YOUR VOTE is YOUR VOICE and YOUR CHOICE to CHANGE COURSE!!!

(This Article is the Updated version of November 6^th, 2018 Election article) …

 

In 1776, the United States declared independence because people then had a strong desire to vote…they wanted to have a say in the laws, they tried to have government representatives that will represent them because they were being ruled by the British. Also, we know they went to war and fought to defeat the British, formed their new government so that they could vote for their leaders.

Don’t you now want the government of the people, by the people, and for the people? The leaders you vote for should represent you and your ideas, ideals, and values, to work for all people, not for themselves and the few, and if they don’t do the job people send them to do, you retire them with your vote.

Today’s political atmosphere of the nation reminds us of those old days and something else! It reminds us that democracy is free and secure when you relentlessly protect it.

In 1778, the nation’s founders wrote the Constitution which is the law of the land. The Constitution stated that the United States was a democracy-a government that will be governed by and for the people. The Constitution also promised many rights and the right to vote was mostly mentioned although they left the voting rights to the states.

Ever since the voting rights have evolved and given many groups rights to vote including women and young people, and continue to evolve today as some people, especially those who want to accumulate power in the hands of few or the disruptors of democracy would like to tamper with the voting rights! To counteract the forces of the few who want to disrupt our political systems and voting rights require the same strong desire to vote as that of the nation’s founders if democracy is to remain alive and protected.

Women and young people must take their power of voting to the polls in 2020 than any other time in the history of our nation because they the two groups of people who are the most vulnerable groups of people in the society that are susceptible to violence whether its gender discrimination or sexual assault against women or gun violence in schools and inequity in education among the students. These groups are often suffered from discrimination and often deprived of their power to advance or protect themselves. Your vote is your protection.

In 2016, we saw election being taken away from an experienced political and intellectual woman to a non-political, inexperienced, a less intelligent Whiteman with the spectrum of prosperity (billionaire businessman), whose statements and policies are rooted in racism and his administration disrespect and reversing civil and human rights as we have never seen in the 21^st Century government politics.

It started with the confirmation of the Supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh was both an abomination to all women and the justice system. Now has packed the federal courts with conservative judges to foster conservative agendas signaling a very unsettling truth that our democracy is at stake!

Our current president surrounds with radical non-political groups to pre-select leaders in key positions including the nominee to the supreme court.

Nothing about his selected people, like Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh was ordinary or normal-the process was not normal, the hearings were not normal, the confirmation was not normal! And that was/is what they want us to accept, to merit, and to value. But that was not normal and therefore still not normal and still unacceptable in our democratic society. We are experiencing a unique time in the nation’s political history and that requires our extraordinary reactions and actions on November 3^rd, 2020, to vote for who and what is best for the common good of the people.

It is another turn to make your voice heard, to choose and vote for the candidate that cares about your welfare, protect and secure your rights, and abide by the Constitution that values all people and their ideals regardless of their economic backgrounds, culture, ethnicity, or gender.                                                                                                     

This coming election unlike any before will determine how you are governed tomorrow-do you want to maintain that status quo, which means keep the things the way they are today or you want the change-the administration that will work for the common good of all people?

Like many have said, this election is the most important one in our lifetime given the unfamiliar partisan politics under President Donald Trump administration with its divisive policies that have brought the nation to its worse party-politics behaviors ever experienced in the 21^st century.

 

In less than two weeks Democrats will kick-off their Party National Convention across America August 17-20 …Unity and bring back the country to normalcy after 4 years of chaotic leadership and unfortunate of the COVID-19 Pandemic crisis is paramount in the 2020 presidential election…We are UNITED for BIDEN to keep the UNION.

                                             

Reflecting on July 25-28, 2016 when the Democratic Party Convention opened and the whole world eagerly watched with great anticipation given the unusual and unchartered battle between two presidential candidates that were as different as Day and Night-Hilary Clinton, a woman, and a lifelong politician who by all means and beyond doubts was a leading and clear choice (at least that what all the polls showed) but of course, in the end, Donald J. Trump, a billionaire businessman with no experience in government governing and trailed behind as he failed all the three major presidential debates; yet, to the astonishment and disbelief of many people, he won the presidential election! His uncharacteristic and chaotic leadership is on the referendum of this 2020 presidential election.

 

Our nation has been sharply divided leaving many people angry and with many unanswered questions-what went wrong? Was it that America was not ready for a woman president? Was it that people did not vote for Hilary or people did not turn out to vote? Was our election system hijacked, hacked, or it is our rigged election systems that gave us unfavorable candidates? The candidate whose campaign was nothing but ruthless, pathetic, lies, and scare tactics; at times, it was backstabbing and character assassination; and many things of less substance. And while all these were in place, Donald Trump emerged as a winner! And America has not been the same ever since Donald Trump became the president!

 

So, where are we now, today? A better America today that was yesterday? Are we moving forward or backward? The answers to these questions lie on your voting power on November 3^rd, 2020 presidential election. 4 more years of Donald Trump has not to Make America Great Again (MAGA)! It has Failed America Greatly Again (FAGA)! Imagine giving him 4 more years, he will forever change America to the worst of all. Do not allow that to happen!

 

How we are governed today is a question in the minds of many Americans. The nation has lost its moral compass and values, the unity and the opportunity that glue us together as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all is been challenged and it is up to the voters to decide to protect and restore our nation’s founding principles and democracy.

