by Tim Murray





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t’s news that is sadly symptomatic of the moral corrosion that afflicts America -- an America where kindness and empathy have succumbed to hatred and xenophobia.I am speaking of the declaration by many Republicans that undocumented coronaviruses be denied sanctuary in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, and any intercepted at the airport or Mexican border be detained and separated from the cells they were attached to, without any concern for the emotional trauma which these forced separations will inflict.It is clear that for heartless Conservatives, a virus is just a parasite. A net fiscal burden devoid of any humanity. But progressives know that life is not just about dollars and cents or health and sickness. Morality should never be subjected to a cost-benefit analysis. They know that viruses have rights too. Even the viruses that were not born here.America is a nation of transnational viruses. It is what defines us. From the time that the first pilgrims arrived on Plymouth Rock, virions from afar came to this country in search of a better life for themselves and their replicants. The American dream.Those who would thwart coronaviruses in pursuit of this laudable ambition are un-American. And those who would exploit nativist fears and bigotries to achieve political office are among the most despicable opportunists that blemish this proud land of opportunity.Equally odious are the agents of the Center of Disease Control headquartered in Atlanta. Their maniacal determination to locate newly arrived viruses and prevent their transportation across the country runs counter to one of America’s most cherished rights. Freedom of movement.It is also reprehensible that local police who, in the course of pulling over Chinese tourists for a traffic violation would inform the CDC agents if those drivers happened to be carrying coronavirus on their person. To use a given violation of law as a pretext to enforce another is morally repugnant. No wonder Democratic Party controlled city councils have ordered local police officers not to cooperate with the CDC. Some political action groups like Antifa and No One Is Illegal have even demanded that the federal government abolish CDC outright.Vigilante groups who patrol the border to block deadly viruses have also become the target of the Woke Coalition. Former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is especially incensed by their hateful actions. Some cynics suggest that Ms. Clinton might use this issue as a springboard to recruit support for a possible bid to become the running mate of the Democratic Presidential nominee. Hillary and Bernie on the same ticket. Imagine that! Two hearts beating as one.These developments lend credence to the observation that for an increasing number of Americans, especially younger Americans, the very concept of disease control is inherently immoral and racist. This admirable sentiment stands as further testament to the positive impact that institutions of higher learning have had in furthering intellectual and ethical development of our youth. It’s clearly money well spent.It is also heartening to learn that the Sierra Club has weighed into the controversy by pointing out that the screening of migrants at the Mexican border to detect coronavirus carriers might impair the cross border migration of jaguars. The death of twenty million Americans in the south-west from a pandemic is a small price to pay for the protection of these beautiful animals. Besides, a coronavirus has a low carbon footprint.