1.7 C
Niagara Falls
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Letter: ‘Me’ society and selfishness amid the pandemic

Dear editor:

In this day and age, the human race has changed from a caring race of people to a “me” society. For people to say we have a right to live and crowd in to a restaurant, bar or a park shows a complete lack to caring for others, who also have a right to live but may not because of those who won’t wear a mask or follow the mandatory social distancing rules.

I have been appalled with the sights of huge crowds gathered together without a care in the world or a thought of what their selfish act could do to the front-line workers who may end up giving their lives trying to save these same people or people they have infected. How selfish is this?

And then what is wrong with our leaders who fail to follow the guidelines set out by our doctors and scientists? Have we as humans lost our minds or are we just so self-centered that we have forgotten to respect the rights of other who inhabit this Earth?

I’m 83, with not too many years left to be on this Earth, but maybe that’s a good thing because I won’t have to see just how disgusting our fellow humans might further become in future years. Shootings with automatic weapons, hit-and-run driving, child abuse, spousal abuse, sexual abuse and abuse of our elderly – and now viral abuse is just one more way we’ve seen the collapse of our society.

If this is your attitude toward your fellow human beings I hope you can live with yourselves. Is this what our military gave their lives for so that the arrogant people they protected can live in peace and enjoy the life they say they are entitled to?

Is this any way to show respect and appreciation for our front-line protectors, who in some cases have given their lives while you go out and party without caring for the safety of your fellow man, woman or child? Another example of pure arrogance and selfishness.

I listened to a man, who for 60-plus days was in a coma and had only a 1 per cent chance of survival, tell of how the selfless doctors and nurses struggled all those days to keep him from dying.

Then I heard a young person partying with hundreds of other young people say, “So, I get this flu bug and maybe everyone else here gets it, no big deal.” Wait until you can’t get your breath and are coughing up your guts and you’ll see just how big a deal this flu, as you call it, is.

Rioting in various cities in the U.S. again shows just what some have become. Protesting for a cause is a right, but burning and looting is nothing less than pure insanity and a lack of good judgment. Have you no shame or are the innocent killed or maimed by you just no big deal? I’m ashamed to call you my brothers and sisters.

And then the soon-to-be ex-president of the United States made remarks that only incite people to riot through his taunting remarks. He has done nothing to calm the situation, but has made remarks that further inflame the already out-of-control situation. America is a divided country with an elected leader who was incapable of healing the wounds that divide.

When they took prayer out of schools, when it became acceptable to disrespect the law, our parents and our teachers, when discipline and having to accept the consequences for our acts left our country, that was the beginning of the end for our civilization and the world as it was intended by our creator.

I saw a slogan on the internet that had merit. “Click-it or Ticket” worked for seat belt usage. How about “Mask-it or Casket” to make people realize the necessity to cover up? 

Yes, you have rights, as long as those rights don’t kill others, then your rights are forfeited. Get a grip on reality. You have a duty not a right to care for those who share the space around you. You have a duty to help rid your world of this pandemic. It isn't fake news.

Tom Thornton

NOTL

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