New York ER Doctor Commit Suicide after being sent home from hospital due to COVID-19

Written by Alberta Parish

This past Sunday, a New York ER doctor, who was on the frontlines of this pandemic, took her own life. According to the New York Post, Lorna Breen returned to work after recovering from the coronavirus. Yaron Steinbuch, a reporter for the Post wrote, “A close pal of the doctor has told the Post that “it broke her” when she was told she still wasn’t well enough to return to work and was instructed to go back home.” Breen’s father “added that his daughter — whom he remembered as a salsa dancer, a nursing home volunteer and a snowboarder — had not been struggling with any emotional problems.”

Like Breen, many are working longer hours, sometimes around the clock, doing all they can to save the lives of their patients even while risking their own lives. Seeing all this death daily is not something everyone can process and live with. I wish I could say you will hear the last of a doctor committing suicide. As long as this virus wreaks havoc across the globe, the number of suicides will increase. Not only will medical care professionals commit suicide, but also those who have lost parents, children, and others with whom they shared a close bond. The psychological impact this pandemic generates has not only led to more suicide deaths but also a rise in domestic violence cases as many people are now grappling with economic difficulties having lost their job or business due to COVID-19 and also being forced to stay at home where they are in close proximity to their abusers. There will probably be an increase in involuntary and voluntary psychiatric hospital admissions as new coronavirus cases continue to rise over the summer killing more and more people. COVID-19, although not deadlier than Ebola, MERS and SARS, has a current mortality rate of 4.5%. The novel virus also known as SARS-CoV-2 may not kill as fast as Ebola, MERS and SARS, but its mortality rate is still higher than that of the 1918 Spanish Flu even though the world’s population during the 1918 flu pandemic was 1.8 billion, according to a report on CNBC.

Unlike the Spanish Flu which killed roughly 50 million people over two years, the coronavirus pandemic has killed fewer in numbers as current deaths exceed 227,000 worldwide. Unfortunately, this virus will continue killing people. When I witnessed state governors reopening non-essential services to the public amid rising coronavirus deaths, I knew then the number of coronavirus cases will increase because they don’t care about saving lives. Therefore, I am not optimistic about the federal government’s ability to contain the spread of this virus. State governors are more interested in saving the economy while placing undue strain on emergency medical services and healthcare professionals who will be working on the frontlines of this pandemic for the next year or two as they battle new coronavirus cases.

The “New” Normal During COVID-19

Today, I had this real eerie feeling as I thought about the world, and America’s future. I can see people’s anxiety and fear as we all face uncertain times. I know I am now living in a world which is anything but normal and there never will be a return to normalcy no matter what our political leaders tell us. I think what we are currently seeing throughout the world is the new normal, and this new normal consists of social distancing and mandatory vaccinations for all living persons. This new normal also consists of greater surveillance and censorship of differing opinions. There is no such thing as freedom of speech and freedom of the press in a New World Order.

Many of you are still living under the illusion of freedom, not realizing the whole world has been turned upside down right before your eyes. What made anybody think the United States before COVID-19 would remain the same forever? What made you think the world would never change, and you could just live out your last days on Planet Earth happy-go-lucky and retire from that “great” job with that “great” pension or 401K plan? “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”

I wish I could tell you something that would make you feel better or more optimistic, but it simply wouldn’t be the truth. The truth is, I do not see a good future for America. Neither do I feel this is the same nation I grew up in. In fact, I already see a fallen nation. The United States as an idea has reached its end. The United States is no more exceptional than other nations that have come to power over a short period of time and fell overnight. What once constituted the Roman Empire, only a semblance of it exists today throughout Europe. You see only ruins of the Great Coliseum and Roman temples, which serves as a constant reminder that everything has a beginning and ending. The United States as an idea will completely cease to exist. Then, all this place will have left is ghosts…ghosts of the past glory that existed within these borders, where slaves built the cities and towns and made this nation the great economic power of the world. Generations will sing of her ruins as her light no longer shines to all nations.

What many took for granted prior to COVID-19 is no longer available or it is simply out of reach. True freedom is no longer in close reach. The American Dream is not in close reach. Many things people took for granted is no longer an option, because we now must live in a new “COVID-19” society. Welcome to the “new” normal.

THE END

Works Cited

Steinbuch, Yaron. “Dad of NY doctor Lorna Breen says she ‘was in the trenches’ before suicide.” 29 April 2020. Web 29 April 2020. New York Post.

Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2020/04/29/father-of-er-doctor-lorna-breen-she-put-her-life-on-the-line/

Lovelace, Berkeley Jr. “The coronavirus may be deadlier than the 1918 flu: Here’s how it stacks up to other pandemics.” 26 March 2020. Web. 29 April 2020. CNBC.

Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/coronavirus-may-be-deadlier-than-1918-flu-heres-how-it-stacks-up-to-other-pandemics.html

COVID-19: Will it be with us through the summer?

April 26, 2020

Written by Alberta Parish

The sole culprit responsible for the development of a new Influenza strain currently known as COVID-19 has not only jeopardized the lives of millions of Chinese, but also countless millions around the globe as government officials in each country impacted by the current pandemic work tirelessly to contain the spread of the virus also known as SARS-CoV-2. Not only did the Chinese Community Party lie to the world about the true origin of this virus, but it still refuses to provide potent information to other countries so that they may better understand the nature of the virus and contain its spread.

