Although President Donald Trump has been sticking to Coronavirus crisis responses like belligerent conspiracy theories about medical personnel supposedly hoarding supplies — they’re not — others, like former First Lady Michelle Obama, have stepped up to provide inspirational leadership in the president’s absence. This week, she shared a message on Twitter admonishing her followers to thank those like first responders who are on the front lines of the fight against the virus — the exact same sorts of people that Trump threw under the bus with his gross, baseless conspiracy theory about supply hoarding.
Stories have repeatedly spread far and wide across social media of the first responders and other medical personnel putting themselves on the line to bring support to the growing number of Coronavirus victims. Reporter Michael Wilson spoke about the “now-constant peal of the ambulance siren” in New York City, which has been hit especially hard.
Michelle Obama tweeted, alongside some photos showing examples of what she was referencing:
‘If you’re feeling as grateful to––and in awe of––our first responders as I am, now is the time to let them know. A handwritten letter, a social media post, or a simple “thank you” text can go a long way in showing our appreciation for these heroes among us.’
If you’re feeling as grateful to––and in awe of––our first responders as I am, now is the time to let them know. A handwritten letter, a social media post, or a simple “thank you” text can go a long way in showing our appreciation for these heroes among us. pic.twitter.com/DNFtFYF9SZ
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) April 1, 2020
It’s incredible that a basic level of respect for first responders can’t even be taken as a given from the president of the United States amidst an increasingly deadly national crisis. During a recent CNN segment, emergency room physician Dr. Leana Wen called Trump’s idea that medical personnel are hoarding supplies “insulting.”
This is the week the coronavirus truly took hold in New York City, its arrival announced with the now-constant peal of the ambulance siren. Everyone knows someone who is sick. https://t.co/BFqX9BPsbM
— Michael Wilson (@MWilsonNYT) April 2, 2020
Workers in many other industries have been gravely affected by the Coronavirus outbreak as well. This past week, a staggering 6.6 million Americans newly filed for unemployment, which followed the previous one-week record of some 3.3 million new filings just the week before. That’s almost ten million Americans who’ve been left out of work amidst the fight to stem the spread of the Coronavirus.
Check out Twitter’s response to Michelle Obama below:
