Derrick Sherroid Brown, pen name D.S. Brown, son of Bessie Williams Brown and John Heard Brown, husband to Erica Lindsey Brown and father of Elle Lindsey Brown. I am a very proud American by birth and nationality, and African of western continental origin by ancestry. I’m a native of Atlanta, Georgia, in particular the area known as South West ATL. These days I reside on the northern side of the metro in Gwinnett County. This is WHO I am, a regular guy from the ATL, a gentleman of the South.
In this moment I find myself writing and posting because I care. I care about my family, my friends, the people I work with, the people who rely on my leadership, my community, this country, this beautifully amazing and equally terrifying world, this planet Earth that we all call home, that we all share. In this moment, this is WHY I am here.
My posting is about me doing my part and sharing HOW I do my part. As ever I am always an aspiring critical thinker. I’ve given critical thought to this novel coronavirus which has spawned a whole new disease scientists have named COVID-19. I thought deeply about it and found strength in my position, my mission, my need to beat back fear and do my part. I’ve accepted the situation and know what I must do.
In the COVID Age my part is to keep my ass at home! In the COVID Age my mission is to not add to the growing 1 million coronavirus cases worldwide. In the COVD Age I find it sadly necessary to share what I think and what I’ve seen in hopes that the woefully ignorant and purposefully stupid will heed the call and step out of danger.
Why? Because in the COVID Age far too many people just don’t give a “F”.
Especially here in America, too many of us just don’t care, or at least we don’t care in the manner that we should. In this not giving a “F” we Americans always miss the point and wind up paying for it. If you give a “F” about what is right when you fight through the inconvenience of staying home, you will more quickly see a nation rising out of the danger and darkness of the COVID Age.
If you switch your perspective and see that your inconvenience can truly be your most important act in an age, IN AN AGE, I promise you will feel almost divine satisfaction at having been a part of resolving one of the biggest challenges to ever face our nation, no our planet.
In my home state our governor has issued a shelter in place order. I don’t want to waste words discussing the timing of what he said, or what others have said about him. The challenges of our politics and the ideological divide must be addressed later. For now, it is about saving lives, and his actions are absolutely necessary.
Why are they necessary? Because American Freedom, unlike in other countries, gives you the right to be stupid, even stupid unto doing others harm.
Before the governor issued his order, in my home county the solicitor general said he would prosecute stay-at-home violators. I thought that was awesome, and a perfect way to protect American Freedom. You know, our right to live and not die from a sickness that is much worse than the flu. And while we’re on it, let’s make something clear now. Let me share a conversation I had.
“But Derrick, they’re blowing it out of proportion. Young folks aren’t really getting that sick, and it’s just like the flu.”
“Really? Tell me, how is it just like the flu?
“Well, it’s a disease that makes it hard to breathe, you cough, get a fever. Some will die from complications. But the majority of people will get over it.”
I nodded. “Let me tell you what you’re missing. And remember, I do this through the prism of critical cognition.”
He chuckled. “Okay, go ahead.”
“The flu right? Every year it comes around, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you say it’s the same?”
“Yes.”
“But it isn’t. First, it’s a novel virus. They added that novel part because it’s new. Never seen before. No knowledge. No data. No metrics. What you hear is what the news people hear. That is fresh brand-new data, information that has not gone through the cycle of even one year of understanding. Our knowledge of this virus is limited. We know much, but there is a great deal we don’t know. You get that?”
“Yeah, I get it. But it’s still like the flu right?”
“It’s a respiratory illness like the flu, which means it attacks the lungs, but here’s the critical difference for us non-scientist and medical personnel. There is no vaccine. There are no antivirals to lessen the impact. You can’t go to Wal-Mart and pick up Theraflu. You see, if you get this package, you either fight through and live … or you die. And lemme tell you something, we hear it doesn’t attack children and young adults, but every year you hear about a child or young adult dying from the flu right? Watch, just watch.”
He nodded. “Okay, I get it man. I get it.”
“And the damn thing is communicable as hell. We don’t even fully understand just how contagious it is.”
After the news report of our solicitor general issuing his edict, they followed it up with a quick word by a clearly on-purpose dangerously ignorant person who complained, saying she just didn’t think it was fair. “Why should I have to stay at home?” It was a real pisser. My anger was in the stratosphere.
People hanging out at the gas station. People going to the park. People hanging out at the lake. People laughing at the thought of social distancing. People not thinking about the over 5000 cases we have in Georgia. People not thinking about the 22 dead in Fulton County. People not thinking about the 29 dead in Dougherty County. People not thinking, not caring, abusing their freedom, by endangering others.
I’m not here for it. And if you happen to read this, I’m hoping you’re not either. Let’s just do our part. Be a hero. Honor the real heroes, the first responders, the doctors and nurses, the workers in essential businesses, the people who will have to sanitize our buildings, the military personnel that will have to help keep order as this situation worsens. Do your part. Honor and respect the freedom you have, by staying home without threat of coercion.
Know who you are. Know where you come from and all that may imply. Know what you do and why you do it. Know it and know it well. See yourself and your actions. Give a damn. Act accordingly. I promise you, you will feel good as this too passes. You’ll feel good because you’ve done what’s right for yourself and all the others you may have encountered.
The Aspiring Critical Thinker/Writer/Innovator,
D.S. Brown