While Vice President Mike Pence is telling the public that “COVID-19 will be largely “behind us” by Memorial Day,” a health official has already warned that COVID-19 will return in the fall. This past Sunday on Meet the Press, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx said that “social distancing will be with us through the summer to really ensure that we protect one another.” If social distancing guidelines must be enforced through the summer, this means COVID-19 does not operate like the seasonal flu, which generally infects and kills people during the fall and winter. In fact, the national number of coronavirus cases will not only increase through the summer, but the death toll will rise. Unlike the seasonal flu, a new Influenza virus like COVID-19 can infect and kill people year-round. How is the seasonal flu different from an influenza pandemic? According to the CDC, “An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of a new influenza A virus that is very different from current and recently circulating human seasonal influenza A viruses. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, making it possible on very rare occasions for non-human influenza viruses to change in such a way that they can infect people easily and spread efficiently from person to person.”

Amid rising numbers in coronavirus cases, Georgia’s governor Brian Kemp was among the first state officials to reopen non-essential services on Friday, April 24, putting countless Georgians at risk of viral infection. While Kemp defends his position to reopen businesses, he does not have to go work on the frontlines in these businesses. He and his family can remain safely tucked away inside their home or he can continue to isolate himself inside his office while Georgians are being made to put our lives at risk. There are some business owners who chose to remain closed, putting the lives of their employees above a paycheck while others are making their employees chose between their lives and a paycheck.

Although there are several reasons Kemp listed for his decision to reopen businesses, Georgia’s economy was among those reasons. Over one million unemployment insurance claims have been filed in Georgia since March. Had the number of unemployment insurance claims continued to rise, this possibly would’ve led to disastrous economic consequences for the State of Georgia in the next coming months. If Kemp had not lifted lockdown restrictions and allowed businesses to reopen, it could’ve been disastrous for Georgia’s economy. To save the economy, Kemp chose to put the lives of countless Georgians at risk of contracting the coronavirus in the next coming days and weeks.

The public will be vulnerable to viral infection and community transmission through the summer, because unlike a seasonal flu, an influenza pandemic occurs whenever there is a new Influenza strain for which there is either no immunity or little immunity.

According to the Daily Mail, “WHO chiefs have warned world leaders against investing too heavily in the tests to show if a person has already had the virus, because they do not guarantee immunity.” A World Health official further stated that “[t]here is no evidence to support the belief that people who have recovered from coronavirus will not catch it again.”

There Is No Such Thing As A Return to Normalcy

This summer, while people have relaxed their social distancing measures, planning birthday and wedding celebrations, praising your gods at church or temple, attending sporting events, packing movie theaters to see the latest blockbusters and thinking you’ve returned to normalcy, most of you “asymptomatic” people who are carriers of the coronavirus will not only have spread this virus to your friends, immediate family, significant others, relatives and coworkers, but you will probably be the cause of their death. The people you should be listening to are the health officials like Dr. Birx who have warned you stating that “social distancing will be with us through the summer...” The government only wants you to return to work and stay asleep in order to save the economy. Governor Brian Kemp and other governors around the country have chosen to save the economy, because the states do not have enough money to pay all these people who have been laid off from their jobs. The states must have adequate funding for the police and fire departments, and other public services which are essential to maintain some semblance of a so-called civilized society. With over a million unemployment insurance claims in Georgia, state funding will have been stretched thin. This is really the reason governors in Georgia, Tennessee and elsewhere had to reopen businesses, so they could put their citizens back to work and save the economy. It’s not about making sure businessowners and employees were able to pay their rent, utilities and provide for their families. It was about saving the economy because the funding for unemployment insurance benefits would have dried up eventually.

Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his suggestion that the states should file for bankruptcy instead of receiving financial assistance from the federal government, according to The Hill. During an interview with his brother, Chris Cuomo on CNN, the governor said, “How am I supposed to reopen if you want me to declare bankruptcy?” This is another reason some governors have moved to reopen businesses in their state, because they do not want to declare bankruptcy. Again, many choose to save their economies even though they know the number of coronavirus cases will go up and there is a possibility of a second wave. Health officials have also warned a second wave will come in the fall. Most likely, all the asymptomatic people will have spread this virus during the summer, and by the time late September arrives, that is when we’ll see a significant jump in hospitalizations and deaths similar to what we’ve already seen in the early quarter of 2020. People will still contract this virus during the summer, and they will die during the summer. The number of deaths may be lower, but people will be walking around in the parks, at the malls, the nightclubs, and the bars with this virus during the summer months. You probably won’t hear as many stories about new cases in the mainstream media, because they want you to continue going to your cushy jobs and acting like you’ve returned to normalcy. To save the U.S. economy, your life and mine will be jeopardized this summer. Good luck.

The End

Works Cited

CDC. Past Pandemics. Web. 26 April 2020.

Retrieved from  https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/basics/past-pandemics.html

Milly, & Duell. “There is 'no evidence' that people who have survived coronavirus have immunity, WHO warns.” 17 April 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. Daily Mail.

Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8231669/There-no-evidence-people-survived-coronavirus-immunity-warns.html

Gov. Brian Kemp reopens Georgia for business amid rising coronavirus deaths

Written by Alberta Parish

On Tuesday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, announced the reopening of gyms, nail and hair salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo parlors with restrictions beginning Friday, April 24, 2020. This news comes amid rising coronavirus cases with a death toll of 800+ people in Georgia. But not everyone is onboard with Kemp’s decision to reopen Georgia for business. In fact, the governor has gotten very harsh criticism for his decision to put the health and lives of millions of Americans at risk of contracting the novel virus as cases continue to soar throughout the United States. COVID-19 is not going away any time soon! In fact, by the time a new vaccine has been developed, over a hundred thousand people in the U.S. will possibly have died due to this pandemic. I personally know people who have lost friends and relatives due to the coronavirus pandemic. Because many people already have underlying health conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, etc., their immune systems are already compromised making them even more susceptible to viral infections (i.e., COVID-19; Flu; pneumonia).

Throughout social media, you can find multiple stories of people who know people that entered the hospitals complaining of a headache, fever, constant coughing or some other medical issue, and having only been suspected of contracting COVID-19, were immediately isolated from the other patients and hospital staff as their conditions worsened, and eventually, dying while loved ones were kept from seeing them. There are many cases in which people who were never actually tested for the coronavirus after entering the emergency room for symptoms that may or may not have anything to do with the virus itself, if medical staff diagnose them as having contracted COVID-19 and they die, the death certificate will list COVID-19 as cause of death even if they had pre-existing conditions that could be the actual cause of death and not COVID-19.

Despite millions of people worldwide having contracted the coronavirus, the number of deaths linked to the novel virus may not even be accurate numbers. The Chinese Communist Party has not been very honest about the actual number of Chinese who have died since the start of this global pandemic. Not only do I suspect the Chinese government of having lied to the world but also China is covering up the actual number of people who have died in China due to COVID-19. I suspect that the coronavirus has been in the United States a lot longer than what the public has been told. Therefore, I am no longer accepting the official narrative that the first U.S. coronavirus case was in January. In fact, there are many people who have already made claims via social media that as far back as November, they were experiencing the same symptoms as COVID-19 symptoms. I have a friend who believes he already contracted the novel coronavirus as early as August of 2019. He gave me permission to tell his story to the world, and to alarm others that government officials are not telling you the truth about the real beginning of this global pandemic.

During a phone conversation in March, my friend first told me that he had already contracted this virus last year. At the time, I didn’t believe him because I had not yet made the connection between him having been hospitalized in late December and again early January for pneumonia. He also claims that the coronavirus induced his heart attack, which happened in August of 2019. In fact, it was in August when he told me that he was in the hospital because he had a massive heart attack and had to have quadruple bypass heart surgery. Prior to the heart attack, he was dealing with pre-existing health problems, which obviously made him greatly susceptible to the virus.

In fact, he called me from the hospital in January to tell me that he caught pneumonia. I just learned today that he caught pneumonia not once but twice in late December and again early January. In a phone conversation today, he informed me that the doctors said they had detected some type of virus in his blood, so they gave him an IV bag of medication. He said the medication cleared the pneumonia out of his system. Then, they came back later and told him it was a false alarm after the medication they gave him already cleared his system of the virus. He also informed me that it is not true what they’re telling people about there not being any current treatment for the novel virus. He said they ran out of the medication to treat it.

When he was suffering from pneumonia, medical staff had not yet identified the virus as COVID-19. In January, he didn’t think he had contracted the coronavirus. Neither did the medical team that treated him for pneumonia. The doctors had no idea it was COVID-19 that induced his heart attack. The American public did not start learning about the coronavirus until January. The first U.S. coronavirus case was confirmed by the CDC on January 20. Ericka Edwards, a reporter for NBC News, wrote, “the patient in Washington, a resident of Snohomish County, is a man in his 30s. The CDC said he arrived in the United States around Jan. 15 after having visited Wuhan. He hadn't, however, visited the seafood market where the virus is said to have originated.”

My friend further explained to me how he thinks he contracted the virus. He said his friend Monica worked at a hospital in the Atlanta area where she was a cleaner. One day, she came home from work extremely ill and was having difficulty breathing. Then three days later, he had a massive heart attack. His claim is that the coronavirus induced his massive heart attack, and he is vehemently sticking to his claim.

Now, Gov. Brian Kemp wants to make Georgia residents guinea pigs by reopening non-essential businesses on Friday putting the lives of countless Americans at risk of exposure to the virus, while the number of cases and the death toll continue to rise in Georgia. I do not believe that summer weather is going to stop community transition of this virus even if Georgia officials decide to fudge the numbers to make it appear that cases and deaths due to COVID-19 are dwindling. Mr. Governor Kemp, do not tell me that reopening nail and hair salons, gyms, tattoo parlors and bowling alleys is what is in the best interest of Georgians and business owners as people all around us are losing their lives to this pandemic. I have lost at least one relative to this pandemic. I almost lost my friend to this pandemic. Instead of worrying about what’s in the best interest of the economy, have some empathy and understanding for Georgia residents, and not put our lives at risk to save this economy! If I’m dead, I can’t get a paycheck!  

The End

Work Cited

Edwards, Erika. “Coronavirus U.S. case confirmation: 1st coronavirus case is in Seattle.” 21 Jan. 2020. Web. 22 April 2020. NBC News.

Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/1st-case-coronavirus-china-confirmed-u-s-n1119486

Is the second round of stimulus checks a precursor to universal basic income?

