Weekly Columns
Following the reprehensible treatment and tragic death of George Floyd, there has rightly been a national outcry against what took place both under the watch of and at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis – a clear and despicable violation of the solemn oath police officers take to serve and protect their fellow citizens. While the overwhelming majority of officers faithfully and bravely discharge their responsibilities each and every day, the death of George Floyd is a sobering reminder that abuses of power clearly exist and must be addressed.
After local and national economies were effectively forced to close in response to coronavirus this spring, communities across the nation are continuing to slowly and cautiously reopen. While it is encouraging to see businesses opening back up and Americans returning to work, it's important to keep in mind that life as we know it is not yet back to normal. Until there are effective treatments, therapeutics and ultimately a vaccine to control COVID-19, we must continue to take precautions, including adapting our workplace operations.
June marks Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, which serves as a reminder of the need to slow down, prevent and ultimately cure terrible diseases like Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than five million Americans are suffering with some form of dementia, and it is estimated that one in every three seniors die as a result. Throughout this month, we recognize the need for disease research to find clues and answers, but we also think of those we know – or have known – afflicted with the slow-killing disease.
Americans tend to think that we're either the best or the worst at everything. And while I agree that the United States hasn't been the absolute best in the world in terms of coronavirus response, our nation has certainly fared better than most advanced countries and remains far from the worst in terms of dealing with COVID-19.
The United States recently surpassed more than 100,000 precious lives lost to COVID-19. As we sadly know all too well, along with the staggering human cost, this pandemic has disrupted every corner of American society and life as we know it – wrecking thriving economies, shuttering businesses, killing jobs and threatening livelihoods. While these hard and fast hits seemingly came out of nowhere, the wrath of this invisible enemy could have been quelled and lives protected worldwide had the Communist Chinese Party issued warnings upfront and told the truth about early evidence.
Throughout Military Appreciation Month, we have rightly joined in expressing gratitude for our service members, their families and their daily sacrifices on our behalf. In answering the call to serve, members of our military demonstrate incredible loyalty, and their sense of duty and patriotism is truly unmatched. Some will miss weddings, funerals or the births of their own children. And as we solemnly think of our fallen heroes on Memorial Day, we remember that some will even make the ultimate sacrifice, offering their last full measure of devotion to their nation.
While the coronavirus crisis has caused unthinkable disruptions and challenges nationwide, this is not the first time in history that Congress has navigated extraordinary circumstances and still preserved the longstanding traditions imagined by our Founding Fathers. Throughout numerous emergencies and disasters in our nation's history, the American people have always been able to count on their elected representatives to be their voice.
As the school year comes to a close and graduation season begins, I am thinking of the many high school and college seniors who will be celebrating their achievements differently than they expected. Although the coronavirus crisis has canceled and postponed many traditional commencement ceremonies, that should not lessen the sense of great pride and joy felt by this year's graduates. And I want to extend my deepest congratulations and best wishes.
Oklahomans are no strangers to severe weather and the terrible destruction that can result from it. Our past experiences serve as a sobering reminder that we must be ready at a moment's notice to face tornadoes and other unpredictable weather patterns. In Oklahoma, it's not a matter of "if" but "when" that time will come.