We have all gone through the pandemic that has been very tough on most people. This Republican government has done many things to make this event more miserable than it has to be. Very rarely have they done anything to make this horrendous event bearable. On the contrary, they have made it more wretched. This was a chance to pull people together and look out for each other. Instead, they lied about how deadly the virus actually is, made wearing a protective mask a political act, and have discouraged people from getting vaccinated to stop this pandemic.
Neighbors need to know we can count on each other, because we are all in this together. This situation is unprecedented, and this is the time when people show who they really are. We can be afraid and hostile, or we can be open, honest, and accommodating. When times get tough, we get tougher, but we need to be kind and to show our best selves because when it is all over, we want to be remembered as neighbors who cared.
This was not the Republican game plan. Their plan has been to make this challenging time unbearable.
Joel E. Wells
Iowa City