April 20, 2020

Written by Alberta Parish

Before the mandatory lockdowns began in the United States, people were going about their daily routine, walking their dog in the park or dining in their favorite restaurant. Many Americans had been on their jobs for years before the coronavirus pandemic forced their jobs to shut down. Although people lived from paycheck to paycheck, many never had to worry about food shortages or where their next meal was coming from. Many never even had to apply for unemployment benefits until businesses were forced to close due to COVID-19. Prior to the shelter-in-place orders and social distancing measures, many took the little things in life for granted like going to their parents’ house for dinner. When times are good, people tend to be more relaxed and not think about what may happen in their immediate future. They go about their daily lives taking everything in it for granted and think this is the way life will always be for them. Many people often fail to take into consideration that life could change suddenly without warning.

As of April 20, over 41,000 people have died as a result of the pandemic. There have also been reports of people with pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease who, after entering the hospitals complaining of chest pain or respiratory issues, are immediately isolated, put on a ventilator, given legal doses of morphine and, days later, they die. The death certificate will list such persons as having died from COVID-19 even if they were never tested for the virus.

In the effort to slow down the spread of the virus, business owners around the country began closing their doors in early March. Despite business closings, layoffs, and social distancing guidelines, people continued to gather in public spaces, party for birthday celebrations, attend church services, go to sporting events, beaches, and national parks. Although bars, night clubs and restaurants were closed for business, college students packed the beaches in Florida for spring break in mid-March. Days later, CBS News reported that some students from the University of Tampa had tested positive for the coronavirus. Even after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver suspended the season when Utah Jazz player, Rudy Gobert, had tested positive for the coronavirus on March 11, and the NCAA canceled March Madness, many Americans still had not taken this pandemic seriously.

Georgia Governor, Brian Kemp

Having been warned by state officials as early as March 2 concerning community transmission of the novel coronavirus, it was April 1 when Georgia’s governor, Brian Kemp issued a shelter-in-place mandate and the closure of non-essential services. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Kemp instructed Georgians to isolate themselves except for “essential services,” such as buying groceries and medicines, seeking medical care or traveling to jobs required for “minimum basic operations” and “critical infrastructure.” Weeks prior to Kemp’s executive order, many employers had already begun closing their businesses. On March 20, my store was among many that shut down operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As businesses were forced to close to curb the spread of the coronavirus, millions of Americans have been laid off from their jobs. Many have also lost their jobs. More than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since March. In response to the economic impact many people faced due to layoffs and business closings, Congress passed the CARES Act which was signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act provided a one-time stimulus payment of $1,200 for individual taxpayers who earned up to $75,000, and married couples who earned up to $150,000, with an additional $500 per child.

In recent days, lawmakers have drafted a second stimulus check proposal which “would provide Americans over the age of 16 with a $2,000 monthly check for up to 12 months.” According to a Forbes report, “The Emergency Money for the People Act, proposed by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Tim Ryan (D-OH), would expand eligibility beyond those who were eligible for the CARES Act stimulus.” The legislation also proposes the cancellation of rent and mortgage payments for a year. Taxpayers who earn less than $130,000 annually would receive a monthly check for $2,000. Married couples earning less than $260,000 would receive $4,000. Parent(s) or guardian(s) would also receive an additional $500 per child (up to three children).

Not only would a second round of stimulus checks be good for the economy, but the payments would also put money directly into the hands of many Americans who did not meet eligibility requirements to receive stimulus checks under the CARES Act. What would be more beneficial to Americans is legislation to pay every American, age 17 and older, a universal basic income for life.

Despite the benefits of a universal basic income, there will always be critics who will argue that since the federal government is trillions of dollars in debt, it cannot afford to keep printing new money and issuing checks to everyone. These same critics will tell you that a universal basic income will never solve our economic problems. The critics may also argue that people will quit their jobs or not get a job. What do you care if someone quits his or her job? If they feel they can maintain a household on a monthly check, so be it. But I believe many Americans will continue earning extra income because many live above their means already. Many Americans want the big house, the fancy car, or the latest Gucci and Prada. And they often work ridiculously long hours just to afford a four-bedroom home in a gated community or buy the latest Cadillac Escalade. A universal basic income may not make you filthy rich, but it could be the answer to economic inequality.

Will a Universal Basic Income Solve Most Americans’ Economic Challenges?

No. But a universal basic income could be the difference between you sleeping on someone’s couch versus sleeping on your own couch or having your own place to live. It could mean the difference between you and your family having food to eat versus not having. In these economically challenging times, people who never stood in lines at food banks prior to the COVID-19 pandemic are now relying on food banks to feed themselves and their families. Some of these same individuals have probably criticized others in the past for receiving food stamp benefits and never thought they would one day be at a food bank relying on someone’s generosity. Years ago, I learned that life is not always guaranteed to go the way you planned for it. Nothing in life is guaranteed, especially a job, which is also why a universal basic income would make up for any lack in income due to a job loss or layoff.

Alaskans receive an annual dividend from this corporation.

Since 1982, Alaska has paid state residents an annual dividend of $1,000 to $2,000. According to the Business Insider, Alaska’s unemployment rate was around 7% in 2018 but this had nothing to do with the annual payments. A state-wide recession had caused the loss of thousands of oil and construction jobs. In addition, a 2018 research paper, co-authored by University of Chicago professor Damon Jones and University of Pennsylvania professor Ioana Marinescu, revealed that “the dividend had no effect on employment, and increased part-time work by 1.8 percentage points.”