If we must remain true to ourselves, to the constitution, and the political institutions and systems in place today, we must resist the politics of today and its leadership-the divisive politics and the violation of civil and human rights!

By remembering the men and women who gave it all when fought for freedom, peace, and justice for this nation, we can honor their sacrifice by acknowledging that their battle then was tough, yet relentlessly they fought to secure their freedom and democratic government which now call for us to continue with the founder’s sentiment of preserve democracy. Their battle then was tough, but ours today is not in comparison, yet we ignore and neglect the very civic duty that ensures our freedom, peace, and justice-the the voting duty! November 3^rd, 2020 get out and vote to fulfill your right and civic duty.

Voting gives people, a voice in decisions that affect them. Over the last century, the right to vote has been extended to many social groups and populations, although the struggle for civil and human rights continues in many parts of the world including the United States of America. Why? Because of the unwillingness of the elected democratic government leaders to support and abide by the laws of the land, like the Trump administration and his political machine reversing laws that are in place for the common good of the nations and its people, like the demonizing immigrants and instill policies of racism; support for weaponizing law enforcement and the police brutality against people of color; fueling gun violence and use of force on the streets and schools; and honoring gender discrimination and ignoring sexual assaults and LGBTQ rights, etc.

In the current modern society, the politics of few is on the rise (the rise of the disruptors of democracy) and have found ways to undermine the democratic institutions and systems put in place by the people, for the people-the unprecedented plan and actions that defy the rule of laws to cause the economic disparities gap and social injustices.

If 2016 the presidential election of Donald Trump was dominated by voters suppression, low turnout, or in general term rigged election systems, this 2020 the presidential election we have reminded once again the importance of our secure voting rights and fair election systems that work for every eligible voter-all citizens with the rights to vote must be allowed to vote, and their vote must count for their voice to be heard!

When people exercise their civic duty of voting, the system must be fair and deliver what it promises-fair and free election and every vote count! Also, having the impartial Supreme Court Justices for a democratic election should they need to intervene on behalf of the people.

Former president Ronald Reagan, the 40^th President of the United States of America once said, "For this Nation to remain true to its people, we cannot allow any American's vote to be denied, diluted, or defiled. The right to vote is the crown jewel of American Liberties, and, we will not see its luster diminished.”

In just three months from today, American people will once again cast their ballots to elect a president and a leader who will lead Americans for the next 4 or 8 years.

So, here is What Lies Ahead for the 2020 Presidential Election.

1.  Your Turn to Vote.                                 

Youth, women, the minority has all the reasons this time to turn-out in numbers. They are a group of people mostly discriminated against, and their rights are often denied. Getting out and vote in numbers will be your "ENOUGH" reason to stop this discrimination and the violation of your rights. When we all vote we increase the chance to influence and impact the election and bring changes you want to see. So, all people with voting rights and credentials is a MUST to show up and vote in November 3rs, 2020.

2.  What You Need to Know to Never Waste Your Vote Again.

You need to know that your vote is your Voice and your Choice. This means voting is both your Right and your Civic duty. Be on the ‘I know’ side https://www.usa.gov/how-to-vote. The well-informed voters make sure they choose their leaders wisely. They prefer a good candidate who speaks for them and who hears and listens to their voices.

As of Nov. 3^rd, 2020, near-up, be sure to get prepared and take part in key decisions. You will soon be bombarded by TV-Ads, Newspapers filled with headlines and catchy phrases-some intended to inform and inspire, and some with misleading information about one candidate, one party, or the other; soon you might be watching candidates debating and interviewed on TV and social media platforms. But in the end, the decision is solely personal, and yours alone to unleash the potential.

Make this presidential general election a historic election by showing up and voting in numbers and exhibit the power of the vote, the "Let the People Rule, and “People’s Power Speaks”.

Remember, in the end, only you, the voters can choose whom you want and how you will be governed. Choose wisely, know the presidential candidates, the stakes are too high in this election, to waste your vote!

3.  Why Your Vote Matter!

 

Your vote matter because voting is not only your powerful weapon to use to decide and influence the outcome on the matters that impact your life but is also a means of gaining negotiation power and make the change you wish to see. The only way to influence policy or bring about changes people want to see!

Voting and democracy is crucial in a democratic government because it provides people an opportunity to voice your opinion and vote for what you believe to be right and holds the elected officials accountable for the behavior while in office, to either re-elect them or vote them out.

Moreover, voting prevents a minority from dictating the policies that do not favor the majority. With Trump administration, what we have experienced in his 4 years in office is a nation divided between the powerful and political class that wants to consolidate power into their hands-politics of divisiveness, a growing element of racism, police brutality against people of color, violence rhetoric’s on the streets and in schools, bullying is on the rise; and the disregard of the rule of laws, the violation of human right, and yes, the lies and scare tactics; the leadership that want to empower the 1%  rich people at the expense of the remaining 99% of the people; thus, the glorification of dictatorship and the suppression of individual rights, and the list goes on, all intended to confuse, exploit people and dismantle the democratic system and undermine the America position in the international stage.

This current administration is a good reminder as to why your vote matter. It matters when you reject all that Trump administration stands for and has exhibited time after time the past 4 years.

Amplifying your voices collectively matters and can make a big difference. It can change the administration and its leadership when we all vote. Today we have the most diverse Congress in the history of America because in 2018 people get out and vote their conscience. In2020 you can do it again…make another historic vote turn out in the history of the presidential general election and elect a patriotic leader, not a self-serving power monger.

