COVID-19 and a Caring Worldwide Community

Yesterday evening, all three major networks and many streaming platforms broadcast a concert called One World Together At Home. The primary organizer was Lady Gaga. She brought together an impressive line-up of iconic performers -- Elton John, Paul McCartney,  the Rolling Stones, John Legend, and many others. Three late night talk show hosts -- Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel -- were the "masters of ceremony." The evening also featured inspirational clips from leaders, including Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Oprah, the head of WHO, and the Secretary General of the UN. 

The purpose of the evening was to celebrate the heroism and sacrifices of the many front-line workers who are fighting COVID-19 and making it possible for the rest of us to stay home. Performer after performer, speaker after speaker, expressed the world's gratitude to these workers and praised the rest of us who support them by staying home. (Ironically, one of the key beneficiaries of the evening was the World Health Organization -- ironic because President Trump, in search of somewhere to pass the blame, just cut the US funding to WHO while his administration "investigates.") Amidst many inspiring performances, the final number stood out as the showstopper. Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, John Legend and pianist Lang Lang performed "The Prayer." There was probably not a dry eye in anyone's house.

This concert is a dramatic example  of the tremendous sense of community and shared responsibility that has arisen in response to the pandemic. New Yorkers stand on their balconies every evening at 7 pm to give a round of applause to the front-line workers. Performers record bedtime stories for kids. Many are sewing masks for healthcare workers. People are donating to various food shelves and relief societies. It warms my heart and makes me proud.  And yet...

As our son Jeff reminds me, "That's how people are behaving in our bubble, Mom." Another darker side is starting to appear, egged on by our President. We watched him appeal to people's frustrations and hatred of the coastal elite at the end of this week, encouraging protests. His instincts as a demagogue and wily politician tell him that a strong sense of community and compassion coupled with conscientiously following guidelines for social distancing will not bode well for him at the polls in November.   He's targeting "battleground states" with strong Democratic governors, including Minnesota, in his efforts to stir up unrest. It's quite frightening because his rhetoric now and in the past borders on inciting violence. I hate to focus on politics in these dire times, but I don't want to forget the increasingly crazed words and actions of our president.  Heather Cox Richardson wrote an excellent piece dissecting Trump's behavior and the rationale.

Despite the daily pain and anger wrought by reading the news, I have hope that all the acts of compassion and the strong sense of community will win out in the end.