Will A Universal Basic Income Make Americans Quit their Job or Not Get a Job?

I think a lot of people probably will quit their jobs if the universal basic income far exceeds their earned income. However, I believe many people will also not quit their jobs due to varying factors such as student loan debt, credit card debt, mortgage note, car note/insurance, health insurance, children, etc. Furthermore, a universal basic income will probably be just enough money for some people to make their rent or mortgage payments depending on what part of the country in which they reside. Places like California, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, etc. have very ridiculous housing costs. A one-bedroom apartment in New York could cost you up to $3,000 monthly.

Funny how over the course of a hundred and fifty-five years, the U.S. Government could never find the money to pay Black people reparations. But Congress passes the CARES Act which gave one-time stimulus payments to over 80 million Americans last week. Instead of Congress proposing legislation for a second round of stimulus payments, why not pass legislation for a universal basic income for every American? A universal basic income is guaranteed money per month, which would not only solve economic disparities in many parts of the country but also provide a safety net just in case of an economic downtown, unforeseen event, or future job loss.

The End

Works Cited

Judd, Wickert, & Bluestein. “One month after warnings, Kemp puts Georgia on lockdown.” 2 April 2020. Web. 20 April 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/one-month-after-warnings-kemp-puts-georgia-lockdown/db6Aodv3LzftEV89WA1EOI/

LaBrecque, Leon. “The CARES Act Has Passed: Here Are The Highlights.” 29 March 2020. Web. 20 April 2020. Forbes.

Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/leonlabrecque/2020/03/29/the-cares-act-has-passed-here-are-the-highlights/#441f926968cd

Guina, Ryan. “Will The $2,000 Monthly Stimulus Check Proposal Save Our Economy?” 20 April 2020. Web. 20 April 2020. Forbes.

Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanguina/2020/04/20/will-2000-monthly-stimulus-check-save-economy/#70befbe0638d

Feloni, Richard. “Critics of universal basic income argue giving people money for nothing discourages working — but a study of Alaska's 36-year-old program suggests that's not the case.” 30 Oct. 2018. Web. 21 April 2020. Business Insider.

Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-universal-basic-income-employment-2018-10

Jones and Marinescu. “The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund.” 2018 Feb. Revised 2020 Jan. Web. 21 April 2020. The National Bureau of Economic Research.

Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/papers/w24312

O’Kane, Caitlin. “Florida college students test positive for coronavirus after going on spring break.” 23 March 2020. Web. 21 April 2020. CBS News.

Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-florida-spring-break-test-positive-covid-19-college-students-not-social-distancing-university-of-tampa/

What This Mandatory Lockdown Has Taught Me?

Written by Alberta Parish

Some days when I look at people, I see idiots who are clueless about life, aimless, have no respect for others, materialistic, and they think the world revolves around them. These people often think the world owes them because they’ve been wronged. Most Black people in America haven’t been outside this country to see how other cultures really treat their citizens. The average Black person in America is comfortable living in substandard conditions or what they claim to be substandard. As much as foundational Black Americans complain of racism and racial disparities, they love America and don’t ever want to leave this country. Only if they can get their Starbucks coffee every morning and go to their cushy desk jobs, they’re satisfied. But COVID-19 has made it difficult for millions to go to their jobs and continue earning an income. In March 2020, “[t]he unemployment rate rose to 4.4% — from 3.5% — its highest level since August 2017 as employers just began to cut payrolls ahead of social distancing practices that shut down large swaths of the U.S. economy in order to stop the virus’s spread,” according to Jeff Cox of CNBC.

While many U.S. states have imposed mandatory restrictions on movements and banned public gatherings of more than 10 people, imposing heavy fines on those who violate these rules, citizens in other countries are literally getting beat down in the streets by police forces on a regular basis if they disobey orders to quarantine themselves. But today, here we are looking at a country that has turned into something unrecognizable within the past month. One month ago, many of you took everything for granted in your life: your cushy jobs, your kids, your spouse, your parents, having the freedom to move about in public spaces or go out at night. Before the coronavirus pandemic, many people behaved in a way they thought the world would remain the same forever. They thought toilet paper, paper towels, rubbing alcohol, and more would always be available on the shelves. In the age of technology, many people assumed the world would always be this way…that life would always go on the way that it has. Now, you can’t get your nails done, can’t get your hair done, can’t get a haircut, can’t find toilet paper and paper towels on the shelves. At some point, the nail shops, hair salons, and barber shops will reopen. Many will be able to return to their cushy desk jobs and continue treating people like crap on their jobs. Many will resume business as usual. But don’t think America will always continue being this democratic, peace-loving, and so-called Christian nation that it has projected to the rest of the world. Don’t ever think your entire world can’t change overnight.