Remember, when we all vote we are voting for unity and opportunity. On the issues that make your life better-your voting against a tax break for 1% rich that make other programs that help poor and middle-class citizen just get to the next day been underfunded and or defunded-the affordable health care, the education funds for school programs and equity in education not to buy guns for teachers or underfunding the public schools; you are voting against women violence; you want women voices to be heard when they report being sexually assaulted; you are voting against gender and racial discrimination and the inhumane treatment of immigrants and their children, you are voting to bring back the values that bind us together as people of this nation. So, when we all vote we can be a game-changer!

4.  And Now, the Dos and the Don’ts of this Presidential Elections.

The Dos:

             Know why your vote matters in this election and cast your vote

Already registered to vote and meet all the voter ID requirement-what you need to bring to photo ID vs. Non-photo ID, know your polling Station, familiarize with voting procedures and rules, types of voting-Early Voting, In-Person Voting, Absentee or Mail-In-Ballot/ Voting-By-Mail, Vote in other Language, and voters registration deadlines.

 

Check or update your Voter Registration-Check names and address-how, when, and why to avoid anything that may jeopardize your voting rights and ultimately your vote.

 

                   Decide whom to vote for-research your candidate to know what they stand for (their positions on the issues) so that you can evaluate the good and right candidate to vote for. Who is likely to unite us, than to divide us? Who is likely to bring opportunities you can be part of it-opportunities that impact and improve your livelihood?

Vote against things that are not right, issues that are the reason for your struggle with housing, education, Health Care Discrimination in the workplace-equal pay and pay increase, violence against women-sexual abuse, and gender bias. In doing so, you are demanding solutions; you are using your voting power to change the status quo that neither represents you not working for you-your ideas and values.

 

The Don’ts:

                   Do not register to vote and not vote.

Do not say you are undecided! Decide to vote.

 

Do not give any excuse-Like I am too busy; I have no time, Lines are too long, Polling Stations are too far, I do not have a proper or Qualifying ID. When you do not vote you lower or limit the chances of improving the issues that are at stake in every election, issues that affect your daily livelihood. When you do not vote, your problems remain unsolved and may get worse.

 

Do not know the issues? Use all the means to lookup necessary and important election information… use the internet-their websites, their social medias pages-Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, ask your co-worker, your friends, your neighbor; use your Smart Phone to ask questions and find answers-ask, Siri or Alexa anything you want to know about 2020 presidential election, you will get answers to you your questions! 

 Neither waste your right nor your duty to vote.

For you, us, and we the people is how you or we want to be governed and treated. This election is upon us to weigh the pros and cons of Donald J. Trump’s leadership and exercise our right and duty towards shaping the direction of the country. 

If you feel you are not treated equally, it should remind you about-are you a slave or a citizen? It should tell you about your right to vote and be represented rightfully.

People from the time immemorial have rejected a government that controls its people by divisiveness policies, by instilling fears on its people, and by violating the basic civil and human rights-people inspired by the ideas about the rights of man with these powerful words Thomas Jefferson wrote on the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that "All men are created equal” that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…Right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”.

We have, therefore, come too far to give up our rights or to be denied our rights, and who we are as Americans. As a democratic government, we must all come together and vote for our voices! People’s collective power brings change. Election gives power to the people.

 

 

The Long Road to Social Justice

The Long Road to Social Justice

        "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are                  created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with                certain unalienable Rights...rights to Life, Liberty and the                Pursuit of Happiness."...

The long road to social justice is not one straight road that you can see what is ahead…but a narrow, winding road, with mountains to hike, bridges to cross, and sharp turns to maneuver to find the right path to either reach your destination or meet with the dead end. For black people in America, the road to social justice has been long, treacherous, and fatal. Black American has been facing social injustice as opposed to social justice for over 400 years and its impact on their lives economically, socially, mentally, and emotionally will be a long and again a difficult journey to overcome. The destruction, the acts of injustices, and the racism the Black people have been subjected to have left many ills in their lives.

Disclaimer: To express my anguish as a mother raising my two black teenagers in America, I will refer to George Floyd’s murderer as “the devil policeman” to distinguish him from the other good white/black policemen.

In the wake of George Floyd’s gruesome murder that occurred on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill the devil policeman once again exhibited the unrestrained cruelty of the police in daylight by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd and the eyewitnesses begged him to stop, but all in vain. His death sends people from all walks of life worldwide into the streets outraged and protesting police racial brutality and violence which in many cases ends up with murder.

What the devil police murderer did to George Floyd was inconceivable in the minds of many people. For the nearly nine minutes of cruelty, of violent acts,  of unhinged the mind of Derek Chauvin, the devil policeman who was taking someone’s life with pride and pleasure as he pressed his knee on the human neck while his hands on his pocket and ignore the plea from Floyd to stop and the begging from the people on the scene to let it go, but those noises did not stop him from accomplishing his mission of killing George.

The devil policeman defied them all and displayed the worst of humanity as people listened and watch helplessly begging for his life, and when it was all difficult to raise his voice any longer, “he called his late mother-“Mama, mama, mama” three times…But the devil policeman has to rest on his neck for another two minutes after George’s silence to make sure that he cemented his death, and he could now let go of him because it was over! He has done his day job!  What an unimaginable scene and unbelievable way of taking someone’s life…a combative way of failing to appreciate the humanity of others.

