This story warrants direct honesty. Adults in this country are really stupid.
A Phoenix annual youth soccer tournament, Desert Super Cup, will carry on over the Thanksgiving weekend, despite a global pandemic that’s out of control and is certain to worsen with people traveling for the holiday. The tournament will feature 460 out-of-state teams and 40 in-state teams. Some games will be played in nearby Mesa and Scottsdale.
Right now, cases are surging in Arizona — and every other part of the country. Yesterday Arizona had over 2,600 new cases, and is one of 48 states (yes, 48) identified on the highest COVID-19 risk level.
But I guess these soccer parents could care less about that.
More than half of Arizona’s total 314,000 COVID-19 cases are in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located.
But I guess these parents don’t mind throwing their kids at the COVID-19 herd? Especially when it isn’t clear what impact this virus will have on their childrens’ futures.
Arizona has banned public events of more than 50 people, but the state has given an exception to allow local municipalities to circumvent the law if “if adequate safety precautions are implemented.”
What’s the point of the law then? I guess it was implemented as a performative gesture.
Kate Gallego, Phoenix’s mayor, has vocalized her disapproval of the event but hasn’t shut it down.
“I am gravely concerned about COVID-19 in our community,” Gallego said in a statement. “With infections now at the second-highest daily number ever, it is clear the status quo is not working. We all need to be aware that the public health situation has changed dramatically in the last few weeks.”
The parents and leaders of this tournament deserve most of the blame for this irresponsible act, but shouldn’t we also throw some weight on Gallego’s shoulders because she has the power to nix this tournament?
Will Humble, the Arizona Public Health Association executive director, called the timing of the tournament “foolish.”
“It’s incredibly bad timing. I can’t think of a worse time to do something like this. What is so foolish about this is that we are now in exponential growth of the virus,” Humble told the Washington Post. “I don’t understand why city staff would approve something like that given the circumstances that we’re in.”
Millions of people in this country are a true danger to themselves. And the fact that parents are willing to put their children in harm’s way warrants a competent government stepping in to protect human life.
But unfortunately, that’s asking too much right now. Because free your face or something.
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