My Turn: First health, then economy

April 7, 2020 admin COMMUNITY 0

March 24

By Jason Holzemer

I’m fortunate enough with good health to take the dog for a walk. Here are several things I witnessed and one thing I was re-assured:

I saw more people walking and smiling than normal. Several waved from their yards as we passed.

I saw a kid crash his bike and a woman, driving a car with out-of-state plates, stopped to see if he was OK. Before I could get to him, his friend helped him up with no regards to social distancing. They rode away with smiles.

I saw a father and a daughter riding their bikes to the grocery store.

I saw a kid practicing his basketball shot in a driveway.

I saw two people sharing a conversation about one’s car.

As I was driving home, thinking, I looked in the mirror to find two cars, whose drivers were patient, then I realized I was only going 40 on the highway, lost in these thoughts. As I turned off, neither gave me a frustrated gesture or honked. One actually waved with a smile.

I don’t know the ages of these people, their medical histories, their political preferences or their financial status.

I do know this: They are all ALIVE and that cannot be marked by any price tag.

Jason Holzemer wore this shirt to remind us April is Autism Awareness Month. But his My Turn column here is about the pandemic. (Submitted).

This is political:

I believe healthy people take priority over a healthy economy. I believe the latter will benefit from the prior.

I understand the hardships that accompany a faltering economy. I understand that corporations play a big part in our system, but expect them to have the resources and infrastructure to survive better than the average workers.

I don’t trust that they will freely prioritize employees over profits. If they do account for employees first, they have made a plan for this situation already.

I hope the government recognizes that with lost work and wages, bills can’t get paid and that everyone should get the health services they need.

Humankind should stick together. We’ve been around much longer than any currency.

Editor’s note: Jason Holzemer is a special education teacher in the Cuba City, Wis., school district and is the high school’s activities director. In his spare time, he uses his Facebook page to post news about events that will benefit the community.