Never again. Never forget.
Covid reflections from the People’s Republic of New York
Former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo became famous for his daily covid press conferences, this one in July 2020. governor.ny.gov
Lockdowns.
Quarantines.
Social distancing.
Face masks.
Vaccines.
Now five year later, these covid pandemic fixtures still create PTSD for many Americans.
Lord Acton said: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
That was on grand display in NY with a parade of mandates and diktats–despite no public debate. Emergency declarations became cover to demand whatever the governor said. The most insulting order was calling on sheriffs to cap Thanksgiving 2020 gatherings to 10 people. Sheriffs rejected this.
Professional reflections
As a Christian high school English teacher, I had a front-row seat to witness how Gen Z responded to covid. I also taught Bible class for the seniors and juniors, and when the 2020 school year ended March 16, 2020, the online work for Bible class was responding to writing prompts seeking spiritual application or reflection.
From March 17 to early June, I read dozens of papers from the 17 students in the class. A number of students wrote personal reflections on assignments communicating mental health challenges. They also communicated that the restrictions imposed by the government made it worse.
After all, God created humans for community.
Two verses in Proverbs, and elsewhere in Scripture, underscore this point.
Proverbs 17:17 (NASB) states: “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 27:17 (NASB) states: “As iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another.”
But no.
Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.
Additionally, as teachers transitioned to online learning, some students had no problem with the adjustment, while others did. With some students, there were clear differences in achievement between the classroom and computer.
Throw in poor adjustments to online learning with chronic absenteeism and poor achievement worsened by covid.
Personal reflections
My family lives within 20 minutes of Pennsylvania where we live in Western New York. My Mother-in-law has been at a nursing home in northwest Pennsylvania for a few years. My Mom lived at two nursing homes the last 15 months of her life in Western New York, February 2022 to May 2023.
The first Pennsylvania winter with covid, 2020-21, was intense as contact with my Mother-in-law was going to the window and talking by phone. It was week-after-week standing in whatever the weather delivered. Pennsylvania eventually relented on keeping family and friends out of nursing homes. The new protocols came with temperature checks for a spell with the recommendation to wear a face mask until family was with the loved one. That remained consistent unless they had covid outbreaks.
Meanwhile, New York mandated personal covid tests, which took 15 minutes for results, just to be approved as a visitor. Additionally, there was a mandated temperature check after a negative covid test. The temperature checks were eventually eliminated. The state also recommended face masks. This was the standard for three years.
Neighboring states had different approaches to nursing homes. Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state Health Department issued the order to put covid positive patients in nursing homes. It was the catalyst for more than 15,000 senior citizens dying, and Cuomo lying about it.
Cuomo went from this insanity to draconian measures that no-doubt prevented some people from regular nursing home visitation.
Meanwhile, on Memorial Day 2020, my son and I sought a public basketball court to shoot baskets for a spell. In five different communities, the baskets either were taken down or a piece of wood covered the baskets. NYS demanded it because all the cool kids were doing it.
In December 2020, NYS released details of 46,000 contact tracing cases. The results revealed 74 percent of covid cases arose at homes. NYS leaders had their data to end their fear-mongering.
But no.
Never let a crisis go to waste.
Additionally, my son graduated high school in June 2021. Because of the rules about mandated covid testing, with potential quarantining, if you traveled out of state (this was the smartest virus of all time), we chose not to visit Cedarville University in Ohio. The plan was for Sam to attend the local community college and then transfer.
In September 2021, 11 months before she would become governor after Cuomo resigned, then NYS Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul virtue signaled about covid vaccines with her “Vaxed” necklace. Mary Altaffer/Associated Press via wshu.com
Then they demanded a covid vaccine to attend NYS colleges. We were devastated by how our wishes couldn’t be respected. This unproven vaccine was a nonstarter. We considered a religious exemption, but believed it wouldn’t be respected because this is NY.
Worse, his ACT test was postponed twice during covid.
There has been no accounting for the many ways the covid response harmed young people from preschool to college.
Spiritual reflections
The church obeys God on worship, not the state. The chart above should have opened up churches.
Officials manipulated churches under covid rules because they know Christians are instructed to be obedient to civil governing authorities.
Meanwhile, there were rumors in Chautauqua County during summer 2020 that agents of the state were going to show up at churches to determine if they were following covid rules. It was an obvious conclusion in a state like New York where Cuomo communicated hostility for people of faith.
Additionally, we know in some states casinos and strip clubs had priority over churches.
With isolation and deteriorating mental health, one would’ve expected the government to enlist churches as part of the solution.
But no.
If faith isn’t relevant for the culture, how can churches be a part of the solution?
If government had protected the elderly and sick, public officials could’ve enlisted an army of volunteers from churches to assist with getting medicine and food to people. It would’ve required intense coordination, but it could’ve happened, and officials would’ve been shocked by its success.
Instead, public officials shredded their credibility and trust.
God forbid there's a “next time.” If there is, public officials ought not be surprised by an army of churches choosing to “obey God, rather than man.”
