csmonitor--2020-03-18--Daily for March 18, 2020

Daily for March 18, 2020

One thing quarantines can ’ t stop is the spread of false information and fear on Facebook and other popular platforms .
In the world ’ s first social media pandemic , that presents a parallel set of challenges for citizens and leaders alike .
Many have found social media an effective tool for rapidly conveying official guidelines and recommended practices , as well as for connecting with each other and supporting the most vulnerable in society .
But mixed in has been a torrent of misguided advice and inaccurate claims – including from supposedly scientific studies .
This false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made it difficult to ascertain clearly the scope of the global health challenge and how best to address it .
The director-general of the World Health Organization has called on governments , companies , and news outlets around the globe to tackle an “ infodemic ” of fake news , which he characterized as being as dangerous as the coronavirus itself .
The U.S. State Department ’ s foreign propaganda-busting center has compiled a report on some 2 million tweets spreading conspiracy theories about the epidemic , concluding that at least some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns involving fake accounts , according to The Washington Post .
And amid the swirl of dire predictions , a microbiology professor in Spain has deemed this a “ pandemic of fear.
” { Editor 's note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Indeed , fear and false information have gone viral .
Everyone from data scientists and doctors to psychologists and pastors are weighing in on how to contain this infodemic and its attendant effects .
Many see an opportunity for society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis the stronger for it .
“ Sometimes a crisis can give us a lot of fear but it can also prompt us to think deeper and to think better , ” says Kristen Lee , a behavioral science professor at Northeastern University in Boston who cautions against “ hype contagion.
” To avoid the sometimes paralyzing effects of fear , she advocates limiting social media consumption and finding opportunities to help others and live in a purpose-driven way .
“ When we ’ re using our skills , resources , and capacities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Dr. Lee says , “ that really is known to elevate and protect our well-being through times of difficulty.
” Carl Bergstrom , a biologist at the University of Washington , says half-jokingly that he was “ pre-designed ” for this crisis , with a background in studying novel infectious diseases as well as how information spreads through networks from ant colonies to Facebook .
As he ’ s monitored false information online about COVID-19 , he ’ s seen everything from anti-China conspiracy theories including the intentional development of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” peddling fake cures .
Those cures have included special toothpaste and potions , prompting a spoof from comedian John Oliver who offered “ Premium Werewolf Solution ” for $ 49.99 .
One of the challenges of combating false information is the underlying architecture of social media and the algorithms that drive it .
“ What goes viral doesn ’ t have a lot to do with what ’ s true , it has to do with what ’ s shocking , ” says Professor Bergstrom , who commends social media companies for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their platforms .
“ On the one hand , kudos to them for doing that .
On the other hand , the problem exists in an ecosystem of their making.
” In addition to the often well-intentioned sharing of unverified information that turns out to be false , another threat is organized disinformation campaigns designed to distract , distort , and deceive .
When the crisis ramped up last week , there was a four- to five-day window in which official communication channels were relatively unfettered by such campaigns , says Marc Ambinder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Southern California studying disinformation and cybersecurity around elections .
But , he adds , if the number of cases spikes , “ there ’ s going to be more anxiety , and the purveyors of disinformation in this arms race are going to regain their footing very quickly.
” The Trump administration has alleged that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway to sow fear .
This past weekend , the National Security Council tweeted , “ Text message rumors of a national # quarantine are FAKE .
There is no national lockdown.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ missives .
And the Pentagon has called out China for spreading “ false & absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members.
” An internal European Union document describes a “ significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19 ” in numerous languages designed to “ exacerbate confusion , panic and fear ” and thereby undermine public trust in authorities and national health care systems .
Messages in Spanish , for example , “ advance apocalyptic stories , blame capitalists for trying to benefit from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia and [ President Vladimir ] Putin are dealing with the outbreak , ” according to a Financial Times report .
Nicholas Christakis , a physician and sociologist at Yale who has become a prominent voice on COVID-19 , complained on Twitter of having gained the unwanted attention of lots of Russian bots .
“ Their intent seems to be to waste my time .
Their psychological tricks are incredible , ” he wrote .
Toomas Hendrik Ilves , the former president of Estonia , which is a leader in countering disinformation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and dismay are par for the course .
He tweeted back , “ No need to interact .
Block.
” Dealing with fear , strengthening one another In this turgid information environment , it has been difficult for leaders to find “ a healthy balance between conveying calm and being frank about troubling facts , ” as former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. advised in a Washington Post op-ed last week .
Imparting lessons he learned from helping to steer the nation through the 2008 economic crisis , he called fear “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself.
