This September feels a little odd. After a spring and summer lost to coronavirus, many of us thought fall would be the time when things started to get back to normal. It hasn’t, at least not yet.
The decision by the Big Ten Conference to cancel the entire football season has left many in our community disappointed and angry. While many believed and begrudgingly accepted that the season would be played without fans in the stands, there was still an anticipation of football. There was a possibility of a late start to the season or a modified schedule, but there would still be football. Very few of us expected a complete cancellation of the season.
The pageantry and tradition of college football is synonymous with fall. It is something to look forward to and it allows us to feel collective joy.
While there will be no football, there will be students in town. The return of Penn State students is a welcome sight. The energy and economic stimulus they bring to our community is greatly needed. While some may have concerns about restarting in-person classes, it is the right thing to do.
The same can be said for our public and private schools. Students need to be back in the classroom. To continue this quarantine on face-to-face learning and interaction could be more damaging than the virus itself. Yes, there are still possible risks. But everything in life has some risk attached. To help mitigate these risks, wearing masks when necessary and social distancing at school should be observed. To continue to deny students the opportunity to return to school would be wrong.
A return to greater economic activity is also in order. The continued restrictions on capacities at restaurants and bars is simply bureaucratic overreach. With social distancing and requested mask use, these venues could operate at a much higher capacity. The continued obsession with lockdown, mandates and government control on the state and local level is not helping the economy or our fight against the virus.
When looking to the future, do not be paralyzed with fear. Everything that can be done to return our life to normal should be done as soon as possible. Life is either normal or it is not. We should not perpetuate the abnormality. We will overcome this crisis and move forward.
Bernard A. Oravec
Publisher
boravec@barashmedia.com