Make no mistake, it was not the counterfeit $20.00 bill he used at the store to buy a cigarette that warranted his death! The police brutality and racial violence killings in American and many parts of the world is an institutionalized injustice used by governments, as money-making machinery, and as a weapon to oppress others while protecting the rich and powerful, and or to kill discriminatorily. And the death of George Floyd and many other black men before him was a true-crime of racial profiling went rouge-it was a systemic racial institutionalized system at work, doing what it has been doing to people of colors-blacks in particular for centuries-for over 400 years.

The exploitation of Blackman by a Whiteman has existed for many years and the reactions and call to demand changes-safety and justice for black people is the evidence that we must confront the monsters among us with all the tools at our disposal. Whether it is our governments or group of people in society, we must confront the injustice, if we want to live in peace and with freedom, liberties, and the pursuit of happiness.

What are the lessons from George Floyd’s death?

First and foremost, uphold and protect humanity…the appreciation of the humanity of others is what makes us humans. Humanity stands for the qualities that make people human, such as an ability to empathize, sympathize; the ability to accept, respect, love, and have compassion and faith in one another. The one race-human race, therefore, includes everyone on earth!

Failure to respect the humanity of others is a violation of human rights! Human rights, therefore, are the legitimate sets of standards that allow people the right to live and to live with dignity, freedom, equality or fairness, justice, and peace. Every individual has these rights because of their humanity-they are human beings.

But above all, human rights are guaranteed to everyone and should be protected under the Laws of Nature and the individual natural laws, and by the Laws of Land/Constitution without discrimination of race, color culture, nationality, language, religion, or political, social-economic backgrounds, and other status. Human rights are paramount to the full advancement of individuals and the development of communities.

“Human rights exist above the state and beyond history. They cannot be rescinded by one government any more than they can be granted by another. They inhabit the human heart, and from there, though they may be abridged, they can never be extinguished.” ~ Senator John McCain.

George Floyd’s incident was more than just taking someone’s life, it was a violation of humanity to the unimaginable heights!  And we as humans and a community of people must never again accept man taking another man’s soul unhinged like the devil policeman did-kneeling on the human neck for nearly nine minutes and ignore the plea-“I Can’t Breath, I Can’t Breath”… such cruelty behavior resembles a wild beat predator preying others-a Simba chocking and sucking the blood out of a deer’s neck as his meal of the day!

 Humanity must have a meaning that distinguishes people from wild beast animals.

What is the role of the government of the people in shaping society and the world we live in?

Civility and civic duty are two different things, but both are crucial for a good society. Societal Civilization should not only mean or be equated with modern tall buildings, tarmac roads or electronic railways, or development of industries and technology, but human civilization must also match with the development and maturity of valuing human life…human development and organization of social, cultural, ethnicity, and language acceptance and respect of the ways of life of all people in the society, moreover, the laws advanced and respected for protection of people, both laws of nature and laws of the land protecting every person fairly.

Abraham Lincoln in his speech at the Gettysburg delivered in 1863 during the American Civil War said, “Conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” 

And to date, we still believe this to true yet here we are in the 21 century and continue struggling to respect the rule of law and abide by the constitution to safeguards the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Then, the uncivilized society, as opposed to a civilized society, is the society that put in place systemic racial institutionalized systems that oppress and exploit certain groups of members of society. Uncivilized society is a crude, barbarous, wild, and uncultured society for it lacks the socio-cultural development and advancement of a civilized society. Civility, therefore, rises from civilization or civilized society for it uphold and value the acceptance and respect for all people in the society by rendering its role as a protector to all citizens.

If the first role of civilized government is to protect it, citizens, from domestic and foreign violence or attack… then the unrelenting insecurity and trauma experienced by black people in American society are directly linked to the government’s failure to provide the safety of law and order to protect their Natural rights as their basic human rights.

“The law cannot save those who deny it, but neither can the law serve any who do not use it. The history of injustice and inequality is a history of disuse of the law. Law has not failed — and is not failing. We as a nation have failed ourselves by not trusting the law and by not using the law to gain sooner the ends of justice which law alone serves… Until justice is blind to color until education is unaware of the race until an opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36^th President of the Unites

The violation of black people’s rights has been going on for over 400 years now, it does not make it right or legitimate. There have been struggles against injustices that have been felt and experienced throughout that period with some wins but this time we must end racial injustice by dismantling the systemic racial institutions as a road forward and toward a more just and civil society.

The local, state, and national governments must start to govern again, for they have gone rogue at all levels…taking government as their private company by taking the taxpayer’s money for granted…using the money to build racial institutions that discriminate, like the police system that brutalizes, exploit, and kill people of colors without responsibility or accountability…Other racial institutionalized systems-education system, the criminal justice system, the healthcare system, housing, employment, and other social systems alike need reforms to address the need of all people in the society equally…

“This is the truth cause of freedom. The man who is hungry, who can not find work or educate his children, who bowed by want…that man is not fully free.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964.

Our political leaders/government officials and government relationships have fallen into the curving what is good for themselves and leave the public high and dry, struggling to make ends meet, to make it to the next day as they work long hours, two jobs yet unable to make a livable income…there is the deprivation of their social liberties and the pursuit of happiness.

Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36^th President of the Unites State said in 1964 during Civil Rights Act speech…

“Americans of every race and color have died in battle to protect our freedom. Americans of every race and color have worked to build a nation of widening opportunities. Now our generation of Americans has been called on to continue the unending search for justice within our own borders. We believe that all men are created equal. Yet many are denied equal treatment. We believe that all men have certain unalienable rights. Yet many Americans do not enjoy those rights. We believe that all men are entitled to the blessings of liberty. Yet millions are being deprived of those blessings — not because of their own failures, but because of the color of their skin. The reasons are deeply embedded in history and tradition and the nature of man. We can understand — without rancor or hatred — how this all happened. But it cannot continue…Its purpose is to promote a more abiding commitment to freedom, a more constant pursuit of justice, and a deeper respect for human dignity…Let us close the springs of racial poison. Let us pray for wise and understanding hearts. Let us lay aside irrelevant differences and make our Nation whole.”

His words are still relevant today and haunting America 56 years late! Does the government have the will to tackle its daunting problem of injustice still lingering around in the 21^st Century society? Can a shining city on a hill-the land of the free and the home of the brave talk the talk and walk the walk to match the pride it holds so honorably and display majestically? Maybe not unless ‘We the People’ rise and demand what is our rightful share of the government-from, rights for fair and equal standards of treatment, to the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Unlivable wages and high taxes on poor working-class while big corporations pay no taxes and or will not offer their workers sound benefits in comparison to the labor they put to work, is grossly wrong and pure exploitation! This cycle of corruption is going to eat the public wealth and people to the bones while leaders in the government use the government to enrich themselves.

Instead of a President and his entire government leadership act in a manner that promotes public good, freedom, unity, and confidence in people in their land of free; and in the independence of integrity and impartiality, they, in turn, become an instrument of torture, of discrimination, and abuse of the rule of law and the constitution.

The disconnect leadership, the broken and corrupt leadership leads to deception, lies, and manipulations of people and the public. It becomes inconceivable that you are born and raised in America,  studied in America, become a state leader and or a president yet, you dare to say in public that you did not know that there is that much of racially motivated police brutality and violent killings in America! Who is deceiving who here, if not our government leaders?

If we have come to a consensus as to what government leadership should look like, then the current government administration and the public’s experience for the past four years (2016-2020) has been nothing but a wave of corruption and disconnected relationships domestically and internationally as people watch and experience in disbelief the leaders they elected to represent them turn their back on them and engages in destroying the norms and values of American society, disrespect of the rule of law and the constitution, abuse of the presidency’s office by using it for self-gain and interests, praising neo-Nazi by calling them, fine-good people, calling the media/press the enemy of people if they expose his wrong acts, and or engage in disinformation by turning the truth into lies, and the lies into truth; distortion and manipulation, and the list go on and on! All with little or nothing to do with the representation of the interests of the people as they are there to represent themselves and their interests.

Are the ‘We the People’ going to stand on the sideline and just watch and accept it as a way forward, or are we going to get involved and reclaim what the founders envisioned-a free society with the right to life, liberty, and a pursuit of happiness?

Institutionalized racial injustice in America is an epidemic that infects and kills people, and we must treat it as such. Social liberties should be safeguarded if our leaders respect them as our constitution’s rights…the rights to healthcare, education, housing, employment, voting, clean water, and clean air, as primary human necessities …people have the right to make a living, for if those rights are no longer meet or available for them the government has lost its credibility, and people have the right to abolish such a government.

A Good government provides good social liberties which are the lifeline for the public good, for healthy and strong communities. The government must dismantle the systemic racial institutions of government because of their discrimination, for harboring racial injustice, and for hindering good progress and the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by all people of the society.

Understanding a Virus that Causes Illness and What Steps to Take to Prevent the Spread of Novel Coronavirus 2019 Disease

The cold and flu is caused by viruses. Viruses are tiny infectious germs that when enter your body can get strong and toxic and make you sick. A virus is contagious if it can make you sick.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study the average person gets two or three cold/flu each year, and mostly in winter and spring season. CDC estimates that the US sees 9 million to 45 million cases of the flu each year between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010. Nevertheless, the viruses cannot last for long in the cold or dry places but its impact on people in a short period can be devastating to the health and wellness of the affected person.

Spring 2020 we are not only thinking about cold or flu viruses, but we are also bracing ourselves for a different virus with a different harmful illness-the novel coronavirus 2019 disease, and its many unknowns impacts to the people both, infected and uninfected with the virus, and the society that is fighting it.

The coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause serious illnesses and death. Coronavirus has hit the world like a big wave of tsunamis, spreading fast globally to the scale of potentially becoming a pandemic. Why it can potentially become a pandemic? A pandemic is an epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region and or worldwide and is measured by how many people are getting sick, how fast the disease is spreading-how contagious is the disease.

Contagious diseases are illnesses that spread directly from person-to-person or by contaminated surface or objects the person has contact with such as doorknobs, kitchen counters/utensils, toys, diapers, or playground equipment, pets, etc. The contagious disease may be easy or hard to contain its transmission.

One of the most devastating pandemics was the Black Death-Bubonic Plague. It is believed to have killed 75-200 million people. Unlike today this happened during the medieval times where people were not skilled and no resources or modern medicines we know today.

Though the Black Death Plague happened 1346-1353 during the medieval times, one must wonder how it spread and killed so many people in three continents-Europe, Africa, and Asia. It started in Asia and jumped continents through fleas living on rats…and rats were in homes…rats lived onboard merchant ships, etc. The fleas from the infected rats bite people and infected them seriously and fatally.

Another a remarkable pandemic that carried heavyweight of death tolls in the early 1900s was the Flu Pandemic also was known as Spanish Flu which is believed to have killed 20-50 million people in 1918.

