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Cooperation or Competion?

Here we are in Early May. Apparently there are multiple ways to measure it, but "the curve" looks sometime like this: 

I am struck at how insensitive and easily manipulated most people seem to be. Yes, there is a concerted "ReOpen" so-called "movement" on the streets in Raleigh and Pittsboro, but it's membership, it's tone and symbols have all been transparently political. Why then are people behaving the way they are? As I do my daily rounds to change water at the hand-washing stations around Chapel Hill/Carrboro, I've noticed a rather different curve when it comes to the number of people out and about, the number of people wearing masks, how people space themselves. Caution peaked a couple weeks ago, and well over 75% of people I see now show no signs of awareness it is anything other than a beautiful spring day. Look, my friends, "the curve is starting to flatten" means WE ARE APPROACHING THE PEAK. It does not mean we are in the clear. What do we hear if we carefully listen to what our wanna be dicatator-in-chief and aspiring governors? What exactly do they want to reopen? Public spaces re-engineered for the sake of our collective mental health? Safe and healthy green jobs so we can pay our rent and mortgages? No! They want to reopen "The Economy" because it impacts their political fortunes and paying out for unemployment and housing threatens a generations worth of wealth concentration.

How did we get to this place of poor judgement?

Rather than a broad cooperative effort seeking scientific truth & the best way forward, we are locked into competing narratives. This is our cult, the cult of competition: competing truths in the media, cut throat capitalism, winner-takes-all politics propped up with half-truths on all sides. Because we’re cynically used to competing exagerations, the default middle ground is to shrug and go about your day hoping for the best.

Sigh.

Meanwhile good people continue doing their best.

Did you know the Carrboro Farmers Market is handing out $10 worth of free food to those in need?

It’s not clear yet exactly what this means for delaying evictions for the very many out of work and unable to pay rent, but apparently the NC courts will be closed for a couple more months, at least for some purposes. Here’s an updated “know your rights” run-down for renters. There’s also a take on this info from the county; it's interesting to compare/contrast the two. Important basic points: eviction is a legal process in which renters have rights, landlords cannot legally just lock you out. Until the court system finds a way to deal with eviction filings, there can be no legal evictions. Landlords whose mortgages are federally subsidized are prohibited from evicting for nonpayment through the end of July. If you are facing unjust action from a landlord and want to organize in opposition you can contact the NC Solidarity Network.

Kate Rhudy and Libby Rodenbough pulled in over $1,500 in donations to the Covid-19 Relief Fund organized by Mutual Aid Carrboro and the Piedmont chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. In total we're well over $50,000 and while we're super excited by all the people we've been able to help, you should also know there is a very long list of people who have applied and waiting for help. The small grants going out are making the difference for people trying to choose between rent, car payments, medicine and food for their families. 

For better or worse, Facebook is serving as an important platform for connections and information sharing amongst many people focused on forming neighborhood-level Mutual Aid networks in Durham. Posts recently include exchanges of direct monetary aid, coordinating resources such as clothing and food, rental rights information, garden seedlings, a report-back on impacts in the Latinx community, coordination and contacts for homemade masks, discussion of  what Mutual Aid is and is not, and much more. 

In case you haven’t seen these elsewhere:

• Piedmont Health Services now testing asymptomatic patients, people can call Carrboro PHS clinic (919) 942-8741 for appt; testing also available at PHS clinics in Burlington, Moncure, Siler City
• Here’s a compilation of resources put together by Orange County Health Department
• Housing & homeless resources
• People in housing crisis can contact the Housing Helpline for assistance: 919-245-2655, available noon-4pm and overnights, Monday-Friday; [email protected] - emails returned during weekday office hours
• Phone & Internet access are available at the IFC Community Kitchen. NEW HOURS: 12:30-2:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Showers available at Hargraves Center 3 days a week: Monday and Fridays, 8-10am and Wednesdays 4-6pm

Homeless program advocates list a number of needs including phones, tents, traps, hammocks, bath towels, disinfecting wipes, and N95 masks.