10 signatures reached
To: Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick of Texas
SENIOR LIVES MATTER: Lt. Governor Dan Patrick of Texas apologize!
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick must rescind and apologize for his comment that seniors and grandparents should be willing to die for US economy.
Why is this important?
Shockingly, Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick of Texas stated that grandparents (read: seniors in our society) should be willing to sacrifice their safety and lives for the economy of the US. He stated: ‘as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’” Lt. Gov. Patrick stated. “And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in.”
Seniors contributed to this society throughout their lives, and continue to do so in multiple, important ways. Many are grandparents contributing to, or raising grandchildren, many are still working in vital roles as medical professionals, engineers, teachers, librarians, drivers, police men and women, professors, chefs, writers, in factories, in restaurants, in pharmacies, as mentors, and many are even politicians (see our present government and those running for office of the President in 2020). Seniors deserve our respect, and when needed, society's protection. They are not dispensable items to be bartered for economic gain for millionaires and billionaires. Seniors in our society are also not what stands in the way of a boost to the US and world economy.
The present block to our economic recovery is the Federal government and the Whitehouse taking on the full responsibility to lead our country towards safety, and working in conjunction with state and local governments. The Federal government and Whitehouse leadership missed the opportunity to keep the US population safe by delaying for over a month to prepare IN ADVANCE of COVID-19 reaching the US. Every day in this delay cost hundreds if not thousands of American's their lives and livelihoods: the number of infected individuals multiplies by 5 TIMES EACH DAY according to public health officials (that is, tomorrow the number of infected Americans will be five times more than today, and so on). During that delay, the Federal government and Whitehouse leadership should have: (1) purchased the prepared COVID-19 test kits already available from WHO and made them widely available across all 50 states and US territories; (2) they should have re-created the White House global health unit (disbanded by Trump two years ago: https://time.com/5806558/administration-officials-fight-criticism/); (3) they should have worked with hospitals, medical systems and industry to organize a response and create additional protective materials (masks, gloves, sanitizers, etc.); (4) they should have galvanized the CDC to do more and work more tightly in collaboration with private industry and universities; and importantly, (5) they should have alerted the public to begin to take precautions and how to do so.
Suggesting that seniors' lives or any part of our society are dispensable at any time is completely unacceptable.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick must apologize publicly for his comment and make amends. In addition to his public apology, Lt. Gov. Patrick can make amends by promising to donate a significant amount of money (read: many hundreds of thousands of dollars) to help house and feed seniors who are homeless, and volunteer 80 or more hours in homeless shelters housing seniors after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. After he has spent time with the seniors in these shelters, he should come out with a different opinion, if he has any conscience.
Seniors contributed to this society throughout their lives, and continue to do so in multiple, important ways. Many are grandparents contributing to, or raising grandchildren, many are still working in vital roles as medical professionals, engineers, teachers, librarians, drivers, police men and women, professors, chefs, writers, in factories, in restaurants, in pharmacies, as mentors, and many are even politicians (see our present government and those running for office of the President in 2020). Seniors deserve our respect, and when needed, society's protection. They are not dispensable items to be bartered for economic gain for millionaires and billionaires. Seniors in our society are also not what stands in the way of a boost to the US and world economy.
The present block to our economic recovery is the Federal government and the Whitehouse taking on the full responsibility to lead our country towards safety, and working in conjunction with state and local governments. The Federal government and Whitehouse leadership missed the opportunity to keep the US population safe by delaying for over a month to prepare IN ADVANCE of COVID-19 reaching the US. Every day in this delay cost hundreds if not thousands of American's their lives and livelihoods: the number of infected individuals multiplies by 5 TIMES EACH DAY according to public health officials (that is, tomorrow the number of infected Americans will be five times more than today, and so on). During that delay, the Federal government and Whitehouse leadership should have: (1) purchased the prepared COVID-19 test kits already available from WHO and made them widely available across all 50 states and US territories; (2) they should have re-created the White House global health unit (disbanded by Trump two years ago: https://time.com/5806558/administration-officials-fight-criticism/); (3) they should have worked with hospitals, medical systems and industry to organize a response and create additional protective materials (masks, gloves, sanitizers, etc.); (4) they should have galvanized the CDC to do more and work more tightly in collaboration with private industry and universities; and importantly, (5) they should have alerted the public to begin to take precautions and how to do so.
Suggesting that seniors' lives or any part of our society are dispensable at any time is completely unacceptable.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick must apologize publicly for his comment and make amends. In addition to his public apology, Lt. Gov. Patrick can make amends by promising to donate a significant amount of money (read: many hundreds of thousands of dollars) to help house and feed seniors who are homeless, and volunteer 80 or more hours in homeless shelters housing seniors after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. After he has spent time with the seniors in these shelters, he should come out with a different opinion, if he has any conscience.