” To be sure , minimizing or ignoring information from official sources carries its own dangers , and there is disagreement about what constitutes an “ appropriate ” level of fear .
Some say fear spurs people into necessary action .
But it can also lead to poor decision-making and unnecessary worry , and negatively affect one ’ s health .
“ After working for 45 years in the field of psychiatry , I have seen fear cause a lot of long-term consequences in people ’ s lives , ” says Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington and the 2018 American Psychiatric Nurses Association ’ s Psychiatric Nurse of the Year .
“ Ultimately , over time , it can lead to compromising your immune system.
” In addition to mental health professionals ’ efforts to help people address their fears , faith leaders are also pointing seekers to spiritual sources and encouraging them to minister to their neighbors .
“ There ’ s not only a physical toll but there ’ s a psychological , emotional , and spiritual toll that we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pray through , ” says Derwin Gray , lead elder-pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land , South Carolina , citing scriptural promises of reassurance .
“ When we are serving other people ’ s needs , that ’ s when we tend to be the most healthy.
” Coming together to work through this crisis could be a catalyst for human progress , says virologist Anjeanette Roberts , who worked on SARS for three years and serves as a research scholar with Reasons to Believe .
“ It ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the very best in us because it makes us lay aside what we tend to focus on that can divide us , ” says Dr. Roberts , a public advocate of her Christian faith who is deeply concerned about the level of polarization in American society today .
“ We have gotten really far away from the idea of ‘ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
’ ” Now , with a global health challenge that has neighbors leaning out their windows and singing together , younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbors , little kids leaving drawings in every mailbox in their neighborhood , and many other examples of people helping each other , some see an opportunity not only to survive the crisis but come out stronger for it .
Pastor Gray says , “ I think it ’ s putting us in a place of saying , ‘ Wow , maybe I do need a hope and a power and a strength and a love that is beyond me.
’ ” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Combating an ‘infodemic’: When fear and false information go viral Collapse
Brian Melley/AP View caption Hide caption Alex Won shows the message that spread the rumor on social media, while he was eating at Han Bat Shul Lung Tang restaurant in Los Angeles on Feb. 28, 2020. Han Bat Shul Lung Tang was one of five restaurants that lost business after being named in posts on a Korean messaging app that warned a Korean Air flight attendant with the virus had dined there during a layover in Los Angeles more than a week ago. "It's fake news," the restaurant owner John Kim said, and he had proof. His restaurant was closed at the time because of a water leak, a fact confirmed by the Department of Public Health.
One thing quarantines can’t stop is the spread of false information and fear on Facebook and other popular platforms. In the world’s first social media pandemic, that presents a parallel set of challenges for citizens and leaders alike.
Many have found social media an effective tool for rapidly conveying official guidelines and recommended practices, as well as for connecting with each other and supporting the most vulnerable in society. But mixed in has been a torrent of misguided advice and inaccurate claims – including from supposedly scientific studies. This false information has amplified concerns in ways that have made it difficult to ascertain clearly the scope of the global health challenge and how best to address it.
The director-general of the World Health Organization has called on governments, companies, and news outlets around the globe to tackle an “infodemic” of fake news, which he characterized as being as dangerous as the coronavirus itself. The U.S. State Department’s foreign propaganda-busting center has compiled a report on some 2 million tweets spreading conspiracy theories about the epidemic, concluding that at least some of the activity was due to coordinated campaigns involving fake accounts, according to The Washington Post. And amid the swirl of dire predictions, a microbiology professor in Spain has deemed this a “pandemic of fear.”
{Editor's note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Indeed, fear and false information have gone viral. Everyone from data scientists and doctors to psychologists and pastors are weighing in on how to contain this infodemic and its attendant effects. Many see an opportunity for society and individuals to come out of this crisis the stronger for it.
“Sometimes a crisis can give us a lot of fear but it can also prompt us to think deeper and to think better,” says Kristen Lee, a behavioral science professor at Northeastern University in Boston who cautions against “hype contagion.”
To avoid the sometimes paralyzing effects of fear, she advocates limiting social media consumption and finding opportunities to help others and live in a purpose-driven way. “When we’re using our skills, resources, and capacities to contribute to the betterment of society,” Dr. Lee says, “that really is known to elevate and protect our well-being through times of difficulty.”
Claudio Furlan/LaPresse/AP View caption Hide caption People walk past a billboard reading "Andra tutto bene," which is Italian for "Everything will be alright," in Milan, Italy. Amid a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Italians are finding ways to come together virtually in solidarity. This week, children’s drawings of rainbows are appearing all over social media as well as on balconies and windows in major cities.