In recent years, we have experienced a couple of them one notably that has been infecting people for over two decades now is the HIV-AIDS virus which started in the 1980s, to date, there is no cure or vaccine. HIV-AIDS virus is estimated to have killed over 75 million people since the beginning of the epidemic. About 32 million people have died for HIV, and worldwide 37.9 million people were estimated to be living with HIV at the end of 2018, according to the World Health Organization.                                

Contagious diseases like novel coronavirus 2019 disease-COVID-19 virus are very problematic to address hence to handle as it can spread into the public quickly and cause outbreaks of serious diseases. So far, very little is known about novel coronavirus, and as spring cold/flu season approaches, also, the novel coronavirus 2019 disease-COVID-19, there a lot to worry about as there is a lot to learn about it!

What is it?

COVID-19 is a recent infectious and contagious disease caused by a novel coronavirus. COVID-19 has brought the world to a state of panic and fear…fear of the unknowns…that it may become a health public crisis like we saw Wuhan, China experiencing…that our government leaders are not being straightforward in informing and educating the public. So far, the misleading information and lack of transparency are causing public mistrust and fear.

We know that the COVID-19 outbreak was first detected and reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, but it was secretly known to have been in existence from October 2019 or earlier than that! Today, March 6^th, 2020 the coronavirus has spread to 94 countries.

In the US, there are now 338 cases reported in 20 states with the 14-total death. 13 of the 14 deaths are from Washington State, 12 from the elderly nursing home and 1 with the connection source from the Grand Princess Cruise Ship: and 1 man from California. These are the only cases that are confirmed to be reported. Think about the unreported cases and or deaths too.

As of today, March 6^th, 2020 just over a month since the world learned about the novel coronavirus-COVID-19 infectious and contagious disease, there are more than 101,923 confirmed reported cases worldwide, over 3,486 deaths, and 94 countries from all 5 continents have been reported to have been infected by a novel coronavirus disease according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

 World Health Organization has argued countries to unite in sharing the necessary information and bring transparency to the public and support efforts to investigate the sources of the outbreak as a more convincing way to boost public confidence…easy public fear by updating the public with honesty, and educate the public on how to curb the spread of this virus rather than the narrow belief that the novel coronavirus 2019 disease source was caused by human-to-animal contact that occurred in Wuhan, China at a large seafood and live animals market.

What Causes it?

True, coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are commonly found in many different species of animals including camel, cattle, bats, cats, etc.-possibly people got infected by being in contact with animals who were infected with coronavirus and the infected people spread it by being in close contact with another person-human-to-human transmission, hence the spread of it! But it is fair to argue that since it is a new kind of novel coronavirus there is very little the public knows about the source of causes.

With the dubious and unreliable bits and tibs information, the government leaders are dropping to the public which raises more doubts about the originality of this novel coronavirus as only from the seafood and live animals market contact in China. Something also must have made the seafood and the live animals infected this time to cause the outbreaks… that seafood and the live animal market has probably been there long doing the same transactions of seafood and live animals before the novel coronavirus outbreak… And how about those people who got infected by the virus in other places in China than Wuhan, and outside China?... The people in the nursing home in Washington state in the US with no known close contact with the source of the outbreak or other infected places. Person-to-person transmission is infecting people globally and is rising in numbers daily and with an alarming speedy!

How it is spreading?

Like many infectious and contagious diseases novel coronavirus disease mostly spread directly from a person who has been infected with the virus through various ways, to another person or by a person get into contact with the infected surfaces, objects, or animals-e.g., on the surface of your pet (dog, cat, etc.) without your pet getting sick-wash hands after touching your pet).

Studies suggest that some infectious transmissions disease are caused/spread from animals-to-humans, however, rarely coronaviruses are spread from animals-to-humans and perhaps little is known about the causes and the spread of this recent novel coronavirus outbreaks… Focusing on the other possible sources to rule out hidden transmissions and share reliable and adequate information, and effective measure to address and curb the virus is paramount to the public health and safety.

Consequently, we have come a long way to improve medicines and cure diseases through scientific medical practices. The great stride that has been made towards modernization of medicines…the advancement of science and technology in medicines from the twentieth-century to present that brought medicine innovation whereby biology was a new method of human science being studied with the intent to improve human life, save human life and give the quality to man’s health…the era of medicine modernization to curb human diseases…to give pride to big ideas on the importance of science in medicines and as new discoveries are forged to better human health conditions, it also ultimately offers unlimited possibilities to those seeking fresh innovative and cutting-edge technology in medicines to address the human body and the factors that affect the human’s wellness and cause human illnesses. How could these deadly diseases continue to emerge and devastate people and society to the scale of pandemic outbreaks of this magnitude in the twenty-first century?

What are the symptoms?

The COVID-19 attacks the immune system leaving a person weak and susceptible to other disease attacks, such as pneumonia. So far elderly people and with underlying health/medical problems are the most victims impacted by a novel coronavirus.

The irony about COVID-19 is that you may not experience symptoms…which means you may be walking around with the coronavirus in your body system for a while before the virus overpowers you and infecting you, then you fall sick. Also, it is said that novel coronavirus has symptoms like that of colds and flu-fever, tiredness, aches, and pains, running nose and nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, dry cough and diarrhea. You can experience multiple symptoms and you may experience only one symptom, diarrhea. Surely, this is tricky! Just be your own best advocate of your health by being proactive in taking preventive measures to avoid catching it and or spreading.

