It’s coming, or rather here in Europe it is already here. I can’t say much for the rest of the world because getting reliable news and information is getting harder and harder but here we are.
I am not surprised but I am angry. This 2nd wave could easily have been avoided. Back in March and early April when shit really started to hit the fan here in Europe there was a level of political willingness that made the lock down across most of Europe ( looking at you here, England and Sweden ) possible, if not at the very least, understandable for most of us. It got infinitely more inconsequential after the initial shock settled and our corrupt, and yes, that is all of them, politicians started getting angry visits from their corrupt overlords to re-open the economy. Yes, this wasn’t a U.S.-only story, but again, whatever your authorities pulled over there was / is something entirely different, like a Roland Emmerich film gone wrong. So whilst we in Europe were in no shape or form over this pandemic, by June / July live had essentially returned to normal, outside of gigs / festivals etc - and let’s face it, anyone that lives in a European city knows damn well that none of the official security measures really were adhered to, especially after a few hours in the pub.
With that, we are back. Europe’s case numbers are exploding once again and quite frankly, who would be surprised after the laissez-faire attitude from our political leadership these last few months.
Problem is, it wasn’t a laissez-faire attitude but a calculated risk as to how many of us could die for the sake of the stock exchange and the corporate donors of all of our parties before shit got sticky again, and with fall knocking at our doors, it’s going to get nasty, again.
What makes me so incredibly angry is that even to someone as unversed in the political realities and mechanisms of our existence today the solution to ending this pandemic is incredibly simply. At this point, we need a genuine lock down, and I mean everything is shut down except healthcare infrastructure and supermarkets until not only the pandemic is factually over but a FREE vaccine is distributed everywhere.
To achieve this we need the following:
Universal Basic Income for Everyone, globally
Rent Moratorium
Free Healthcare, not some, but all. No questions asked.
Digital Infrastructure & Data with no Caps for home schooling, remote work and entertainment for Free.
Sounds mad right, when it actually isn’t at all. If we examine the sheer amount of money thrown into corporations across Europe, and I am not even mentioning the US here, to prop up “the economy” the above points are a joke money wise. The only reason this doesn’t happen is because our politicians, the ones who run on our money, use our money and waste our money are told not to.
It’s that horribly simple. Corporations and Stock Owners need us to produce and consume to maintain/increase their imaginary value and have no issue with us dying to do so. The political will to change this rests in us and we need to have a serious chat about this one, not only to solve this sort term problem we are currently facing, but more poignantly, looking at how this world is shaping up, decide if we are still ok with being nothing but dispensable meat in their grinder. I am not. Demand Everything.
Hate to hear the second wave is hitting Europe already (America’s solution appears to have been just never ending the first wave...) We’ve begun our fight for most of that list here though! Honestly a large group of people have woken up to the possibility - and truly the necessity - of that reality. It’s going to be a hell of a fight but a world if/when we get it!