LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
FEWER SYMBOLS, MORE EQUITY,
Statues are coming down (again), people are kneeling (again), buildings are being renamed (again), the ice-cream truck song has been outed (again), and pledges and public statements are being made (again). But in the time of this clarion call to confront and rectify long-tenured and harshly protected systemic racial disparities, we must move quickly past the symbols and zero in on establishing sustained progress in equity and economic opportunity. So, what are you doing now and what are you doing next?
VIRUS OVERHYPED,
Central Florida is always a hot spot in July. This year, our media overlords are hyping up the cases of coronavirus to portray Florida as another kind of hot spot — the hot spot of a deadly virus. Unlike problems experienced in New York when they were the hot spot, our death toll is not as high. This isn’t to diminish those affected by the virus or those who have passed, but when young, healthy people are affected by COVID-19, it sometimes passes like any other sickness, not like the black plague that the media wants you to believe it is.
TESTING ISN’T THE PROBLEM,
It’s comical to hear the Republicans scream “the only reason cases are going up is because of increased testing.” What an idiotic logic stream. Do they believe that testing makes people sick and die?
EIGHT YEARS OF CHANGES,
This month marks my eight-year anniversary since relocating to Orlando. So much has changed in Central Florida in eight years, but in comparison to the last four months, it’s hard to fathom. When we moved here, we bought a house immediately; prices and mortgage rates were great. Housing was just starting to rebound from the 2008 recession. Summer 2020 predictions for the housing market appear cautiously similar to July 2012. The Regional Orlando Realtor Association reported in May that home prices were slightly up, but that sales overall were level. It seems though that virtual walk-throughs, e-signature contracts and online closings are with us for the foreseeable future.
COVID-19 CIRCLE TIGHTENS,
Whether an injection of sanity occurs and the state of Florida, now among the leaders in both our country and the world in new COVID-19 cases, backs off opening all our schools and businesses. I’ve gone from not knowing anyone who had the virus to learning almost every day about somebody new who has become infected. This virus will grow exponentially, as it has, if we venture out too soon again. It will be catastrophic for the health of our people and economy. Will this continue to be an absurd political issue or be rightfully accepted as a purely health-related one?
DISNEY AND KAEPERNICK,
The DisneyColin Kaepernick partnership to produce and distribute content focused on social and racial topics is not only a forceful strategic move to position Disney in the country’s self-examination of issues associated with systemic racism, police brutality and social injustice, but also an institutional acknowledgement of redemption for Kaepernick, whose talented football career was upended three years ago by his outspoken and unapologetic commitment to spotlighting those issues. With Disney’s depth and breadth and Kaepernick’s passion and life story, the partnership’s ambitious array of projects will provide an intelligent and nuanced commentary to contribute meaningfully to the national dialogue.
REFUND THE POLICE,
The Orlando Police Department banning the chokehold is a start. More has to be put under the spotlight to understand how our local publicsafety agencies protect our citizens and visitors. The intent of the statement “Defund the Police” is challenging to explain. Even Trump and Biden agree that it doesn’t disclose what needs to happen. “Refund the Police” is more logical. Evaluate how we subsidize policing along with the myriad issues they end up dealing with — drug addiction, mental illness, homelessness, domestic violence, and more. Police unions need to be on the same side as the public as we learn what safety needs should be dealt with elsewhere and fund accordingly.
WEAR YOUR MASK,
Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen a troubling rise in COVID-19 cases in Central Florida. Trends in positivity rate and hospital admissions are also going in the wrong direction across the region and have been since Memorial Day. So what can we do? From a medical standpoint, it’s simple: wear a mask. They work in limiting the spread of the virus. I applaud our local leaders for mandating masks in public spaces. Masks, along with handwashing and physical distancing, are the key to protecting ourselves, our families and our neighbors. They are also vital if we want to keep reopening the economy.