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I just had what I consider to be an extraordinary conversation with my Mom.
I had recently heard of a clinic in Waukegan, IL where people over 65 were able to get vaccine appointments. I told my parents about it and gave them the number to call.
Today I called to follow up.
I had recently heard of a clinic in Waukegan, IL where people over 65 were able to get vaccine appointments. I told my parents about it and gave them the number to call.
Today I called to follow up.
My Mom got on the phone and said no, she hadn’t called to try to get an appointment for herself or my Dad.
I was a bit upset and asked why not.
“You didn’t get the article I emailed your?” she asked.
Friends, my mom emails me all sorts of trash so no, I hadn’t.
I was a bit upset and asked why not.
“You didn’t get the article I emailed your?” she asked.
Friends, my mom emails me all sorts of trash so no, I hadn’t.
I mumbled something about being busy and not seeing it.
So she filled me in on what it said.
It was apparently about how lots of people are “cheating” to jump the vaccine line. They are putting down comorbidities they don’t have or lying about where they live, etc.
So she filled me in on what it said.
It was apparently about how lots of people are “cheating” to jump the vaccine line. They are putting down comorbidities they don’t have or lying about where they live, etc.
So far, nothing surprising about that.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “Your Dad & I aren’t working, we don’t go out a lot, and maybe they have vaccine there in Waukegan because more Black people or poorer people live there.”
Dear reader, she even uttered the word INDIGENOUS
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “Your Dad & I aren’t working, we don’t go out a lot, and maybe they have vaccine there in Waukegan because more Black people or poorer people live there.”
Dear reader, she even uttered the word INDIGENOUS
Waukegan is indeed a working class town with a sizeable Black population. How she even figured that out I have no clue. To my knowledge, she has never been there.
“Maybe,” she said. “Other people need it more than we do.”
“Maybe,” she said. “Other people need it more than we do.”
I was agog at this point 
She kept saying she didn’t want to be a cheater like the people she read about who were jumping the line. She said what about healthcare workers.
I stared dumbfounded at my phone.
She kept saying she didn’t want to be a cheater like the people she read about who were jumping the line. She said what about healthcare workers.
I stared dumbfounded at my phone.
I said that these were all good points, but that she wouldn’t be cheating. Illinois HAS a tiered vaccine program like most states and people over 65 are currently eligible to receive it.
She knew that, she said, but she kept insisting that others need it more.
She knew that, she said, but she kept insisting that others need it more.
We were raised to think about country first and yourself second, she said.
I said this was news to me because overall our self-selected Soviet Jewish immigrant community is extremely selfish, reactionary, racist, etc and certainly doesn’t give two shits about working class ppl
I said this was news to me because overall our self-selected Soviet Jewish immigrant community is extremely selfish, reactionary, racist, etc and certainly doesn’t give two shits about working class ppl
I could almost hear her shrugging over the phone.
“That isn’t how *I* feel,” she asserted.
COLOR ME CONFUSED, dear reader, because practically the entire reason Soviet emigres came here was for the unbridled capitalism and its attendant individualism.
“That isn’t how *I* feel,” she asserted.
COLOR ME CONFUSED, dear reader, because practically the entire reason Soviet emigres came here was for the unbridled capitalism and its attendant individualism.
She too sensed the oddness of what she was saying.
“In the USSR, we had to fight for everything,” she said. “I don’t know why I’m not doing that now. I guess I’ve changed?”
“In the USSR, we had to fight for everything,” she said. “I don’t know why I’m not doing that now. I guess I’ve changed?”
I still don’t know what to make of it tbh.
I lowkey kept trying to convince her to still call for an appt. I told her that I agreed their risk was lower than some other people, but dammit I wanted to see the inside of their house again someday soon, to hug her and my Dad again.
I lowkey kept trying to convince her to still call for an appt. I told her that I agreed their risk was lower than some other people, but dammit I wanted to see the inside of their house again someday soon, to hug her and my Dad again.
I told her that if they got vaccinated, it would be some sort of light at the end of the tunnel for me, even though my turn wouldn’t come for a while yet.
I realized, as I was talking, that I needed this more than she did.
I realized, as I was talking, that I needed this more than she did.
And I realized I was arguing with someone who was saying that she knew people of color were dying from this at much higher rates and that she was more concerned about THEM.
Why on earth was I trying to dissuade her from this? It was true after all.
Why on earth was I trying to dissuade her from this? It was true after all.
In that moment, I felt a little emotional.
I was suddenly grateful for all the reporting on COVID’s disproportionate impact on communities of color and poorer communities.
So much reporting apparently that it had reached even my mom, who consumes mostly mainstream sources.
I was suddenly grateful for all the reporting on COVID’s disproportionate impact on communities of color and poorer communities.
So much reporting apparently that it had reached even my mom, who consumes mostly mainstream sources.
So if you’re a journalist who has reported on this, I’m here to tell you that it has reached at least one person, and probably many more.
THANK YOU for doing this important work and getting this story out there.
THANK YOU for doing this important work and getting this story out there.
And I guess I’m also here to tell you that there is still hope for our country.
That there are still American citizens who think of others ahead of themselves.
And I’m SO PROUD that my Mom is one of them
That there are still American citizens who think of others ahead of themselves.
And I’m SO PROUD that my Mom is one of them
