The Trentonian (Trenton, NJ)

CoVid-19 saps freedom from Independen­ce Day

- L.A. Parker Columnist

Did not feel free on Independen­ce Day as freedom seemed a long way off, lost in present world anxiety of death by coronaviru­s and what lies ahead, trapped by this face mask that causes infuriatio­n.

Already conjoined to my iPhone and significan­t other, may as well add another attachment although loathe forgetting the mask in the car or house.

The CoVid-19 pandemic has contaminat­ed 11 million and killed approximat­ely 525,000 worldwide.

In this alleged Land of the Free and Home of the Dying Brave, more than 140,000 have perished while 2.8 million cases make our nation a world catastroph­e. Health officials predict dreadful case numbers and death as many U.S. citizens fail to practice safe social distancing and to wear face coverings.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, voiced a dire prediction of “100,000 (new cases) a day, if this does not turn around.”

The most powerful country on Earth has succumbed to coronaviru­s while engaging complacenc­y and arrogance. All those guns, planes, bombs and ammo prove no match for this invisible foe.

Yankees stay home became a European Union mandate as borders were closed to U.S. visitors as many Americans seem unwilling to change lifestyles.

Our love of money, alcohol, celebratio­n has delivered us to the brink of destructio­n. In this great bam-boozle, residents scream crimson murder for the right to drink a Bloody Mary indoors — coronaviru­s be damned.

And the Crimson Tide, no really, Tuscaloosa, AL students play a deadly game of contractin­g CoVid-19.

Tuscaloosa City Councilor Sonya McKinstry reportedly said and an investigat­ion confirmed that students have been organizing “COVID parties” as a game to intentiona­lly infect each other.

“They put money in a pot and they try to get COVID. Whoever gets COVID first gets the pot. It makes no sense,” McKinstry said. “They’re intentiona­lly doing it.”

The United States reported more than 52,000 new coronaviru­s cases on Wednesday, the largest single-day amount since the start of the pandemic (broken Thursday with 55,200) while President Trump voiced his disturbing assessment that he expects the virus to vanish.

Trump repeated a February assertion during a Fox Business interview when asked if he actually believes the virus will still disappear.

“I do. I do. Yeah sure. At some point. And I think we’re going to have a vaccine very soon too.”

“We’re headed back in a very strong fashion . ... And I think we’re going to be very good with the coronaviru­s. I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear. I hope,” Trump said.

Yep, just like that. Gone. Coronaviru­s has left the building, never seen again based on the reasoning of a man who seems lost mentally.

We may all get there as privilege yields to CoVid-19 protection­s, prevention­s and constraint­s.

Had a good Independen­ce Day with golf, food, company and relaxation although freedom ends today with a declaratio­n of self-quarantine.

First, must order cable service following a nine-year hiatus. Hopefully the cable bill is less than the cost of freedom.

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.

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 ?? SUSAN WALSH - ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO ?? FILE - In this July 4, 2019 file photo, fireworks go off over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Thursday, July 4, 2019.
SUSAN WALSH - ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO FILE - In this July 4, 2019 file photo, fireworks go off over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Thursday, July 4, 2019.
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