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Editor's Note: LZ Granderson is a journalist and political analyst. He was a member of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and the Hechinger Institute of Columbia University. He is the sports and culture columnist for the Los Angeles Times and co-host of ESPN LA 710's “Mornings With Keyshawn, LZ, and Travis.” Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @lzgranderson. The opinions expressed in this comment are solely those of the author. See more opinion articles on CNNE.com/opinion.
(CNN) - I started the day in fear.
This Thursday the confinement order expires in Arizona and, to be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready. Do I have claustrophobia? Absolutely. Am I concerned about the impact that a prolonged shutdown may have on the economy? Without a doubt. But I also have my 73-year-old mother living with me and I am concerned that loosening the restrictions may put her at risk prematurely.
But then I saw a video of a contestant on "Jeopardy!" who confused Chaka Khan with Shaka Zulu, and all I could do was laugh. My worries didn't evaporate, but the debilitating feeling of fear does.
This column erupted from anger.
He was angry at those who demonstrated against the quarantine on the streets of central Columbia, South Carolina, with a small number of Confederation flags; In addition to that, the Mayor of Atlanta was called with the word that begins with "n" by people she is trying to save; He was furious that hate crimes against Asian Americans skyrocketed so dramatically in New York that the city now has a task force to address the issue.
At first, this column emerged from a dark and cold place, because it had finally accepted a disturbing truth: there is no answer to society's problems that is not ruined by the phrase "what's in it for me?" And so there I was, three-fourths of the way in writing a first draft, like a love letter to hate in our hearts, when I received a text message from my friend Michelle. It was a link to a video of Phil Collen from Def Leppard teaching people how to play "Pour Some Sugar on Me".
I love that song.
I love Phil.
What I liked the most was that Michelle knew that I loved them both and she sent it to me out of nowhere to brighten my day. And you know what? I removed that angry column. With so much anxiety already across the country, I wondered: Why spend time focusing on the more than 70,000 members of the Facebook group “Pennsylvania Against Excessive Quarantine” when John Krasinski's positive news show “Some Good News” has more than 2 million subscribers on YouTube?
That does not mean that the nation's challenges are best served by being ignored. In fact, it can be argued that it is our tendency to turn a blind eye to the most pressing problems that has allowed them to stay as long as they have. But in the midst of this shocking pandemic, I can't help but wonder: why feed more fear than hope?
I am not trying to minimize the harm caused by irresponsible behavior.
I have prayed for friends who caught it and I have cried for those who did not survive. So when I speak of hope, it does not come from a place isolated from reality. It comes from someone who was reminded that hope is part of our reality as much as anger.
Brianna Holt, senior editor at In The Know, posted a video of her mother talking to the family dog about Holt's length of stay, and it was hilarious. The Quarantine Club returned on Sunday, and this time D-Nice was using its popular live stream to support historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Alvin Ailey's “Night Creature” ballet can be viewed for free until April 30. A group of visual and performing artists, including my son, created a virtual gallery and theater until face-to-face attendance is possible again.
I started writing because I was angry, my anger was triggered by hypocritical politicians like Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who once supported President Donald Trump after he referred to law-abiding NFL players as "sons of p *** ”for protesting against police brutality. Now Jordan, like Trump, is supporting protesters who break the law and are against quarantine, to the point of wishing them "God bless you." This is a matter full of political expediency and racist nuances. It is infuriating. And yet my spirit changed dramatically after someone sent me a video of Rampage, the Los Angeles Rams mascot, doing yoga with a football.
I have not forgotten serious topics, but it is good to remember the parts of humanity that can generate a smile. Under normal circumstances, we refer to them as "the little things that make us happy." But what if from the beginning these treasures were never "little things"? What if they were always great things that just died for our attention?
Yes, there is much to fear. And a lot to be angry about. But as states cautiously open up, it's important to remember that fear and anger aren't the only things in life ... and they certainly aren't the things we should hold on to the most.
coronavirus