Several letters to the editors in the last several weeks have had pretty harsh tones. It has occurred to me that during these stressful times, we need more perspective and compassion before publicly criticizing others. This seems to be especially true lately about letters directed at the Health Department Board of Trustees for COVID related decisions they made. Earlier in the year it was about school boards, or election boards.
Don Breckon
Things always look differently from someone else’s perspective and that is why admonition has persisted over hundreds of years to not judge others until you have walked in their shoes. This is especially true of the very complex COVID issues. I also like the saying “When you point a finger at someone else, remember there are three fingers pointing back at yourself,” and that may be applicable here.
Before I became a university administrator, I taught public health courses at Central Michigan University for nearly a decade. In the entry level course, I always began with the quote, “It is the responsibility of government to do for individuals what individuals cannot do for themselves.” That, of course, is why health departments were created. I then discussed examples like the quality of air we breathe, the water we drink and food we buy and disease prevention. Individuals can and should do their part, but the public good very often demands restrictions be enacted and enforced on individuals. Of course, there is a fine line between individual rights and the rights of the majority, but especially in a democracy, the rights of the general public usually prevail. What is best for public health is often not good for select individuals or groups.
It is our fellow citizens who are appointed to represent the rest of us by serving on boards and deciding what is needed and when. If we think of their responsibility during COVID, it is to do what is best for all the people, not just school children or parents, but also teachers and staff; not just small business owners, but also employees; not just hospitalized patients but also hospital staff; not just our elderly in long term care facilities, but also vulnerable people like me who are largely confined to their homes. Health department boards must weigh what is best for all these groups and even others. That perspective requires different discussions and actions than those who speak from a narrower point of view.
I understand that emotions are running high now, as people are losing their jobs, businesses, homes and retirement funding. My heart aches when I see the long lines at community food banks. People are shut in and shut out of usual activities. Yes, people are scared. I, too, am scared that if I need to go to the hospital there may not be an ICU bed available. I understand why emotions are running high.
Of course, individuals have the right to express their opinions in person at board meetings or in the press, but compassion would require us to tone our criticism down a bit, and avoid overstatements, labels and accusations. I understand that this is not an easy task when stressed. Yet, it is more important now because we are all in this together
A recent letter accused the Health Department of “apparent anti-science” because they had not yet followed the recently revised recommendations of Dr. Fauci. First of all, science is constantly learning and changing and there is a time lag before recommendations can be implemented. Also, different locations require different restrictions. Just because a recent recommendation at the federal level has not yet been implemented here does not mean the Health Department board members are anti-science.
Another overstatement in a different letter was “let’s remember that it was the health department board of trustees who have single-handedly destroyed small businesses and put people out of work in our community.” Of course, it was an unprecedented pandemic that did that. Of course, it was partially due to people who refused to wear a mask or social distance that contributed. Of course, it was some employers that did not implement recommended safety procedures. Of course, it was partly due to inadequate leadership by example in a never-before-encountered situation. Of course, it was in part due to people that traveled to visit family over Thanksgiving despite being asked repeatedly to stay home. Of course, it will get much worse in mid to late January because people ignored recommendations to not get together with those outside their household for Christmas or New Year’s gatherings. Of course, unfortunately, there will be more deaths this winter, and these too are our fellow citizens.
To say that “it was the health department that single-handedly destroyed small businesses and put people out of work” does not stand up to scrutiny. (What irritates me, is that if all these above-mentioned groups had done their part from the beginning, this COVID thing would not be nearly as severe as it is now, and not nearly so many people would have died.)
Trying to see things from the perspective of others, showing more compassion for our fellow citizens who serve on boards, thinking about what is best for all members of our public and toning down our criticism a bit; these are needed now more than ever. The Health Department is doing the best they can with the situation before them. They should not be subjected to politics, delayed funding, angry comments or disrespect. They are looking out for our entire community, not just one segment. These are our fellow citizens. They deserve better.
As COVID gets worse, let’s try to be less emotional in our criticism of others. This is going to be a long winter, with even more COVID related stress in many parts of our society. We need the best efforts of all of us. We need to try and see things from the perspective of others. We need more compassion. We need more kindness. We will get through this together. Happy, healthy New Year to all.
Dr. Don Breckon is the former president of Park University. He is an occasional guest contributor to the Citizen.