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.
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.
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.
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