After a two-year hiatus, Edgartown, a town on Martha’s Vineyard, resumed its July 4th celebration with a parade and fireworks over the Edgartown Harbor. The parade route was packed with people of all ages, from young babies to octogenarians and I felt distinctly uncomfortable mingling in the crowd, especially since COVID cases are surging on the island. Indeed, the county of Dukes County (where Edgartown is located) is now considered a high risk area for COVID along with the County of Nantucket; the two islands are higher risk than any other counties in Massachusetts, according to a recent report. Ironically, these two islands off of Cape Cod used to be in the low-risk category until mid-June when visitors started arriving in droves and brought the virus to the island. Since I came on island in late June, two friends of mine have tested positive for COVID, one hours before she was supposed to host a July 4th party to which I was invited! She, of course, had to cancel the party, and I took the precaution of taking not one but two rapid tests over the next two days. We had talked and danced together at an outdoors dance concert in Oak Bluffs just four days prior, so I had been exposed. Thankfully, I tested negative both times.
But the crowds at Edgartown’s July 4th parade seemed oblivious to the still-prevalent threat of COVID, and they also seemed unconcerned that just that morning, a 21-year white man, using a high-powered rifle, was arrested for killing six people and wounding 30 more at a similar parade in Highland Parks, Illinois. Parade-goers in Edgartown were wearing USA top hats and flag T-shirts and people seemed desperate to celebrate something, anything, at a time when the world and our own country seems to be falling apart, politically and economically. Mass shootings are on the rise and anyone seems to be able to get a semi-automatic weapon whenever and wherever they want to. Even states with strict gun laws such as Massachusetts are experiencing a rise in gun violence, with guns easily brought in from other states. So I was a little surprised at how sanguine the crowd at the Edgartown parade and the fireworks that evening appeared.
Obviously, most people who can vacation on Martha’s Vineyard have means and perhaps they think they are immune to the violence permeating our society. But the folks in Highland Parks, an affluent suburb of Chicago, probably thought so too, until the shooter yesterday forever changed their minds. And of course COVID doesn’t care how much money you have. Even if you’ve been vaccinated and boosted, as my dancing friend was, it will find you if you’ve been in close proximity to someone with the virus. So while I was glad to see people having fun on July 4th — god knows we need something to celebrate — I couldn’t help but wonder: as our basic human rights — to an abortion, to safe, clean environments — are being stripped away one by one, are our celebrations akin to dancing on the Titanic?
This blog is also posted on medium.com.
