. . . and it is up to us, all of us, to rid ourselves of this insidious, chronic disease. Black and white, blue and red, rich and poor, male, female and other: we need to come together as a nation to identify the underlying causes and address them. Not shouted slogans and rhetoric and talking points, but honest, sober examination, diagnosis, and remedy.

Do I think this is possible in today’s climate? We can’t even properly protect ourselves against a literal, not figurative, deadly plague. I keep straining to see some sign of hope, but the prognosis looks pretty bleak.