When Will Leaders Lead?
To the Editor:
On December 11, Fayette County’s coronavirus cases rose to 40 confirmed and 79 probable for a total of 119 and that count along with the 1000 cases and 15 deaths in Fayette County and almost 300,000 U.S. deaths to date would be substantially greater but for those of us who have abided by Governor Abbott’s order. When will our County Judge, Emergency Management Director, and Sheriff take the actions necessary to limit the needless suffering and death of our people and end this pandemic given the irresponsible behavior of far too many in Fayette County? Instead of publicly blaming “mask fatigue” for the ever-increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases and probable cases in Fayette County, why not publicly lay the blame and the shame on those who refuse to wear masks, who refuse to socially distance, who refuse to avoid bars and taverns, and who refuse to limit the size of family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Those who have always refused to wear masks cannot blame “mask fatigue” but only their own ignorance or arrogance for their easily avoidable immoral and dangerous conduct that our county Sheriff should be preventing with warnings and citations wherever and whenever observed. Hiding behind the skirt of the alleged “rights” of our sacred Constitution does not justify nor explain why those refusing to wear masks choose to disrespect the sanctity of life and choose instead to recklessly endanger the lives and livelihoods of other people.
Why the repeated downplay by our county leadership of the seriousness of this pandemic that would be much worse if no one wore masks? Why repeatedly cite the number of nursing home deaths as if it was an excuse? Respect for life does not end at birth! Instead of complaining that the total number recovered is rarely cited, be concerned that far too many of the total number recovered may never totally recover. Our parents and grandparents bore far more sacrifices at home to defend our country during the six years of WWII than the minor discomfort we would bear to wear a mask to defend our country during the next six months of the raging war of this pandemic.
Those of us who earnestly strive to protect the lives of others by wearing a mask to prevent even more deaths in Fayette County also have another moral and patriotic obligation to perform and that is publicly shaming and economically boycotting the owners of businesses who refuse to enforce the wearing of masks by their customers or who refuse to adequately protect their employees.
But the most public blame and shame should be reserved for those entrusted to protect the lives of our people and empowered to lead but still failing to lead by public example, encouragement, education, and enforcement. A key litmus test of effective leadership will be whether the people of Fayette County are educated and encouraged to take the vaccine now found to be safe in order to achieve the levels of herd immunity needed to end this pandemic. So, I ask again, when will our County Judge, Emergency Management Director, and Sheriff take the actions necessary to limit the needless suffering and death of our people and finally end this pandemic?
John W. Mikus
Fayetteville