These past couple of weeks, I’ve thought about everything that’s happened in my life in the last two years. I’ve concluded that I wouldn’t mind receiving a universal basic income to replace my job income. In fact, we should continue practicing social distancing after the mandatory lockdowns have ended. Here’s why? Outside of our families and health care services, there is no need for human to human contact on a regular basis. There’s no need to be in a complete stranger’s face on a regular basis. Since everything can be done online, there’s no need for anyone to show up at the Department of Labor to file an unemployment claim. Neither is there a need to show up at the Department of Revenue or a tax preparer’s office to file tax returns. All shopping can be done online. Everything from groceries to electronics can be purchased using the Internet. Shoes and apparel can be purchased from the Internet. Therefore, all shoe and apparel stores should close indefinitely. In a new world, shoe and apparel stores will become obsolete due to corporations like Wal-Mart, which is a one-stop shop. I don’t believe you need to be in direct contact with a human being for everything. Essential services such as health care require person to person contact. But shopping for apparel and shoes does not require any human interaction. After the mandatory lockdowns have ended, we should continue maintaining six feet of distance between each other. There’s no need to be directly in a stranger’s face to let him/her know what you think or how you feel. In addition, all purchase and credit transactions can be done using your bank card or another type of card. Therefore, paper currency is no longer needed although we’ll continue seeing the U.S. dollar in circulation for a long time.

Why Universal Basic Income?

As Americans, we’ve just about given up all our basic rights, so receiving a universal basic income would only be one more steppingstone toward a brand-new way of living. Increasingly, corporations are paying their workers less and less money. Corporations and small business owners alike are not paying the American worker what he or she is truly worth. The government is in partnership with tech companies like Microsoft and Facebook. Slowly, the government is becoming a technocracy. This government has not been a government of the people, for the people, and by the people for a very long time.

Because I don’t have anything to lose, I would accept receiving a universal basic income to replace my job income. Before COVID-19, most Americans were already living from paycheck to paycheck. Now that millions have lost their main income, a universal basic income could easily replace their job salaries. The economic stimulus deal that lawmakers enacted a couple of weeks ago doesn’t have to be a one-time deal. According to the AARP, “The legislation will give single adults who reported adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns a one-time check for $1,200. Married couples who filed jointly will receive $2,400. Families will get an additional $500 for each child under 17.” President Trump and his cabinet have already mentioned a second round of stimulus checks.

In Yahoo News, “Spain is to roll out a universal basic income (UBI) “as soon as possible” as it looks to mitigate the impact of coronavirus.

Minister for economic affairs Nadia Calvino told Spanish broadcaster La Sexta on Sunday night that the move was intended to help families during the pandemic.

But Ms. Calvino, who is also deputy prime minister, said the government's ambition was that UBI could become something that “stays forever, that becomes a structural instrument, a permanent instrument”.

If the payments are successfully implemented, Spain would become the first country in Europe to roll them across the nation on a long-term basis.”

When I was a younger person, I had dreams of becoming a successful writer and earning a decent living from writing. I also wanted to be married when I was younger. But people change. You change your mind about a lot of things as you get older. Like many growing up, I wanted what society dictated for me: a great career, a happy home, a good marriage, and possibly some good kids to go along with it. But that never became my world. Now, I’m older and set in my ways. I don’t have a lot of patience with people. I’ve changed my mind about a great many things. I never wanted kids outside of marriage. I never changed my mind about that. I recognized the struggle my mom had raising me as a single parent. Therefore, I never wanted to struggle with kids on a meager income. It is not heroic to struggle raising kids by yourself. There is nothing strong or honorable about being a single parent, especially when the other parent is alive and well. Although there are some benefits in marriage, many married people are still unhappy. Many will stay in unhealthy marriages for financial reasons. A person will remain in an abusive marriage for years due to either financial reasons or they want their kids to have both parents in the home. But it is more harmful for a kid to be in a home with an abusive parent, which has lasting psychological effects on a child. In many two-parent homes, people don’t have any freedom of movement. They can’t say what they really think or how they really feel.

This whole human experiment we call life is nothing more than a simulation in somebody else’s reality because you are not in control of your own destiny. It’s almost the same as the relationship the common person has with his or her government. You can’t say how you really feel concerning the government or the status quo, because there is no more freedom of speech. All Internet and physical content are censored no matter how insignificant your content may seem. Your content can be banned for certain speech or ideas. Your freedom can be taken at any given moment. The government can take everything from you and leave you completely destitute. Many people had a mom and pop store before COVID-19, and they are no longer in business today. Many small business owners will not be able to recover economically. Many people had jobs where they could pay their bills, rent/mortgage, and car note/insurance before COVID-19, and now they don’t know if they’ll have a roof over their head in the next several months. They don’t know if they’ll be able to maintain their car note and car insurance. Food banks across this country are seeing larger than usual numbers of people. People are eating more because they’re at home all day. Many parents are cooped up in the house with their kids all day while the kids worry the hell out of them. Recently, one woman made a rant video about her kids, having to help them with their homework, and her three-year-old niece constantly asking for juice. Like many parents are tired of their children because they’re at home all day instead of school, I’m tired of nasty attitudes that I encounter on the job. I’m tired of workplace harassment and discrimination. If I had to live with some of these people, I would probably get arrested for domestic violence. The way human beings behave, their mannerisms, their unwarranted violence, and their disharmony with the other species on the planet has turned me into an antisocial person. Most days, I don’t want anybody in my face. 

What Will the Future Hold for Americans?

