Opinion
Be safe. Stay Strong.
June 11, 2020 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 5
OPINION
Honoring the dead
on this Memorial Day. The divisiveness and politicization that has emerged over this great loss of these family members can only add to pain that these families are suffering through. Americans are a compassionate people that at times of crisis have historically rallied together when faced threat to our very democracy as the graves of those buried at Fort Logan graphically demonstrate. Why can’t we do the same to defeat this insidious coronavirus and not turn this crisis into a political blame game. In spite of political difference on many other issues, democrats
and republicans should be able to focus on attacking this virus together, which will then allow all of us to begin working on the restoration of this country’s efforts to rebuild our economy. As an example, last Friday Republican El Paso County Commission Stan VanderWerf and I volunteered to fly over 500 pounds of person protective equipment (PPE) from Centennial Airport to Grand Junction for distribution to two local hospitals. This is a great example of democrat and republican commissioners working together during this health crisis. While the two of us may disagree on some political issues, we can
work together to ensure that medical personnel are able to protect themselves in treating COVID 19 patients. We all must approach this crisis by honoring these victims who have died during this medical crisis by working to stop the spread on this virus by wearing protective masks, respecting social distancing and making every effort to avoid large crowds to limit the potential of coming in contact with the virus. Let’s all work together to stem the spread of this virus. We are the only anecdote to stopping this virus that is currently available.
This had to happen
drank from Negro Only water fountains; who used Negro Only public restrooms and facilities; who attended racially segregated public schools until halfway through 6th grade; who grew up “on the other side of the tracks” until moving to the White
Savannah suburbs as a young teen only to personally endure blockbusting; who withstood sustained violence and physical attacks from many of the neighbors who remained; who was forced to fight on the school bus on a regular basis; and who
escaped death on two occasions by gun carrying derelicts who surrounded my home, demanding that I (the one they called “nigger”) come out to be shot. A former Nuclear Missile
As a Vietnam veteran, Memorial Day is a sacred day to remember and honor those who lost their lives in service to this nation. This year due to the health restrictions many of the memorial services have been cancelled. Requiring those of us who serviced to remember our lost buddies battle in a more private way. For me and my wife Debi, we took a slow drive around the national cemetery at Fort Logan to view the thousands of white marbled headstones of those
BY DENNIS W. GREENE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DTC/GREENWOOD VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
George Floyd is dead, murdered under the knee of an officer sworn to serve and protect him. George Floyd is dead, murdered over a supposedly counterfeit $20.00 bill, which he most likely did not know was counterfeit. George Floyd is dead, murdered under the collective knee of a system rigged against him, saddled with the presumption of guilt by responding officers, completely lacking due process. There are more questions than answers, and many other brutal police murders to explain.
who served the nation with honor. Each solitary headstone that had an American flag acknowledged this individual gave his or her life in battle. The Garden of Stones reflected thousands of military soldiers, sailors and airmen who bravely fought for the nation that they loved. I took a moment to reflect on the over 100,000 of Americans who have died in the last two months from the COVD-19 virus and the personal grief that all those families must be suffering
There are many, many more questions than answers. I Am… A Black Man, born in the 1950s, reared in Savannah Georgia in the 1960s and 1970s, who
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Get COVID-related assistance from Arapahoe CARES Arapahoe County and its communities have received $114.5 million in federal funding to provide a wide variety of economic relief from the COVID public health crisis. Visit arapahoegov.com/arapahoecares
Barbwire Bob Continued from page 4
next month. I’m staying in until July to see what happens to y’all first. Day 67: The garbage man placed an AA flyer on recycle bin The spread of COVID 19 is based on two things: How dense the population is…and How dense the population is! People keep asking, “Is Coronavirus REALLY all that serious? Listen, the churches and casinos are closed. When heaven and hell agree on the same thing it’s probably pretty serious. Appropriate analogy: “The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions … the parachute has slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now.” Never in a million years could I have imagined I would go up to a bank teller wearing a mask and ask for money. Home school Day 1. I’m trying to figure out how I can get this kid transferred out of my class. Putting a drink in each room of my house today and calling it a pub crawl! For the second part of this quarantine do we have to stay with the same family, or will they relocate us? Asking for myself? ***
A/D Works! Let Arapahoe/Douglas Works! work for you. Access COVID-19 resources for jobs, housing, businesses and more. Visit ADWorks.org or call 303-636-1160
VOTE in the June 30 election! Ballots for the state primary election will begin to go out this week. To check your registration, update your voter record or learn about safe voting practices during the COVID crisis, visit GoVoteColorado.gov and ArapahoeVotes.com.
Arapahoe CARES Business Roundtables Arapahoe County is hosting one-hour virtual business roundtables funded by the Arapahoe CARES COVID-19 relief program. The events are on June 12, June 17, June 25 and June 30. Visit arapahoegov.com/townhall Colorado PEAK If you need financial or benefits assistance during this crisis, Arapahoe County Human Services and Colorado PEAK can help. Visit Colorado.gov/PEAK
arapahoegov.com
