Supporting others during this time
I read Hailey Bryant’s essay “UMaine seniors throw corona-commencement” with admiration and respect. I cannot imagine how upsetting, disappointing and difficult this unexpected and unprecedented action must be to accept.
So many unfilled plans must be abruptly discarded and quick adjustments made. As a senior member of the Orono community, I am aware these young students are much less susceptible to this frightening virus than am I or are my friends. Perhaps their situation will make us realize how connected and supportive we can be to each other at this time.
Barbara Sturgeon
Orono
A seismic shift
In his Rose Garden press conference on March 13, the president was flanked by major players in the private sector. Since President Trump took office, his administration has proposed cutting funds and institutional capacity in the Centers for Disease Control.
At a time of national fear about the spread of the coronavirus, we just witnessed another major shift of power and money away from the government and to America’s oligarchs: CEOs of multibillion dollar corporations.
As Trump announced, we are unleashing the power of the private sector” with representatives behind him from businesses including Walgreens, Walmart, Target, CVS, Swiss multinational health care company Roche and home health care company LHC Group. He introduced them each separately and gave each time at the podium.
This feels like a seismic shift, like we are turning over the responsibility of the federal government for ensuring a comprehensive response to this national emergency to the profit and power focused private sector. Are we going to be so consumed with fear of the virus that we allow the full transfer to multibillion dollar industries rather than entrust our taxpayer dollars to the government? What happened to the federal infrastructure that our taxes are meant to insure all citizens?
Chris Stark
Surry
Cruise ship concern
By the time this letter hits the paper, hopefully all cruise ships will have been banned in the U.S. The attempts to quell the townspeople’s fears of the spread of coronavirus at the Bar Harbor Cruise Ship Committee meeting on March 12 were truly frightening.
Even though the CDC recommends limiting large , indoor nonessential gatherings — concerts and games had been canceled all over the country — the meeting started with an announcement that yet another cruise ship had been added to the roster, making a potential for 198 this year.
The Coast Guard representatives said they will be in close contact with the CDC, monitoring the situation. It is not comforting to know that anyone with a temperature over 100.4 degrees would be denied boarding. Someone could be 100.4 now and 102 degrees soon after. One hundred degrees can mean someone is sick — and the coronavirus apparently can spread before you have symptoms.
They tried to tell us that millions of tourists come to Bar Harbor every year, and that the cruise ship passengers will be monitored. The point is, large groups of potentially sick people will be disembarking on our island, putting us all in danger. Social distancing is the best way to prevent the spread of disease. Many of the tour guides are elderly. We have an elderly population with chronic diseases. We have a small hospital.
There were some on the committee who were quite concerned about cruise ships coming. And, because a lot will change in a week, more frequent meetings were scheduled. Still, sadly, tourism seems to be a priority over the health of our community.
Doris Plumer
Bar Harbor
Give me a break
The BDN’s March 13 editorial called President Trump’s urgency “welcome.” Give me a break! Welcome? This urgency should have been displayed months ago when President Trump was first briefed on COVID-19 and downplayed it!
We need: immediate free universal testing for all suspected cases, immediate free universal care for all confirmed and pending cases, immediate unemployment compensation for all those who have lost paychecks as a result, immediate $1 trillion investment in a Green New Deal, and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure that Trump and the GOP have long delayed.
More corporate welfare in any form, including any payroll tax cut which is half paid by corporations who should be flush with the $2 trillion in tax cuts we already handed them! Oh, right, they handed that to their shareholders — 60 percent of Americans have little or no savings — and their wealthy executives!
John Albertini
Charleston