The days of the week are still Today, Yesterday, Tomorrow, The Other Day, What Day is It. The days of our lives heading into another year of COVID.
Experts and elected officials keep talking about returning to normal when and if the COVID pandemic is over. What was or is normal? COVID struck in 2020. We hoped 2021 would be better. There was light at the end of the tunnel. Turns out the light was the COVID train barreling toward us loaded with variants as 2022 approached. We still wear masks, carry vaccine proof, seek out tests, and listen to conflicting advice on how to safely go about our lives
For those of us who do not work, days are routine. Every day I do crossword puzzles. I have gone through dozens of pens. I go for long walks, weather permitting. I only visit with people in my small bubble. When I go out, it is only to places that practice safety protocols. At night, I seek out mindless entertainment. Day after day, wash, rinse, repeat.
Self-survival is the first and highest law of nature. I am a survivor.
I know people or their family members who caught COVID. Some suffered. Some died. Every day I read about the suffering and death from this disease. I read about the long haulers who are suffering from the mild to severe after-effects of COVID. I know people with compromised health issues, making them more susceptible to catching COVID. Their precautions border on paranoia, and I do not blame them.
Our social circles shrunk to pods of people we feel safe with. It is like living in a bubble. It is hard to believe almost two years sped by. I remember the last time I celebrated with friends, St. Patrick’s Day, 2020. The next day, the lockdowns and mandates started. I masked up, socially distanced, and excoriated anyone who got too close to me. I was loud and vulgar. I do not care about anyone’s oh so tender sensitive feelings. I do not care about propriety or etiquette. When it comes to self-survival, I believe in Damon Runyon’s philosophy. “After me, everyone else comes first.”
The spread of COVID is competing with the spread of violent crime in Chicago. For almost two years, City Hall promoted ways to keep us safe from COVID. They did and do little to keep us safe on the streets or in public spaces. If COVID does not get you, chances are good one of our pampered violent criminals will.
The figures, as of December 31, 2021:
- 4533 people were shot
- 791 souls were shot and killed
- There were 841 homicides
- There are daily armed robberies in many neighborhoods
- There are daily carjackings all over the city
One way or other, chances are you will be shot, killed, traumatized, or infected. It looks like 2021 dealt 2022 a Dead Man’s Hand.
Mayor Lightfoot issues threats of punishing establishments that do not obey mandates. She is silent on the violent crime wave. State’s Attorney Kim Foxx pampers violent criminals instead of prosecuting them. They refuse to accept their “reform” policies are failing miserably. Only the coddled criminals are benefitting from “reforms.”
While scrolling through social media, I see a lot of anger over the new spread of COVID. People are fed up with living under mandates. Some feel they have been lied to by the medical experts, especially the worsening variants. I do not see anger over the violence pandemic in Chicago. I do not see people believing the Mayor, State’s Attorney, and the inept Chicago Police Superintendent are lying to them. I do not see editorials from our cowardly news media excoriating Lightfoot and Foxx for their epic failure to keep us safe.
When will it end? When will we get back to normal, whatever that was? When will Sunday, Monday, Tuesday… return? When will we feel safe on our streets? When will COVID and violent crime be curbed?
Like COVID, violence did not take a holiday this New Year, and like COVID, violence will continue to plague us.
It does not look like 2022 will be better than 2021. Yeah, Happy New Year.