LETTER: Age, illness, famine, accident, violence kill more than Covid

To Ozaukee Press:

About 4 million Americans died last year without the help of the coronavirus or the approval of the president. Even those who reduce this number by 1 million, contending that preborn infants don’t count, are left with a significant but not a surprising number, considering what we’re up against—age, illness, famine, accident and that other great killer, violence caused by those seven old deadly sins that never go away. Remember them?

About 650,000 of us die from heart disease alone, in spite of the best work of our most dedicated medical personnel.  This number, even when divided among our 50 states, would make for screaming headlines were it not old news. We never get used to the idea that humans appear to have a 100% fatality rate, however. This statistic is especially troubling to those who, unlike Christians, do not factor in a 100% resurrection rate.

Capt. John Smith was not mouthing a social justice platitude when he ordered the starving aristocrats of Jamestown, “He who does not work, neither shall he eat.” He was facing reality. If they were to shelter in place behind the walls, they would all starve. Sheltering in place while deplorable peasants fight to keep the wolf from the door was not an option for them then, nor for us now.

Our president has galvanized both private and public medical establishments. Our media has screamed warnings about this new threat. Our elderly, who are most at risk from this virus, know enough to shelter in place. Now we need to join the millions who are planting our crops, driving our trucks, delivering our packages, stocking our shelves, caring for our sick, and, yes, holding free elections and upholding the rule of law on the front lines.  Thousands may die if we venture out; tens of millions will die if we allow our fear to destroy our economic, social and spiritual lifelines. Sometimes easy math is hard.

Gen. Oliver Cromwell encouraged his soldiers to move forward with prayer, wisdom and great joy. “Trust in God, but mind keep your powder dry,” he advised. Wise advice for a time such as this.
 

Art DeJong
Sheboygan