By Lia Fiffles ’24
Opinion Editor
The United States has lifted their Covid restrictions, and it has brought us to a moment of reflection. Covid broke us.
Seriously, there have never been more individuals than there are now that face societal distress so commonly. We are faced with situations in which we have lost the ability to understand how to properly act in response to them. Then there’s the fact that we witnessed millions of deaths because of this virus, all while fighting with one another about which course of action was the right one.
Our lives were changed forever because of Covid. We, as human beings, are meant to socialize and gather with one another. It’s a part of our nature. For two years we were restricted by that. We could no longer gather for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and other important events. There was no way to properly mourn those we lost.
Now that we are slowly, but surely, making our way back to a new normal, society is now at a point where a new way of life has to be figured out. There has been a dramatic change in the way we handle and react to situations that arise, a lot of which is made up of violence. People are quitting their jobs, riots are being started, and hate is being shown more than anything else.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice, findings show that the number of homicides taking place have increased by 16% during the first six months of 2021, when compared to the year before. Aggravated assault was higher by 9% in 2021 compared to 2020, alongside the 5% rise in gun assault.
According to Everytown For Gun Safety, an organization that advocates for gun safety, a road rage incident took place every 17 hours in 2021. We can also see the violence and disrespect that is taking place on airlines, as passengers become quickly aggressive in tense situations.
The type of aching that Covid has caused has manifested itself into the aspects of our lives that not only affect our own quality of life, but others as well. The pandemic for America has been one of inconveniences, especially for those who harbor privileges, and recovering from this period of time will be less painful for them than it will be for others. Many were grasping at straws when Covid hit, and the lockdown may just have just left them astray.
Our sufferings mean we want others to suffer just as badly, more so now, while the consequences of this pandemic are becoming more and more apparent. An understanding needs to develop, one where we all realize that at this point, we need sympathy and kindness more than anything else, even if we have to relearn how to portray and share it.
