(x = space)
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Friendly Persuasion
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May I ask you to stay in today?
To leave to do your work
Or run errands
With a mask on?
In this moment, we are the worst
On Earth for responding to the disease
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Thank goodness we have
All the measures that we have
In place, facilities and people
Exhausted now, even the facilities
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We don’t want to pay attention, I suppose
As a teacher, I can understand
I don’t always like
Paying attention, either
But, come on,
We pride ourselves at being good
At things—where is that now?
Are we all about impeachment?
I’m not
I’m trying to live on
Very small steps, just now
Many taken in adaptation
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Well, it will be a day
That is beginning
And you will have a day that starts
Maybe there will be some magic
Maybe grace
We can hope for both
While chores and greater challenges
Take our time
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And, by the way, the people in Flint, Michigan
Need safe water
In the USA
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C L Couch
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the title is swiped—I mean, uh, an homage—to a story about a Quaker family and the Civil War
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CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1226563
filed under “peaceable kingdom” at Wikipedia (really)
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clcouch123 
January 14, 2021 at 8:39 pm
I live in Michigan and the people do need safe water. Of course, some of it has been misrepresented and it’s complicated and the Flint officials themselves were part of the issue. The left would like you to think it was all a race thing, but of course, the officials were black. They claim Rick Snyder told them to take a hike when they asked for help because they were black, but there was more to it than that. In this climate, he doesn’t stand a chance. But it definitely was an outrage. This link is from the NY Times and if they are this easy on Snyder, and if Gretchen Whitmer would do any joint statements with Snyder, you know it was complicated. I think the local officials did this on their own and didn’t do it properly and Snyder wasn’t informed at first. Knew nothing about it. He might not have responded appropriately or soon enough, I think might have been argued, but I also do not think it was a race thing as it’s being framed — as EVERYTHING is now framed. This article isn’t clear on which officials did this to save money, but if it was, I think you’d find out Flint officials did it without knowing what they were doing. Or informing the state. Maybe the state should have been more involved in testing and planning. SO it’s a shame, but crucifying Rick Snyder is probably not right, either. Tragedy.
January 17, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Yes, tragedy. And I imagine needless. I’m sure there were more issues and politics involved than what we know. But how about we get good water for everyone? Thanks for your response. I hope you’re well (not a pun for water).