From “snake-oil salesmen” to Kremlin disinformation
Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington, says half-jokingly that he was “pre-designed” for this crisis, with a background in studying novel infectious diseases as well as how information spreads through networks from ant colonies to Facebook.
As he’s monitored false information online about COVID-19, he’s seen everything from anti-China conspiracy theories including the intentional development of coronavirus as a bioweapon to “snake-oil salesmen” peddling fake cures. Those cures have included special toothpaste and potions, prompting a spoof from comedian John Oliver who offered “Premium Werewolf Solution” for $49.99.
One of the challenges of combating false information is the underlying architecture of social media and the algorithms that drive it.
“What goes viral doesn’t have a lot to do with what’s true, it has to do with what’s shocking,” says Professor Bergstrom, who commends social media companies for trying to prevent misinformation from spreading on their platforms. “On the one hand, kudos to them for doing that. On the other hand, the problem exists in an ecosystem of their making.”
In addition to the often well-intentioned sharing of unverified information that turns out to be false, another threat is organized disinformation campaigns designed to distract, distort, and deceive.
When the crisis ramped up last week, there was a four- to five-day window in which official communication channels were relatively unfettered by such campaigns, says Marc Ambinder, a digital fellow at the University of Southern California studying disinformation and cybersecurity around elections. But, he adds, if the number of cases spikes, “there’s going to be more anxiety, and the purveyors of disinformation in this arms race are going to regain their footing very quickly.”
The Trump administration has alleged that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway to sow fear. This past weekend, the National Security Council tweeted, “Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown.” Governors and mayors have issued similar missives. And the Pentagon has called out China for spreading “false & absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members.”
An internal European Union document describes a “significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19” in numerous languages designed to “exacerbate confusion, panic and fear” and thereby undermine public trust in authorities and national health care systems. Messages in Spanish, for example, “advance apocalyptic stories, blame capitalists for trying to benefit from the virus, and emphasise how well Russia and [President Vladimir] Putin are dealing with the outbreak,” according to a Financial Times report.
Nicholas Christakis, a physician and sociologist at Yale who has become a prominent voice on COVID-19, complained on Twitter of having gained the unwanted attention of lots of Russian bots. “Their intent seems to be to waste my time. Their psychological tricks are incredible,” he wrote.
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the former president of Estonia, which is a leader in countering disinformation, responded that attempts to disrupt, disinform, and dismay are par for the course. He tweeted back, “No need to interact. Block.”
Ever since I started tweeting useful and accurate information about coronavirus, I seem to have attracted the attention of a lot of Russian bots (with 50 followers and nutty twitter streams). Their intent seems to be to waste my time. Their psychological tricks are incredible. — Nicholas A. Christakis (@NAChristakis) March 16, 2020
Dealing with fear, strengthening one another
In this turgid information environment, it has been difficult for leaders to find “a healthy balance between conveying calm and being frank about troubling facts,” as former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. advised in a Washington Post op-ed last week. Imparting lessons he learned from helping to steer the nation through the 2008 economic crisis, he called fear “as big an enemy as the virus itself.”
To be sure, minimizing or ignoring information from official sources carries its own dangers, and there is disagreement about what constitutes an “appropriate” level of fear. Some say fear spurs people into necessary action. But it can also lead to poor decision-making and unnecessary worry, and negatively affect one’s health.
“After working for 45 years in the field of psychiatry, I have seen fear cause a lot of long-term consequences in people’s lives,” says Dr. Mary Moller, associate professor of nursing at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington and the 2018 American Psychiatric Nurses Association’s Psychiatric Nurse of the Year. “Ultimately, over time, it can lead to compromising your immune system.”
In addition to mental health professionals’ efforts to help people address their fears, faith leaders are also pointing seekers to spiritual sources and encouraging them to minister to their neighbors.
“There’s not only a physical toll but there’s a psychological, emotional, and spiritual toll that we need to be aware of and we need to pray through,” says Derwin Gray, lead elder-pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina, citing scriptural promises of reassurance. “When we are serving other people’s needs, that’s when we tend to be the most healthy.”
Coming together to work through this crisis could be a catalyst for human progress, says virologist Anjeanette Roberts, who worked on SARS for three years and serves as a research scholar with Reasons to Believe.
