Editor's Note - April 2, 2020

It seems like there is a very fine line sometimes between preparation and panic. We are in the middle of a pandemic right now that is a perfect example. Is it crazy to be prepared for maybe an extended stay at the house? Maybe picking up a couple of extra rolls of toilet paper, or an extra bag of groceries to make sure you are covered. That seems pretty reasonable. But, if you go just a bit further down the road, there are plenty of people who seem to be preparing for Armageddon.

I have heard a lot of complaints about the stores limiting the number of loaves of bread you can buy, or the cases of water you can get. While it might seem frustrating going into a store and not being able to get as many of an item that you want, just think of the frustration you feel when you go looking for just one single loaf of bread and you encounter nothing but empty shelves. That certain someone was probably the same person the week before that bought enough milk for a thousand bowls of cereal.

The next time you think of going to several different stores, hell-bent on stockpiling for doomsday, please think of the little kid’s mouth that you have taken that out of. Or that elderly woman who is not able to go from store to store, searching for that elusive loaf of bread.

I remember back when 9/11 hit, this country came together like no other time in history. We were all Americans, not matter your race, religion or gender. In today’s climate, a lot of people are in survivalist mode that doesn’t identify our fellow Americans as brothers and sisters, but competitors on a giant game of Survivor.

I applaud the stores who are thoughtful enough to open early for the elderly so that they might be able to get what they need before the stampede of shoppers overtake the stores in their hunt for their share and more to take home and pile up in the garage. It is sad that the stores would even find it necessary to do that when our elderly and young children should be foremost in our minds, instead of that ME FIRST mentality that is the rage today.

The next time you are filling your cart, I hope you don’t have to think about the poor souls who are doing without so you might have aplenty.

Jamie Stewart is editor of The Shafter Press. The opinions expressed in this column are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of the paper or its management.