Just under 244 years ago, in 1776, Thomas Paine started his epic pamphlet to urge all Americans to come to the aid of their country in it’s time of need. An while it was written at the start of a war with an infinitely more powerful foe I still think the spirit of “The American Crisis” is appropriate for today.

The Covid-19 pandemic is on the way to being the greatest crisis to actually strike the Americans in their homes since the American Civil War. An yes, I’m including the “Spanish Flu” pandemic of 1918/19. Unlike the “Spanish Flu” this crisis is not just medical, but also economic and quite possibly political. An it will not end with ending the “Stay at Home” order, be it four more weeks or eight or twelve more weeks.

The economy is going to change a great deal in the next few years. People are learning that work can be done at home. That it is not really necessary to have everyone crowded into a office. People will learn that they don’t need to go to the local Mall to do most of their shopping. I have no idea what is going to happen to the restaurant business but it too will be changing. What I can say is that I’m looking for a change in how America does business that will be as large and earth shaking as the changes I’ve seen in my life time. Only it won’t happen over 50 years but more like 5.

So now is the time for every American to get ready to step forth and do their best to make the changes as good as possible. Now is when we stop with blaming and start helping. Now is to fix a problem or potential problem when we discover it. As Pain said 244 years ago the “Sunshine Patriot” will shirk his duty then they will shirk it now. Now is when we must be ever vigilant for those who will seek to take advantage of the crisis for their own person gain, and stop them. We need to stop them where ever they spring up, and they will spring up, every time they spring up. An not just for the duration of medical crisis, but during the rebuilding over the next few years.

You don’t need to do anything big or showy, in fact the small and un-noticed will do more good when we all do it together.

In closing: “Take care of each other and be safe.”