We can do it!

In 1944 Americans were asked to storm Omaha Beach. In 2020 we are being asked to sit on the couch and watch reruns of Barney Miller.

We can do that.

In fact, we need to do that and we will do it. In moments of crisis Americans have always come together.

This one, of course, is different. It’s an “unseen enemy” and each individual might unwittingly aid that enemy by spreading the virus if we don’t do our best to follow county, state and local orders the likes of which Americans haven’t seen before.

It’s time for some plain talk:

• This thing doesn’t yet have a cure and reliable treatment is probably a year away. That comes from a trusted source—The Milam County Health Department.

• Since it can’t (yet) be cured, the best we can do is stop its spread.

• The best thing we all can do to stop its spread is to stay home.

• Since everybody can’t stay home all the time, our best action is to isolate ourselves as much as possible and try to limit our contact with our fellow humans when we have to get out.

Sure, that goes against our very nature. We’ve known people, and you have too, who will engage in a 30-minute conversation when you say “good morning” at the post office.

Who could be against friendliness? No one. Who could be dedicated to help stop the spread of a deadly virus? Everyone.

Here’s an uncomfortable truth. The only way to “defeat” a disease like COVID-19, or a particularly nasty strain of flu for that matter, is for it to run its course. All we can do is try to be sure we don’t catch it in the meantime.

Sadly, some of us will. So we need to make sure when those of us who do come down with COVID-19 need health care, our facilities haven’t already been overwhelmed to the point where providing that care becomes problematical.

That’s what all this “flattening the curve” talk is about. There was an article explaining that in last week’s Reporter.

The other shoe finally dropped on Thursday when Milam County Judge Steve Young, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, issued almost identical state of disaster proclamations.

Young pointed out there were a lot of factors leading to his decision but they all paled before one. “It was the right thing to do,” he said.

Indeed it was. You may not be able to “legislate morality,” as the old bromide goes, but in legitimate governments—and ours is—there should be a moral dimension at the core.

“The right thing to do,” ought to govern our actions in 2020. It certainly did in 1944.

Bottom line: If we can’t stay at home, eat microwave mac-and-cheese and trip over the cat a couple of extra times a day, we’re going to have to apologize to the people who defeated fascism 75 years ago.—M.B.