Where Were You When You Heard? BY RYAN CHAPPELL Recent events, the coronavirus pandemic, specifically, have certainly changed our lives. Again.
college then and did not have a very wide perspective on current events. I also remember watching the 1980 USA/Russia hockey game on a very grainy black and white television we had in the dorm room. Two very vocal friends from Michigan joined us and explained the game, as this was the first hockey most of us “Southerners” had seen. We all joined in the celebration of our win. Of course, in college it did not take too much of a reason for a celebration. I still don’t understand “icing.” I watched and experienced the stock market crash in 1987. My thoughts on 9/11 were to protect my children as much as possible. Then I got angry. We received a surprise attack like Pearl Harbor. The financial crash of 2008 was interesting because It caused many of us to scramble to save our businesses. I’ve been able to travel a bit, including to other coun- tries. What I’ve found is that in many ways we are all the same. We love and cherish our families and do what is nec- essary to protect and take care of them. I found various people in countries I visited underesti- mated the resolve of the American people. After 9/11, we came together as a people, no matter one’s race, creed or color. I do believe we are trying to do so again. My hope is this current event is not used for political gains by our nation’s often arrogant, sometimes very selfish leaders. What I also found was a lack of understanding in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
For many, this may be the first ma- jor negative global event witnessed and felt. In talking with my youngest daughter, who was born in 1993, I learned she was very concerned. Perhaps a better description is fear- ful. And rightfully so. The events of early 2020 have affected all parts of
Ryan Chappell
PressAd_A4_InkSave_Half-page_Message03.pdf 1 02/09/2019 17:24 My first memory of such a public tragic event was of Bobby Kennedy’s assassination, in 1967. I knew nothing of politics, only that he seemed “cool” to me. Television did not do justice to Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon. It was still exciting to watch. If asked, I would go to the Moon tomorrow morning. I remember the Iran hostage crisis, but did not fully understand its significance. I was in the world. Some changes may be permanent. We will try to put into place plans and procedures to reduce the neg- ative impact. Some will help. Some will be welcomed now, only to be regarded as burdensome at some point in the future, as we forget and life goes back to some semblance of normal.
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March 30, 2020
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