True American way

I was surprised and disturbed by a recent letter from Spokane doctor Michael Judd, M.D. (“What will history say?”, Dec. 24). In his letter he downplays the effectiveness of wearing masks and quarantining, and suggests that history will show that our attempt to save the 1% who contracted the disease and died from it (325,000 to date and growing at about 1,500 a day) has ruined the American way of life for the other 99%.

He makes a point of saying that 80% of the dead are over 65, as if older people like myself are expendable and can be culled from the herd with no affect. All this coming from a guy who presumably took an oath not to do harm. It’s as if this guy blames the 1% who have died for ruining his way of life. Can’t vacation in Palm Springs, Doc?

Evidently this person would simply ignore the virus and let the hospital beds overflow and refrigeration trucks line up to hold the bodies. Today the leading cause of death in this country on a daily basis is COVID-19, more than heart disease or cancer. Until the vaccine is widely available, masks and quarantining are the only proven methods to stop the spread. The galling thing about this is that this doctor will be able to jump the line to get vaccinated, much like the politicians in D.C. who are also deemed essential (what a joke).

I’m hopeful that history will show that this country used every proven method to save the lives of our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. This is the true American Way, not the selfish me-first attitude espoused by this guy.

Terry Neumann

Spokane Valley