Opinion

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Fauquier Times | July 15, 2020

Cleared for contact

How much is a hug worth?

My 23-year-old daughter and I had to get COVID-19 tests; we’re taking a trip together where visitors are required to arrive with a negative coronavirus test in hand as they get off the plane. Alaska’s case numbers are low, and they want to keep it that way. Rules say that tests must have been administered within 72 hours of boarding the plane.

My daughter and I haven’t been within 6 feet of one another since March. We talk on the phone, we Zoom, we visit outside with masks, carefully distanced.

I arrived at Piedmont Urgent Care last Sunday, ready to get my rapid test. I was not able to get the regular COVID test because it can take longer than three days to get results. The rapid test provides results in 15 minutes, but insurance doesn’t pay for it. Tests are $75 each.

As I pulled up to the clinic – perhaps the only place in Fauquier to get a rapid test -- parked and texted my info to staff inside. The parking lot was full, and I was told the wait was an hour and a half. I sweated – literally – for a little over an hour

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ROBIN EARL

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OPINION

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before a nurse came out to administer the test.

People have told me the COVID test isn’t as bad as they thought. Don’t believe them. The nurse told me that the 6-inch or so swab would have to be inserted halfway into my nasal passages, once on each side. The swab suddenly looked at least a foot long.

And that’s how it felt. It didn’t last long, but it hurt – a lot. The nurse had obviously given the test to dozens of people, but she still murmured empathetic noises, apologizing for the unpleasantness. She made it as quick as possible.

Fifteen minutes later, I had my piece of paper clearing me of the virus.

That’s about when my daughter rolled up. We waited there together – apart -- for another hour and a half or so before it was her turn. She was tested (and handled it better than I did).

Instead of 15 minutes, her results took closer to half an hour. (The whole time, nurses bustled in and out of the clinic, administering tests, bringing results, answering questions. They never let on that they, too, might be overheated or tired.)

In our separate cars, we were roasting, since we didn’t want to run the air conditioning. When I complained about the heat and the long wait, my more-patient-than-me

daughter reminded me I didn’t have to stay. After all, I had my clearance.

When she finally had the paper saying she was negative for COVID, we both bolted out of our cars and met on the sidewalk for a good, long hug. We both were sweaty and tired, but those were precious minutes. Were they worth $150, three hours in a hot car and a poker up my nose?

Yep.

Reach Robin Earl at rearl@ fauquier.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Draft plan envisions big changes for smalltown Warrenton

We urge Warrenton residents to pay close attention to the Warrenton Planning Commission as it evaluates the 437-page draft comprehensive plan. To put it simply, if the plan is adopted Warrenton may become something very different from the small town we know and love.

A board-level task force from Citizens for Fauquier County, Fauquier’s oldest conservation nonprofit, has found that implementing the plan over 20 years opens the door to: a 50% increase in population, 2,102 new residential units, 310,000 square feet of commercial space and 360 additional hotel rooms.

The plan makes it easy for developers by streamlining by-right approval of mixed use developments. And Warrenton becomes more attractive to developers because buildings as tall as six stories will be allowed in some locations, along with higher density in select districts.

Greater population produces greater traffic both locally and from motorists from surrounding growth areas who converge on Warrenton. To address congestion, the plan envisions building the Timber Fence Parkway and a new “southern bypass.” Also on the table is connecting neighborhood streets to enable through-traffic.

The Warrenton Planning Commission has scheduled a July 21 public hearing. Details on the public comment process will be at citizensforfauquier.org, along with the entire draft plan. Impact of this plan goes beyond the town limits. What happens in Warrenton affects all of Fauquier County.

The CFFC Warrenton Task Force continues to study the planning document to assess the costs, traffic, design standards and infrastructure requirements, especially water and sewer. To stay informed, please visit citizensforfauquier.org.

KEN ALM, CHRISTOPHER BONNER, YAK LUBOWSKY, DAVID NORDEN AND JONATHON NUCKLES

Citizens for Fauquier County

Let’s all embrace the goal of equality

My “Black Lives Matter” yard sign was recently vandalized. What saddens me more than the trespassing and the violation of my First Amendment right is the lack of understanding of the phrase. I have never heard anyone I know hold this sign and say, “All lives don’t matter,” nor do I support every position of the BLM Global Network.

But what is true is that as a group, Blacks in America are not treated equally, and this can be proven statistically in areas such as educational opportunities, health care access, criminal justice, and employment. The data demonstrates that Black lives don’t matter as much as the lives of the rest of the population.

When women began the movement to be treated equally and demanded “Equal Rights for Women,” I don’t remember anyone responding with, “What about equal rights for men?” Men had the power, the privilege, the advantages.

The phrase “Black Lives Matter” means that Black Americans’ lives should be valued as much as everybody else’s. It’s that simple, but the way forward is difficult, involving personal reflection, changes in heart and behavior, as well as a corporate commitment to reforming unfair policies and laws. Let’s all embrace the broad goal and focus on the changes that need to happen to make a reality of the American ideal “that all men are created equal.”

SCOTT CHRISTIAN

Marshall President Trump’s record on monuments ‘pathetic’

The last few weeks there has been Andrew Wheeler. He now heads the much in the news about protecting monEnvironmental Protection Agency. uments. Trump apparently will make this The Grand Staircase Escalante a centerpiece of his fall campaign. National Monument (also in Utah)

If the truth be told, Trump's record of had a similar experience for the same protecting historic monuments is pathetreasons. Its territory was diminished ic. Time and time again, he has misused and turned over to Trump's corporate his position to diminish protections for allies. Other historic national monuhistoric monuments to please his corpoments are also eyed for diminishment rate allies. in a second Trump term, including the

Shortly after becoming president he Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in ripped apart the Bears Ears National Alaska. All these areas contain priceMonument in Utah. This 1.35-milless natural and historic elements. lion-acre jewel was shrunk by 85%. The For the life of me I do not understand land is held sacred by five Native Amerwhy Trump undervalues these priceless ican groups, has 100,000 archaeological monuments. I can only deduce from this and cultural sites and is the home to 18 that these national monuments are seen endangered species. by Trump as a way to enrich his corpo

This happened after an intense rate sponsors. lobbying campaign by the uranium We need to value these wild places industry, which hopes to exploit this as much as concrete statues. area. The head of that campaign was LAWRENCE GIESTING Culpeper