Right now, many people are living in panic mode. Many don’t know what the future holds for them or their families. Many Americans are sitting back waiting for the government to reopen businesses. Millions wait for stimulus checks to hit their bank accounts, not certain if they’ll receive their checks this week, next week, or even a month from now. Meanwhile, the electric and gas companies are demanding payments. Some landlords around the country have suspended rent payments, but not all. My landlord has not suspended rent payments. My Georgia Power and Scana Energy bills are due next month. Even before COVID-19, many people were being evicted from their apartments. Those who couldn’t make their mortgage payments were being put out of their homes. In fact, COVID-19 provided a way out for many who were facing evictions. When the courts reopen, those who have not found a way to make their rent or mortgage payments will still face eviction. The courts will conduct business as usual.

No one truly knows what their personal future holds. Almost two months ago, I never thought my store would close its doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As far back as February, I never thought I’d go to the grocery store and couldn’t find toilet paper and rubbing alcohol. How quickly life can change in a month should teach us all a valuable lesson, which is never take things around you for granted.

THE END

Works Cited

Cox, Jeff. “US payrolls plunge 701,000 in March amid the start of a job market collapse.” 3 April 2020. Web. 12 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/jobs-report-march-2020.html.

Ng, Kate. “Coronavirus: Spain to become first country in Europe to roll out universal basic income.” 6 April 2020. Web. 12 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-spain-become-first-country-102300949.html.

Terrell, Kenneth. “Stimulus Checks: Who Is Eligible and How Much Will They Be?” 10 April 2020. Web. 12 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2020/coronavirus-stimulus-checks.html.

5G Rollout: Get Ready for a Second Wuhan Simulation in the U.S.

Written by Alberta Parish

In May, 2019, there were over a 180 scientists and doctors in almost 40 countries that warned against the dangers of 5G, according to Paul Wagner whose article, “5G Health Risks: The War Between Technology and Human Beings” listed major health concerns to the environment as well as humans exposed to constant electromagnetic radiation in connection with the rollout of 5G technology. This is not the first time that scientists and doctors have sounded the alarm against prolonged exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. In addition to man-made electromagnetic radiation, Earth also produce electromagnetic frequencies. Couple 5G radiation to the electromagnetic fields produced by the planet, and you get plant, animal and human species alike swimming in a sea of electromagnetic radiation 24/7.

Having utilized 4G technology for a little over a decade, we knew as far back as 2011 that radiation from your cell phone can cause cancer. According to the article, “5G Radiation Dangers – 11 Reasons To Be Concerned,” Lloyd Burrell wrote that “[m]ore recently the $25 million National Toxicology Program concluded that radio frequency radiation of the type currently used by cell phones can cause cancer.” Yet, every adult I personally know owns a cell phone. We do everything on our cell phone: pay bills, pay rent, order food, complete applications. I have even done homework using my cell phone. From laptops to microwaves, we are surrounded by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emanating from these items. Just imagine the amount of radiation that will be generated from a 5G cell phone tower located less than 30 yards from where you live. Imagine being surrounded by 5G towers. Your kid’s school surrounded by 5G towers. Step by step, they’ve been training us for decades to accept these ever-growing trends in technology. We’ve gone from wearing pagers on our hip to first generation cell phone cells in the 1980s. Then, second generation cell phones to third generation. We’re now phasing out of fourth generation to fifth generation technology. Although many scientists and doctors have sounded the alarm about the health risks that are associated with 5G, it won’t stop people like SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk and others from introducing and implementing 5G technology to the world.

The FCC recently approved Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, to launch up to 1 million small antennas to blast 5G at the earth. CNBC published a story on March 20, 2020 citing “SpaceX got a key government license last week, federal filings reveal, as the company clears a regulatory hurdle that moves it closer to offering a new high-speed internet service from space.”

Michael Sheetz who published the report wrote, “The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized SpaceX to begin rolling out as many as 1 million of the ground antenna the company will need to connect users to its Starlink satellite internet network. Starlink is SpaceX’s plan to build an interconnected network, or “constellation,” of about 12,000 small satellites, to provide high-speed internet to anywhere in the world. The company has launched 360 Starlink satellites in the past year.”

What is 5G Technology?

According to the article, 5G Health Risks: The War Between Technology and Human Beings, Wagner wrote, “5G (or 5th Generation) refers to the latest advancement in wireless systems. 5G promises to bring larger channels, higher speeds, larger packets of data, exponential responsiveness, and the ability to connect a host of devices from a single location.”

From the outside looking in, this sounds great. Many people want better high-speed Internet service. Many people love technology, and therefore, want to see it increase or become stronger. But the health risks from continual exposure to a higher level of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation that 5G technology produces hasn’t yet been fully determined in the United States.

During this alleged coronavirus pandemic, they’ve been putting up 5G cell phone towers everywhere in the country.

China is way ahead of the U.S. in its 5G technology as it was rolled out on November 1, 2019. Ironically, this happened weeks before the alleged coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan. Although the 5G technology is not the cause of the coronavirus itself, could it have changed the DNA structure of many people living in Wuhan making the residents more susceptible to viral infections and associated symptoms? How many cases of people becoming suddenly ill with flu-like symptoms, pneumonia, and respiratory failure in a single residential area did the Chinese government cover up before alerting the World Health Organization? Could the rollout of 5G technology in Wuhan have contributed to the mutation of the DNA structure of Wuhan residents causing many to suddenly fall ill in the streets of Wuhan in December, 2019 experiencing shortness of breath and the buildup of fluid on their lungs? The body need healthy cells to fight off any viral infection that enters the body. The immune system is the body’s natural way to fight disease and infection. But with the rollout of 5G emanating radiation along with the natural electromagnetic frequencies produced by the Earth, the immune system can become compromised. With a weakened immune system from varying reasons ranging from a poor diet to 5G as well as pre-existing health conditions, it will be hard for many people to fight off infections, and thus, survive increased viral loads.

