OPINION / EDITORIAL
With epidemic raging, US is becoming a living hell: Global Times editorial
Published: Dec 06, 2020 07:02 PM

Pedestrians wearing face masks walk past the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the US, on March 18. Photo: Xinhua



The US is getting bogged down in a humanitarian disaster caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. However, US federal government officials maintain an indifferent attitude, refusing to mobilize the entire country to adopt forceful emergency measures. This is heinous malfeasance. They are undoubtedly committing a monstrous crime that cannot be forgiven. 

The US reported 1 million new COVID-19 cases in the first five days of December and more than 2,000 daily deaths. On Thursday alone, the country recorded 2,879 deaths caused by COVID-19. Hospitals are running out of beds. Crematoriums and cemeteries in some parts of the US have insufficient capacity to cope with the crisis. 

The US, which is supposed to be the most developed country in the world today, has become the most terrifying place on the planet where the novel coronavirus is claiming lives.

What is a living hell? The US is a vivid portrayal of that right now. Quite a few countries have become crippled due to US "human rights" accusations. Others have been kidnapped by alliances with the US. 

But it is time for the international community to stand up bravely and point at the current ruling administration of the US. The super power must be bluntly told: You are killing your own people. You are crossing the bottom line of humanitarianism. You are a shameful deserter and traitor of humanity as the rest of us fiercely fight the virus.

All people are born equal. Everyone has the right to avoid infection and death from disease. Even if they refuse to comply with epidemic prevention measures due to personal reasons the government is supposed to create conditions to protect them, not leaving them alone with the excuse of "God's" mercy. 

Americans are also humans. They are not supposed to be treated as expendables of the Trump administration's defenseless epidemic strategy. So far, more than 281,000 Americans have died because of the novel coronavirus. It is predicted that daily death counts could surpass 4,000 in the coming months. This is a massacre, and a shame for humanity in the 21st century.

A Brookings Institution survey found that 10 percent of American mothers reported that their children under the age of five went hungry to some degree in October and November. Nearly 12 percent of adults said they live in a household where there was not enough to eat "sometimes" or "often" last month, according to the US Department of Commerce. Long lines are spotted in the US with people queuing up for free food. Is that what the world's richest country should look like? 

There are many defects and loopholes in the US federal government's abilities to effectively handle the public health crisis under the current administration. The US has been dragged into a long-term political struggle by its political elites. People can clearly see that the current US government has no interest in fighting the virus. They're only focused on election-related political interests. US society has been divided because of polarized politics. It cannot reach a consensus on pandemic controls. It appears to be a collapsing sand castle. 

If the COVID-19 pandemic were something that couldn't be curbed, the US failure could be forgiven. But many Asian countries and economies, including China, have put the virus' spread under control. This fully indicates it can be contained. As such, the US has neither reason nor morality to give up its anti-pandemic efforts. 

The current US government attaches great importance to economy. But is the US economy getting better? What else economic results can the US government boast about except the abnormal prosperity caused by rushes of hot money into the stock market from quantitative easing? 

The pandemic lays bare the arrogance and stupidity of this US government. It has no moral compass and has shirked its own responsibilities by passing the buck to others. So many lives have been lost. It's a tragedy caused by capitalist tyranny under the disguise of "democracy and freedom." 

What punishments will the politicians who committed these crimes against humanity receive? Everyone in the world is watching the US now, expecting the incoming administration to have the moral courage to punish evil and stand steadfast for righteous justice and rule of law.