Yes, I Said It

Yesterday Twitter directed me to a thread of things people have been saying since the start of the Covid-19 quarantine. The only one I can remember at the moment went something like this:

If you’re going to eat lo mein on a Zoom call, at least mute yourself.

There’s something I’ve been hearing a lot of lately amongst the locals, and it’s something I don’t  think many were expecting to ever say:

I didn’t vote for Governor Hogan, but...
I don't usually agree with the Governor, but...
I voted against Hogan both times, but...

...he’s doing a good job in this crisis.
...I’m grateful for his leadership right now.
...I think he’s making responsible choices to protect Marylanders.

Truth in advertising: I am one of those people. I think we are incredibly fortunate to have a governor  who takes this medical crisis seriously when, in other states, the response has been wholly inadequate. Yesterday the announcement of a deal to bring 500,000 testing kits to the state was something to cheer about, no matter what your political party.

Seeing Mr. Hogan step up and giving his all during this crisis makes me wonder. It may seem unfair to you that I could possibly be wanting more at a time like this, but here goes.

When this is all over, as much as it ever can be, imagine a world where Mr. Hogan stepped up to advocate for Baltimore in just the same way as he is fighting for the state of Maryland right now. No judging, no throwing shade, no victim blaming. Imagine a Hogan who was willing to hold press conferences that made it clear that the safety and success of Baltimore was his concern and everyone’s concern.

Surely someone who can negotiate around the difficulties of the current White House occupant’s floundering and sabotage can roll up their sleeves and work with any leaders in his own state to make things better. He’d just have to believe it’s that important. Is that too much to ask of the Governor of a State?

As a teacher, I know when a student is headed towards mastery. When they are willing to persist through struggle and multiple attempts to solve a problem, I know that they will soon be ready to tackle new challenges.

Throughout this current public health crisis, Governor Hogan has shown that he is willing to make the most of every possible asset and to forge new connections to solve problems in unexpected ways. Good for him.

Now do Baltimore. ( I mean, take a breather first, but then, let’s all get to work.)