As is in cold and flu influenza patients may not think its coronavirus and take time to get tested or buy time/wait to recover on its own, putting yourself into more risk of the severe effect of the infection from the coronavirus before seeking medical help. It’s not only hard to know when it is cold/flu influenza or a coronavirus to report it or get tested…but so far no testing is been offered to the public, not even to those close to the relatives that have fallen victims of coronavirus disease like in the Washington States. Some family members/people who have close contact with those who have been infected and are sick have not been tested after their family members got sick with the virus. Why? We are hearing that there is a shortage of testing kits/gears/resources as this early stage, today March 6^th, 2020 after over a month of witnessing other countries who have been attached more by the virus than the US but doing better in preparation and readiness to respond to the crisis of coronavirus.  We also have heard that in some cases, some people have recovered from the coronavirus without special treatment…of course, as of now, there is no cure in terms of medicine or vaccine for the novel coronavirus 2019 disease.

It is worth noting that some type of vaccines needs only one shot to protect you for the rest of your life, but other types of vaccines such as those for the cold/flu season, changes from year to year and need to be given every year during the flu season. It has been a long, long time since the medical scientists and researchers successfully come up with a vaccine that you need only one shot to protect for you for the rest of your life like those many or all we received from childhood age.

So, this spring flu season, you may need your flu shot than never and take care of novel coronavirus too since its vaccine may take time to be formulated or if it will ever be successfully formulated.

What is the incubation period?

Variable-This is also fair to say that little is known about this virus since some people have been going around without knowing they are infected, and possibly carrying the virus. Yet, for others, it has gotten into their body and tested positive and recover on their own, but some are taking longer to recover, and others have died within a short period of being diagnosed to the time they die…maybe the strain of the novel coronavirus varies and depends on the immune system of the person fighting the virus…but the rule of thumb has always been if you are elderly and with underlying medical and health issues, you will be a vulnerable and susceptible person to a variety of infections and illnesses that lower your immune system significantly, hence unable to withstand the strain of the coronavirus and cause death within a short period after contracting the virus.

What is the period of communicability?

Probable-since you don’t know how long the virus might have been in your body or when you might have started spreading the virus, the probability of transmitting and spreading it may be from the time of infection to the time of recovery…chances are, like many communicable diseases, i.e., infectious diseases that are transmitted from person-to-person or by direct contact with an infected individual’s sneeze, cough, through small droplets from the nose or mouth and another person inhales the contaminated air or through touching the contaminated fluids/germs on the objects surfaces-door knobs, remote control, toys, food, etc. then touch eyes, nose or mouth with the contaminated hands is all that people should be aware of and protect themselves from possible sources that cause communicable diseases.

What worries you about novel coronavirus?

1)    The many unknowns about the novel coronavirus 2019 diseases:

·       Whether we know all the sources of this virus-thus there may be more than one source that this virus originated.

·       How widely (globally) and fast it is spreading.

·       How short time it takes to get seriously ill and die after being infected.

·       The inability of the government and public health systems to handle and curb this virus outbreaks.

·       Political leader's reactions and responses have taken over the medical responses…professionals may fail to be effective in delivering credible information or updates because of the political leaders’ interferences.

·       No convincing preparedness at the national level by the health public systems and experts-some health systems in the US has recently been underfunded or dismantled to the extent of now hindering logistics and the delivery of an effective response.

·       Will the testing and treatments are accessible and affordable to all who may fall victims to COVID-19 disease…some public leaders are saying different things to the public-sometimes, what they think the public wants to hear, and other times what the public doesn’t want to hear, hence causing mislead, fear and mistrust.

·       The people who lack health coverage may be the most vulnerable group in society under this pandemic virus threat.

·       The assumption that there may be more infected people than what is officially reported to the public-we don’t know if many people are infected and where they might be?

·       You may be infected and not know or not have any symptoms-what if may peoples are now infected but have zero symptoms?

·       Could people voluntarily go for a novel coronavirus testing?

·       Because people may be infected with a novel coronavirus and not know, what is the likelihood of spreading it?

·       What does infectious diseases expert know that the public doesn’t know?

·       What if the outbreaks match or supersede those of previous years that caused millions of people to vanish before they could curb the disease?

How can you prevent or control the spread of novel coronavirus 2019 disease?

While there is no cure or vaccines yet to prevent and curb the novel coronavirus, here are Dos and Don’ts that will shield you a bit from the risk of catching it and spreading it:

Dos:

·       Do take immediate precautions by quarantine and limit movement of people-follow guidelines for isolation: Preventing Transmission of infectious Agents in Healthcare setting 2007- Stay home when sick and seek immediate help…Go for testing ASAP when experience the known symptoms of a  novel coronavirus-Don’t wait and assume it’s just a cold/flu season!

·       Do avoid close contact with people who you suspect may be infected or sick.

·       Do take good care of your health to protect yourself and others by being vigilant about your surroundings, such as adapt daily health hygienic practices habit at home, at schools, at workplaces, and in the community.

Dos at School

Schools and Children and Adult Care Centers are the most vulnerable environment for spreading infectious and contagious diseases. With such large gatherings where they spend 8 to 12 hours a day, five days a week or more while interacting in every possible way, including touching, inhaling air in a tight/small rooms with 30 or more people, or school hallways with heavy back and forth movements can be a big challenge to keep the children and elderly safe and from spreading an infectious virus. The Dos to stop the spread of infectious diseases in such an environment is to practice thorough and effective methods of HAND WASHING! I can’t stress enough the importance of handwashing as the easiest, simplest, and effective way to prevent the infection and spread of viruses. Hands harbor germs easily and spread them quickly.

