Should we really let freedom ring?😷

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April 29, 2020

What is the cost of freedom?

This loaded question has plagued our nation since its inception. As true then as it is now, freedom comes at a cost. Liberation for some almost always means punishment and oppression for others. So, is the idea of freedom itself inherently selfish?

I've been thinking about this a lot as we witness a nation at war with itself. As the tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has passed 1 million (and the death toll nearing 60,000) the demands for FREEDOM! can be heard from the Rust Belt to the Golden State. As some communities celebrate a relaxation of restrictions—opening beaches and parks, small businesses, and even schools—others are tightening the strings of shelter-at-home mandates even further.

What will the cost be to some for others to feel free? We don't need a crystal ball to help us know. Communities of color are being disproportionately impacted by the virus in every possible way. Workers in the food industry are at great risk, with thousands getting sick. Doctors and nurses are battling the true trauma that comes with losing hundreds of patients a day. And so as we watch many demand freedom, the costs can't be ignored. While we're a nation of individuals, I can only think about the importance of acting together as a community.

We all need each other, and DAME needs you. Maintaining our journalistic freedom, and continuing to cover the people, the ideas, and the issues that matter most to each of us is a service we are determined to continue, but we truly can't do it without your support. Please consider joining our community for as little as $2.20 or $4.99 per month, and asking your friends to do the same.

Yours in socially distanced solidarity and with gratitude,

-- Jennifer Reitman, Founder & Publisher

PS: Please consider sharing our membership link with friends and family to help us reach our goal of 5000 members.

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What we're reading

The New York Times on how so many women are grappling with the reality of gender dynamics, and the struggle to balance work from home.

Forge has a thought experiment for us. And it may just help us be happier in the future.

The Atlantic prognosticates how the devastating impact of COVID-19 may impact our streetscapes

Speaking of freedom, our piece on rugged individualism and how it hurts us during a pandemic

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