Inslee to go to Phase 2 of his Safe Start Plan. Skagit County officials petitioned to have the County move into Phase 2 May 22. The application is based on facts, science and in-place policies and programs led by the public health department.

Sometimes fighting for the living is done by being patient – months of continued patience. Our public health staff, like military commanders and teachers, expect their orders to be followed.

When Skagit County enters Phase 2, that is only the start of opening up the economy. There will be more guidances – rules promulgated for us to follow. Our staying alive – honoring each other – requires responsible action daily.

Sometimes it is hell to go slow. But the real slow going will be in the daily reports of declining cases and fewer positive test results for the coronavirus. Our decisions and daily duty to our own health and those in the community will be ongoing for what might seem like forever. It will be forever.

Father Paul Magnano