According to the CDC, an estimated 12,000 Americans die each year from Influenza. How many people die each year from the HIV/AIDS virus, which carry symptoms almost identical to the Flu virus? Yet, everyone who enters an emergency room complaining of flu-like symptoms like a sore throat, headache, nausea, etc. are automatically diagnosed as having contracted the coronavirus. In fact, most people who enter the emergency room complaining of shortness of breath are automatically diagnosed as having COVID-19 even if they already had a pre-existing condition like heart disease. We have a population full of sick people whether psychologically or physically. The American-based diet produces sickness and disease like diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart failure. A higher level of electromagnetic radiation emanating from 5G will certainly add to the already psychological, genetic, and physiological problems many of us already have.

Paul Wagner wrote, “Many scientists understand that the electromagnetic radiation leaking through the doors of our microwave ovens are carcinogenic, and therefore, can cause cancer. Most of these scientists also believe that these waves are mutagenic, meaning they change the DNA structure of living beings.”

As one expert succinctly stated, “It might sound difficult to believe but the 5G frequencies which will soon be blanketing our neighborhoods have been under development for a number of years by defense agencies, including the U.S., Russian and Chinese, as a means of crowd control. The US army uses Millimeter waves in crowd dispersal guns called Active Denial Systems. Dr. Ben-Ishai explains, “if you are unlucky enough to be standing there when it hits you, you will feel like your body is on fire.”

Paul Wagner further wrote, “In general, radiation does one more thing to human beings and animals – it destroys our DNA, either by forcing the DNA to mutate or by killing specific groups of cells, all of which lead to cancer.”

Cell Phone Use Lead to Cancer, According to WHO/IARC 

According to a May 31, 2011 report, “The WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use.”

The report further read that “[f]rom May 24–31 2011, a Working Group of 31 scientists from 14 countries has been meeting at IARC in Lyon, France, to assess the potential carcinogenic hazards from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. These assessments will be published as Volume 102 of the IARC Monographs, which will be the fifth volume in this series to focus on physical agents, after Volume 55 (Solar Radiation), Volume 75 and Volume 78 on ionizing radiation (X‐rays, gamma‐rays, neutrons, radio‐nuclides), and Volume 80 on non‐ionizing radiation (extremely low‐frequency electromagnetic fields).

The IARC Monograph Working Group discussed the possibility that these exposures might induce long‐term health effects, in particular an increased risk for cancer. This has relevance for public health, particularly for users of mobile phones, as the number of users is large and growing, particularly among young adults and children.

The IARC Monograph Working Group discussed and evaluated the available literature on the following exposure categories involving radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: ¾ occupational exposures to radar and to microwaves; ¾ environmental exposures associated with transmission of signals for radio, television and wireless telecommunication; and ¾ personal exposures associated with the use of wireless telephones.”

Based on what I see every day, I just don’t think human beings have what it takes to live on the planet in harmony with other species. If the masses of the people are stupid enough to allow these handful of people like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and others to weaponize technology to be used against the human population as well as other species, then perhaps we don’t deserve to survive. Perhaps, it may be better that we go extinct. If you don’t get off your knees praying and rise up for something, then you’ll fall for anything. Dismissing what I’ve wrote as a conspiracy theory and pretending like nothing’s going to happen will not help you either. Burying your head in the sand is not going to solve the problems that we currently face from a handful of people like Elon Musk and Bill Gates.

Due to this alleged coronavirus pandemic, a handful of people have been successfully able to quarantine much of the world. They got the whole world on lockdown telling you the coronavirus is killing this many people every day. Meanwhile, the numbers of death don’t really justify destroying the economic systems of the world, but this pandemic is still being used to justify why we should convert to a complete digital monetary system. I admit, I don’t like handling cash. I prefer to use my card for any purchase. Does this mean I prefer a centralized banking system or one-world monetary system? Hell no. Does this mean I want the government to destroy small businesses and the livelihoods of millions of people? Hell no.

Some people act like they don’t see anything. They have eyes, but they don’t see. They have ears, but they don’t hear. There are some people, you can’t tell them anything. This article is strictly for those who see and hear. Close-minded people can keep burying their head in the sand. That is what you’ve done your entire life, so I don’t expect you to change now.

The End

Works Cited

Wagner, Paul. “5G Health Risks: The War Between Technology and Human Beings.” 14 May 2019. Web. 7 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.gaia.com/article/5g-health-risks-the-war-between-technology-and-human-beings

Burrell, Lloyd. “5G Radiation Dangers – 11 Reasons To Be Concerned.” 14 Jan 2020. Web. 7 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.electricsense.com/5g-radiation-dangers/

WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer. “IARC CLASSIFIES RADIOFREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AS POSSIBLY CARCINOGENIC TO HUMANS.” 31 May 2011. Web. 7 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.electricsense.com/5g-radiation-dangers/

Sheetz, Michael. “FCC approves SpaceX to deploy up to 1 million small antennas for Starlink internet network.” 20 March 2020. Web. 7 April 2020.

Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/20/fcc-approves-spacex-to-deploy-1-million-antennas-for-starlink-internet.html