Here is how to wash hands effectively:

·       Do use soap and running water-Rub your hands vigorously for 20-30 seconds, back and front of your hands, wrists, in between your fingers and under the fingernails…Rinse your hands thoroughly -Dry your hands with a paper towel…Turn off the water using a paper towel instead of a bare hand…Use a fresh paper towel to open the door as you exit the bathroom… 

     Alcohol-based sanitizer should only be used where water and soap are unavailable, and not a substitute for water and soap handwashing…Daycare centers and adult nursing homes follow the Diaper Change Rules.

·       Do sanitizer all the surfaces where students or elderly in the nursing homes touch all the times-tables, chairs, toys, doors, playground equipment, and equipment used for various activities such as sports and music, etc.

·       Do wash hands-whenever hands come in contact with dirty, body fluids including vomiting, saliva, or running nose…Before preparing or eating food…After touching animals, meats…After meals and snacks…After using the toilet…After changing diaper…Avoid touching the facial area with unclean hands.

Dos at Home

·       Do, sanitize your home daily and frequently-in the kitchen…food contact surfaces such as kitchen counters, cutting boards, eating utensils, refrigerator, etc.…in the bathrooms-toilet surfaces, potty seats, diaper areas/diaper changing table.

·       Do learn when to “Sanitize” and when to “Disinfect”-What is the difference?

Sanitize is a less vigorous cleaning designed to remove dirty and small amounts of certain bacteria/germs. The surface that comes in contact with food, like kitchen top counters is sanitized. Soap, detergent, or abrasive cleaners may be used to sanitize. The Food and Drug Administration regulates the use of sanitizer on food contact surfaces.

Disinfect refers to cleaning surfaces with the use of chemicals and virtually eliminating all germs. Diaper changing tables, for example, always need to be disinfected. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the use of disinfectants.

Hints for Sanitizing/Disinfecting

In the Kitchen-for the strengths of the sanitizing solution, if you are making the solution of bleach (sodium hypochlorite) water-based on 5.25% available chlorine, use ½ tablespoon for 1 gallon of water.

In the Bathroom/Toilets-for the strength of the sanitizing solution, if you are making the solution of bleach (sodium hypochlorite) water-based on 5.25% available chlorine, use ¼ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water.

·       Do make a solution for one-time use only. Storing the mixed unused solution loses its strengths to be effective-thus, prepare your sanitizing solution daily or when you need to use it.

·       Do, when sanitizing spray the surface and wait for 2 minutes for the surface to dry or before you dry the surface with a clean towel or paper towel-you can’t go wrong with the paper towels.

·       Do use alcohol content of 70-100% to sanitize as it kills germs too…the sanitizing solution will not work effectively in surface areas that have not been washed…it is important and wise to wash the areas or objects with soap, rinse with clean water, then sanitize.

·       Do wear gloves in some areas if necessary. Gloves are one of the protective gear against exposure to the hands' skin.

·       Do check the effectiveness against bacteria, viruses, and or parasites if a commercial disinfectant/sanitizer is used in place of bleach solution…follow the manufacturer labels for directions…also check with your state and local governments about the acceptable sanitizing/disinfecting products for Child Care Centers and schools.

Dos for Community

People are social animals, and if life must be lived, person-to-person contact in the community is almost inevitable, although it can be minimized through various measures.

·       Do exercise restrain by limiting gatherings in places like movies, clubs, parks, commuting or attending festivals when there are pandemic outbreaks. Places with the mass of people are susceptible to transmission of infectious diseases. When there are epidemic or pandemic outbreaks it is crucial to limit social gatherings and exercise precautions to prevent the infectious virus.

Don’ts 

·       Don’t rely on people changing their health habits and adapt daily hygienic practices to be healthier overnight…people always recede to their old unhealthy and unhygienic practice habits.

·       Don’t take care of the infected person without proper protective measures /resources instead, protecting yourself from getting it and later spreading the virus to others by reporting/taking the infected person to the medical center.

·       Don’t rely on medical masks to prevent you from inhaling the infected air…taking multiple measures to avoid and or curb the spread of coronavirus is the smart take.

·       Don’t misinform public or create public mistrust…when the public hears blames and finger-pointing from public leaders …when lies are used to misinform the public…when public leaders' temper with the public health and safety safeguard laws and regulations that are in place to ensure preparedness and readiness to respond to an outbreak of pandemic diseases is not just irresponsible but it is dangerous to the health and safety of the public…share only what you know to be true or what you have learned about the COVID-19 virus that works or doesn’t work.

·       Don’t manipulate what is known and what is unknown, just inform openly, truthful, and effectively…in that way you not only earn people's trust but also you boost their confidence in their government’s ability to help the public. Misinformation and rumors add more problems than they intended to solve.

Moreover, better take precautions, because prevention is better than cure.

There are many ways and reasons for your health, for an emergence preparedness and readiness-whether is a natural disaster, such as a tornado, a fire outbreak, a power outage; or a flu pandemic like novel coronavirus 2019 currently upon us!

If you haven’t prepared for the emergence or planned, it is never too late to get started right at the very moment when the public health and safety are at risk of spreading the flu pandemic.

We cannot surely live in isolation for a long time or in the islands where no human contacts (animals are toxic too) but taking precautionary measures can keep you healthy and away from toxic exposure.