Many heartwarming images were seen around the world as tugboats led the U.S Naval Hospital Comfort into New York Harbor on Monday. Indeed, New Yorkers and all those rooting for us here in the epicenter of COVID-19 felt an overwhelming sigh of some relief.
But alas, there were many who tainted the moment with a demonstration of sheer defiance and stupidity as they gathered around the medians at 50th Street and the West Side Highway to photograph the life saving majestic vessel as it arrived.
Literally hundreds of onlookers, some with less than 6 inches of distance between them huddled with their cameras and phones to snap a memory of the harborlanding. Some of them were even thoughtful enough to bring along their children and their pets to witness the event.
They arrived on foot, by bicycle, on skateboards, pushing strollers with total disregard for every last guideline not only to protect them, but to protect the spread of the virus and all of us sitting at home and following the strenuous protocol imposed by the looming threat it has imposed on the global population.
I really struggle to think what must be in the minds of these individuals. My struggleis exponentially greater to keep from wishing them a fitting reward for subjecting themselves and all of us to further peril. Was it them that Jesus had in mind on the cross when He asked His father to forgive those who knew not what they were doing?
So many things are revealed in times of crisis; times of strife without parallel. Times that none of us has ever experienced before. Human nature is dissected down to the bone. The goodness and bravery of many bring us to tears. We don’t know how to express our gratitude to doctors, nurses, administrative healthcare workers, EMS, NYPD, FDNY, DSNY, grocery store and retail workers. Is there a way to recognize and thank all the people using their talents and their philanthropy to lessen our burden by entertaining us, feeding us or comforting those who need it most?
Senior citizens in their homes sewing masks for their community hospitals, an inventor from Middle America working in his garage to make “helmets” that will ease the burden of the ventilator demand. There are thousands of stories like these.
And then there are those who disrespect the monumental and heroic efforts of all of these people by displaying their flagrant disregard for what is simply, the benefit of mankind.
Over the last weekend, residents of Howard Beach lined up with no regard for social distancing outside a food truck — not supposed to be where it was — outside as huttered TD Bank on Cross Bay Boulevard. They were on line to buy lobster rolls, standing next to one another, exchanging potentially lethal droplets and then carrying them to other parts of our community.
Wake up people or your ability to do just that could come to a screeching halt. It’s most disheartening to think you have so little value for your own lives. It’s not acceptable that you have no value for ours.
STAY HOME.
