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Covid-19 And Civility: These Elements Should Co-Exist


I belong to a neighborhood “I Neighbor” group.

This platform allows us to discuss changes in fire department service,  why a road is closed or even when toilet paper is available.

The other day, a woman wrote in about her daughter.  The daughter is working at a local store, with her mask.  While facing the public, someone yelled at her about the mask.  The woman yelling was older and apparently not empathetic.  The young woman, the daughter, cried about how she was treated.

Hmmmm— what is wrong with this picture?!  We know (at the time of this writing ) 170,000 have died from COVID.  Tensions are high. Students who did return to college have been sent home. Public schools are closed; teachers are refusing to put their lives on the line to reopen.  We are living in an environment of chaos.  I wonder sometimes, gee…. Are the locusts next?

Though this historical pandemic has sidelined businesses, restaurants, college and professional sports, university enrollments, does this mean we ALSO have the right to bully a young woman just doing her job?? In my online community, we rallied around this young woman who was bulled by a customer about the policy of wearing masks.  She is a young woman, who now has additional trauma from this treatment. Regardless of one’s affiliation, Democrat, Republican, or Independent, do we have the right to accost a young woman on the front just doing her job? Would anyone want their own daughter yelled at while she is serving as a cashier?

These are tough times, emotionally, economically, psychologically, etc., but we need to not berate our front-line workers.

Covid-19 is not a partisan issue. It is simply a public health issue that disproportionally hurt women and people of color. It hurts those who do not have the luxury of a job that transfers seamlessly to online environments.  It hurts those who believed that we turned a corner in June 2020, only to find a resurgence.  This article is only about reminding us all, in these tough times, respect and even empathize with the people on the front line. They did not manufacture the virus. They often don’t have the power to decide policy. They CERTAINLY do not deserve the wrath of the public.

I continue to wish everyone well… safe and effective strategies for weathering this COVID storm.  Let us not put front line workers in the path of more anger that they absolutely do not deserve.

Read more posts by Leah Hollis, Ed.D. here. Leah is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.

JenningsWire.com is created by National Publicity Firm, Annie Jennings PR that offers their prestigious pay for performance publicity model where clients can select the publicity path that results in the most power, credibility and thought leadership for them in the areas of TV, print and online.