The China Plague?
“Danish Plan” in the March 2020 issue of Boulder Weekly starts with “The latest China Plague.” Either Paul doesn’t know that coronavirus is a virus, or he doesn’t know that a plague is caused by bacteria. Or maybe he doesn’t know the difference between a virus and a bacteria. More likely he’s trying to mimic Trump by combining “China” and “Plague” into the kind of hurtful phrase you’d hear from an elementary school bully. In the same issue (Cannabis Corner), he has no problem referring to it as the “coronavirus pandemic,” so he obviously knows what the correct term is — and probably understands that his audience for that column is less tolerant of scapegoating entire nations. In any case, it’s childish, unprofessional, not productive, borderline racist, and (most importantly) hurtful. Shame on you, Paul. And shame on you, Boulder Weekly, for continuing to give this crank a mouthpiece.
Chris Malley/Boulder
Spring 2020: Regenerative Vision
As we hunker in our social isolation this spring, may we reflect. What we as an industrialized human species have done to extinguish life of other species and threaten our own future existence, the coronavirus is now doing to threaten our human lives.
Could this time become a wake-up call to change our human behavior from one disconnected from Earth and each other into one acknowledging and acting to protect our interconnectedness, our impacts on others?
As governments seek to help us through policies and measures to protect ourselves, may we awaken to thinking and acting beyond where our modern ways of living have brought us — living outside the staying power of this planet.
Would that as we are called to act for the good of everyone’s health, we enact the value and necessity of universal health care, not for profit.
Would that worldwide policy ask, at this time of census, that humans stop birthing babies, beyond self-replacement, one for one and more women decide not to bear children so that we reduce human numbers and reverse our terrible impact on the generative life of this planet.
Would that we as a human species self-contain from using so much fossil fuel for war, for transport, for creating plastic, for over-heating, over-cooling homes and public buildings and replace fossil fuel with a just transition to renewable energy and non-polluting product sources.
Would that we shift our usurious growth-oriented economics into one responsible and accountable for impacts, creating meaningful work in support of Life; and shift from subsidizing mono-crop agriculture to support regenerative agriculture.
Would that over-consumption, hoarding wealth be seen as an immature non-social expression and be replaced by a universal basic income from just taxation to provide for the basic needs of everyone.
Would that we see into, understand and transform racism, sexism and other “isms” into a just and equitable world for all beings.
Would that humanity learn respect for the life of other species, understand the nature of this beautiful planet, Earth and live in respect for and in a greater harmony with its creative evolution.
Bonnie Sundance/Nederland
