STATION EDITORIAL
Posted November 1, 2020
This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. The title of this editorial is "The Answer is in the Middle, Chapter 2."
In an editorial that aired in August and was also posted on both of our on-line daily newspapers, I pointed out that at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, both Republicans and Democrats scared us into staying in our homes as much as possible because they didn't want to be blamed for killing off Grandma.
And, as we enter the holiday season months, cases are spiking again, causing Governor Pritzker to close restaurants and bars for dine-in service. It feels like mid-March all over again.
In a recent interview as cases were spiking across the state, Illinois Restaurant Association President Sam Toia said that unless Illinois took a more reasonable approach to mitigation, thousands of restaurants are at risk of permanent closure. Toia added that closing restaurants for indoor service will result in the exact opposite of the intended impact of slowing the spread, as it drives people further into what he called uncontrolled, unmonitored private gatherings where few safety precautions are in place.
As I said in my August editorial, the answer is in the middle because that's where common sense is. Common sense is to respect this virus by being responsible and making smart decisions. Practice social distancing, wear a mask anytime you're out of the house going to school, the store or pharmacy, and wash your hands. If you're in the vulnerable population or have other health conditions, take that into consideration anytime you do anything or go anywhere.
Even as more testing shows more positive cases, we should again be using common sense thru this.
As free people, as adults, as grandparents, moms and dads, as human beings, let's apply common sense as we continue to maneuver thru this. We are closer to the end of this, than the beginning. I know fear remains about the unknown of when it will end.
But again, the answer is in the middle. Stay healthy and safe and there will be a positive end to this.
That's our opinion, we welcome yours.
Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.