The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying

[Demovictory9]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/americas-racial-contract-showing/611389/

The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying
The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.



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The coronavirus epidemic has rendered the racial contract visible in multiple ways. Once the disproportionate impact of the epidemic was revealed to the American political and financial elite, many began to regard the rising death toll less as a national emergency than as an inconvenience. Temporary measures meant to prevent the spread of the disease by restricting movement, mandating the wearing of masks, or barring large social gatherings have become the foulest tyranny. The lives of workers at the front lines of the pandemic—such as meatpackers, transportation workers, and grocery clerks—have been deemed so worthless that legislators want to immunize their employers from liability even as they force them to work under unsafe conditions. In East New York, police assault black residents for violating social-distancing rules; in Lower Manhattan, they dole out masks and smiles to white pedestrians.

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But the pandemic has introduced a new clause to the racial contract. The lives of disproportionately black and brown workers are being sacrificed to fuel the engine of a faltering economy, by a president who disdains them. This is the COVID contract.

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In the interim, data about the demographics of COVID-19 victims began to trickle out. On April 7, major outlets began reporting that preliminary data showed that black and Latino Americans were being disproportionately felled by the coronavirus. That afternoon, Rush Limbaugh complained, “If you dare criticize the mobilization to deal with this, you’re going to be immediately tagged as a racist.” That night, the Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced, “It hasn’t been the disaster that we feared.” His colleague Brit Hume mused that “the disease turned out not to be quite as dangerous as we thought.” The nationwide death toll that day was just 13,000 people; it now stands above 70,000, a mere month later.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. GOP sees the data and is unconcerned so long as more poor and non-white die.

This virus is the ultimate voter suppression engine -- urban areas are more at risk simply due to density; non-white and poor are more at risk because of conditions imposed on them by decades of GOP policies.

Welcome to hell.

[jimfields33]

3. I totally believe this

They just saved big money on social security and even more Medicare. They know it. Ugh!!!!!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Your theory is ridiculous, given the huge deficit incurred, and the long term organ damage. . . . nt

[mitch96]

8. Exactly. If it targeted Northern European whites, things would mobilize like WW2!!!!

It's obvious this administration and it's people do not care about the Black and Brown minorities..
They are expendable... It's a conservative/republican thing.....
m

[malaise]

4. THIS

Once the disproportionate impact of the epidemic was revealed to the American political and financial elite, many began to regard the rising death toll less as a national emergency than as an inconvenience.

[Hav]

5. I was actually thinking about this as well

Considering who has been hardest hit so far, it's not only that they don't care that they die, letting more people die who'd potentially rather vote for Democrats helps them.

[LSFL]

6. For the first time in my life...

I can honestly say that I would leave this country and even renounce my citizenship if the opportunity arose . Where is there left to go? Canada? Europe is too close to fucking Russia and they have resurgent fascism too. Germany? That's where all this took root. So Canada it is then. And anyway, I love the cold. I am a big strapping lumberjack type, I mind my own business, I am center left, and a cheerful beer drinker.
Holy moly! I'm Canadian already. Fook this place. I am OOT! Who's with me?
Take off to the Great White North...
Take off... it's a beauty way to go!

America's Hat or bust!

[secondwind]

9. I'm heading out on June 4, will be returning here only for visits.

[tavernier]

11. Yeah, that's what you say

but then come winter you’ll be down in my state for six months living in an RV and tipping 10%.

[barbtries]

7. recommended.

read the whole thing. this is the greatest failure of the USA and until we acknowledge and confront it we can never achieve justice.

[HAB911]

12. Class and racial genocide

plain and simple

[cry baby]

13. I noticed that. So sad. nt