Let me begin with the darkness of today.

COVID-19. Almost 200,000 Americans have died! President Trump’s taped interviews with Bob Woodward and his comments about COVID and his leadership had my head doing a 360! His response was abysmal and some even say “culpable.” To put COVID deaths in perspective, the country of Taiwan with a population of 25 million had…7 deaths! Yes, you read that correctly! And, even with all the scientific data on the virus transmission, we are still seeing crowded Trump rallies with most NOT wearing masks! Is it any wonder so many people are suffering from depression in America today.

We will have a safe vaccine sometime in 2021 but it should not be rushed for political gain!

THE ECONOMY. COVID has left many industries like hospitality, travel, and restaurants in tatters. Millions have been furloughed or have lost their employment. 29 million + are receiving unemployment benefits.

The economy will swing back and some sectors already are improving like residential home sales, home refurbishing, and online retail. Many workers are finding working at home has made the quality of life much better. They are commuting less and enjoying a richer life.

This is an important read from McKinsey & Company on “Reimagining The Postpandemic Economic Future.

ECONOMIC INEQUALITY. In the first 3 months of the Pandemic, the net worth of the 600 billionaires in the U.S. went up…20%! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 38% of Americans are living in poverty and 54 million are facing food insecurity in 2020!  The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in US health systems and economic vulnerabilities. The impacts across employment and productivity are at levels not seen since the Great Depression. A 2019 Census Bureau report said the “U.S. has the highest income inequality in 50 years.”

According to the Federal Reserve Board, Black household net worth is 10% of white households. Hispanic household net worth is 20% of white households.

The COVID times have dented the myth of the American dream of getting ahead by working hard, getting an education, taking risks,…but the opportunities are NOT evenly distributed. A question for discussion is HOW DO WE MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE FAIR?

Some may say…”Gentry,…you live a privileged life, aren’t you being a little disingenuous here?” My comment to that is “Well, yes I had ‘White Privilege.’ I’ve lived a long life and have experienced economic success,…but also along the way, some of the hardships many have endured.” I’ve had my difficulties, setbacks, and mistakes. At this stage of our lives, Marla and I both feel we can do more for our community, country, and our planet, knowing even little steps can help! A lot of little steps make big things can happen!

GLOBAL WARMING. The scientific data is clear. Our planet is adversely affected by Global Warming and we see it play out in real-time with terrible wildfires in the western states and severe storms and hurricanes in the southern coastal areas.

This New York Times article on “How Bad is Climate Change now?“ is an important read.

“The geopolitical risk inherent in climate change comes not from actual changes in weather, sea levels, or resource availability but rather, from the ability or inability of governments to effectively anticipate and manage the coming changes in ways that preserve or create security and prosperity for their citizens. ”

Fires in the western states have been devastating! It is hard to imagine the air quality over San Francisco last week. So far, almost 2,500,000 acres have burned!

More and more American society is having discussions on systemic racism. Changes both large and small are taking place now. We are studying our local and national history in more detail with more clarity.

It is impossible to brush aside the “Black Lives Matter” movement. The majority of the marches were non-violent although damage was experienced in many cities. Almost every city in America is studying police training and hiring practices. We must see an improvement in this area.

THE ELECTION. On November 3rd things will get REALLY interesting!

We do not have a crystal ball for what will happen with the election but this article can be a helpful guide: The Deciders: Your Election Chaos Survival Guide.

My position is clear! We need a President who doesn’t constantly lie, distort, attack, and use the bully pulpit for disinformation and dangerous conspiracy theories! We need an administration with vision and the will to bring back professionalism in our government agencies and to protect our environment. We need to once again be a leader respected for its principles in the free world. We need to elect a President guided by intelligence, integrity, and compassion.

This has been a very heavy duty post but one I’ve thought about for months. May the months ahead be healthy, peaceful, and as happy as possible for you. Hopefully, you will find moments to totally escape in nature.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Fareed Zakaria:

“America is a strange country, at once amazingly dynamic and yet utterly chaotic. It can be an inspiration to the world for its values, but also a constant reminder of its own unresolved tragedies like racism. It has shocked the world with its generosity and broad-mindedness, and also with its selfishness and isolation.”