From Harrell C. Carter, Jr., president, Jackson-Madison County NAACP Branch –
“The recent decision to begin re-opening some local businesses for public participation further exposes our communities contact with this life-threatening virus.
“We are putting tremendous pressure on our first responders such as public and private transit workers, medical personnel including doctors and nurses, emergency responders such as law enforcement, fireman (sic), EMT’s, retail clerks and other essential personnel.
“We believe that this decision encourages a false sense of security. We understand local businesses who are being cripple by covid-19. We also know that tremendous pressures are on our health departments, local mayor’s and state officials, who are caught in an impossible situation. This requires each of us to answer the following question, how many lives are we willing to sacrifice for profit?”
1. We encourage more aggressive testing for all citizens in various parts of the city and county whether they show “non-systematic” are not, particularly in poverty communities of color
2. The testing should include as soon as possible nursing homes, the county workhouse, MC jail annex, CJC’s inmates and all staffs.
3. We also need our daily covid-19 reports to reflect the ethnicity of the victim(s) and percentages of residents tested per zip code, included in all daily press releases.
“We are encouraging all citizens to continue to stay home but use caution when exposed to the general public by wearing a mask, gloves, washing hands frequently, and social distancing. The local NAACP branch members and its community partners, are committed in working together in finding solutions and saving all lives.”
(PHOTO: NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM file photo, Harrell C. Carter, Jr.)
