The Taliban got what they wanted. Afghanistan is now their problem.
President Biden is adamant that he has made the right decision to end the 20-year war. Today he was defiant as he defended his decision to honor Trump’s commitment to withdrawal the troops. To deflect the justifiable criticism of the withdrawal and the terrible optics of the last three weeks and the death of 13 American troops, Biden is emphasizing the evacuation of 124,000 people in the last three weeks. What has not been explained is what has happened to all of the military equipment left behind and what will happen to the 250 Americans and the thousands of Afghan citizens who helped the Americans who have also been left behind. I will read all I can to stay informed as this plays out in the coming months.
The battle of masks is really playing out in our school systems. Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, says a statewide requirement for students to wear masks in schools is still possible depending on what happens with COVID-19 in the coming weeks and months. Hertel, the member of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration who has the power to issue a mask mandate, made the comments in a Tuesday interview. “We need to continue to fight until it is over,” Hertel said of the virus. “It is not over yet.” In the meantime, Washtenaw County plans to issue a mask mandate for its schools, officials confirmed Tuesday. The county health department order would cover K-12 students, spokeswoman Susan Ringler Cerniglia told The Detroit News in an email. And then there is this. A federal judge on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order barring Western Michigan University from mandating COVID-19 vaccination among its athletes. But U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney denied a request for a temporary restraining order from a Michigan State University employee who is suing the university over its vaccine mandate on the argument that she has immunity. Who knows how this is all going to play out? I just want enough people to get vaccinated so we can eventually put this behind us.
A few people I know have contracted Covid-19 in spite of being fully vaccinated. One passed away as a result of other complications. This is what scares me as we move forward. There are so many unknowns with this virus, we are not sure what works and what doesn’t. As Nolan Finley said today, “Just when we think we’re over the worst, another surge rages. Now, nearly all of Michigan is experiencing outbreaks strong enough to recommend masks indoors. That’s even though between vaccinations and acquired immunity, perhaps 70% of state residents are protected from the worst of the virus. Contracting COVID doesn’t mean you’re going to get severely ill, but many people do, including some who have been fully vaccinated. This disease is nothing if not unpredictable. Vaccinations can come with nasty side-affects — mine did. But they’re still the best route. And eight months after my first shot, I’m scheduled to get a booster next week. And then I’ll keep my mask on while indoors.”
| In the past few w | |
Stay safe. Social distance. Wear your mask. Wash your hands regularly. Get your vaccine.
Orchid of the Day: All of the students who were able to be back in the classroom this week. For some it has been nearly 18 months since they have been in a class room.
Onion of the Day: The Detroit Tiger’s hitting over the last few weeks.
Quote of the Day: “When I hear we could have, should have continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan, at low risk to our service members, at low cost. I don’t think enough people understand how much we’ve asked of the 1 percent of this country who put that uniform on. There’s nothing low grade or low risk or low cost about any war.It’s time to end the war in Afghanistan.” President Biden