Decisions
One of the basic truths of life is that much of our success or failure depends on the quality of our decision making. Presently, we‘re facing problems that are life threatening and uncommonly serious. The decisions of how we handle these challenges will determine the fate of our entire society. Sitting out the storm is no longer an option. In fact, inaction is how we got here.
Usually, decisions on the scale we’re making have been deferred to higher authorities.
However, this situation is on our shoulders, and there’s no escaping responsibility. Everyone in Bandera, Texas is as involved as our leaders in Austin and Washington D.C.
The most pressing and serious of our problems is how we deal with the surging numbers of infected people suffering from the Delta variant of the virus. There’s no escaping our responsibility.
Vaccination, the most powerful weapon against the virus, is not being universally practiced. Mask use is almost nonexistent. Both of these weapons are strongly advised by the best trained and educated of our medical science community. That advice is being countered by a cabal of television charlatans and Facebook phonies. Their influence on believing followers is having predictable and tragic results. San Antonio hospitals are overflowing. Dallas, Houston, Corpus Christi and El Paso as well. The courageous medical staffs of these facilities are exhausted and disheartened. We are in big trouble.
Concurrent with the devastation of the virus is climate change. The latest U.N. study on climate change and environmental degradation is shocking and tragic. Two hundred of the world’s top scientists are in lockstep agreement: either we change our ways or nature will change them for us. We have a much smaller window for correcting fossil fuel addiction and irresponsible human behavior than was thought just ten years ago. The wildfires of California, the earthquake in Haiti, the flooding in Europe are previews of the world we will leave our children if we don’t make changes.
The problem of climate change will have to come through our elected officials at all levels. That’s why all of us should be adamant that voting is universal and fair. We need representation that recognizes the threat and will try to take action to correct it.
The response to the threat of the virus is up to us. When the data is clear and the solution obvious, we must all act to make that solution happen. Vaccination and temporary masking is that solution. Free Vaccine is available to anyone who wants it in Bandera. Mask use is an inconvenience, but a necessary one until we control this outbreak. Life or death for many of our friends and neighbors may well depend on the decisions we make in the next days, weeks, and months. Please, if you are not vaccinated, call today and get that done. Wear a mask in public until we get in control of this outbreak. Forget politics. Do it for yourself and for those you care about. Save your life. Save my life. It’s our decision.
Gary Moore, Bandera County resident, is a Texas State University graduate, former English and football coach, journalist, script writer and photographer.