“It’s the crises that have the ability to bring out the very best in us because it makes us lay aside what we tend to focus on that can divide us,” says Dr. Roberts, a public advocate of her Christian faith who is deeply concerned about the level of polarization in American society today. “We have gotten really far away from the idea of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’”
Now, with a global health challenge that has neighbors leaning out their windows and singing together, younger people going grocery shopping for their older neighbors, little kids leaving drawings in every mailbox in their neighborhood, and many other examples of people helping each other, some see an opportunity not only to survive the crisis but come out stronger for it.
Pastor Gray says, “I think it’s putting us in a place of saying, ‘Wow, maybe I do need a hope and a power and a strength and a love that is beyond me.’”
Editor’s note: As a public service, we’ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-03-27--Troops on streets? Not so fast. US military sends hospital ships.

For now , the active-duty military ’ s most visible role will be in deploying hospital ships to New York and California to relieve pressure on emergency wards .
Behind the scenes , troops will also be moving medical supplies into place .
Supply chain logistics is a military strength .
As the Army saying goes , “ Amateurs talk strategy , experts talk logistics.
” In times of crisis , many public officials want to call in the troops to show they ’ re taking threats seriously , notes retired Col. Mark Cancian at the Center for Strategic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t mean putting Guardsmen in charge of law enforcement .
Not so , insists the Defense Department , which is keen to stress that the military is definitely not on the march .
Indeed , the idea that martial law is imminent belies a history in which the use of such powers are exceedingly rare .
By contrast , the National Guard has long played a role in aiding civil responses , from Hurricane Katrina to border protection .
States are struggling to support health systems that are increasingly strained by the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states have called up their National Guard to help with logistical challenges .
That mobilization has fueled social media speculation that troops will soon be policing American cities .
As political leaders across America call for more troops to fight the coronavirus , Pentagon officials are pushing for a U.S. military role that is decidedly , well , unmilitaristic .
This will be no small challenge , they privately allow , as all states and territories have declared emergencies , and governors have activated some 12,000 of their National Guardsmen .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call-up of thousands of National Guard troops for New York , California , and Washington .
And naval hospital ships are being deployed to take the pressure off coastal city hospitals .
These rapid developments have triggered a spate of social media posts speculating that these call-ups mark the beginning of martial law to tamp down civil unrest .
Defense officials have been quick to shoot down these conjectures , with only a hint of exasperation .
There has been no behind-the-scenes “ conspiring ” to use the National Guard “ to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter in place and quarantine , ” Gen. Joseph Lengyel , chief of the National Guard , said in a briefing with reporters last week .
Asked if U.S. troops would help carry out curfews , or take on other law enforcement roles , General Lengyel was unenthusiastic .
National Guardsmen could , he allowed , but he didn ’ t see any great call for this .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we ’ ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tension between public officials under pressure to “ do something ” during national upheaval and a military anxious to demonstrate its deference to civilian control .
In times of crisis , many public officials want to call in the troops “ almost as a symbolic act , ” a sign they ’ re taking things very seriously , says retired Col. Mark Cancian , senior analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies – even as the Pentagon is trying to stay far away from anything resembling military rule on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used rarely in U.S. history .
In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor , for example , trial by jury was suspended and Hawaiians – more than one-third of whom were of Japanese descent – were issued identity papers they had to produce on demand .
The National Guard , on the other hand , is frequently called out by state governors , mostly during national disasters , including Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the California wildfires of 2019 .
Complicating matters , public officials “ don ’ t always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can not do , ” notes Colonel Cancian .
For starters , the Posse Comitatus Act ( PCA ) of 1878 bars active-duty troops from policing fellow citizens – including seemingly innocuous jobs like dispersing crowds – unless there ’ s an invasion of foreign troops or an “ insurrection.
” The mass looting of grocery stores for toilet paper likely wouldn ’ t qualify here , Colonel Cancian says .
A presidential declaration or a congressional statute can override the PCA , a move that Kori Schake , director of defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , sees as a possibility to protect medical workers and deliver supplies to hospitals , for example , if the pandemic continues to worsen .
That said , “ it ought to be a last resort , ” she says .
Barring such a move , the National Guard can legally take on law enforcement duties – though it ’ s not at the top of its to-do list .
“ The reason is that soldiers make lousy policemen ” – and they know it , says Colonel Cancian .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the way they ’ re trained .
Policemen are [ ideally ] trained to look at people and say , ‘ These are citizens that need to be protected.
’ Soldiers are trained to look at people and say , ‘ These are threats that need to be neutralized.
’ ” For this reason , when U.S. troops deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border , as they have in successive administrations , they support law enforcement chiefly through “ administrative , logistical , and operational support , ” a Defense Department report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army saying goes , “ Amateurs talk strategy , experts talk logistics.
” It is keeping the supply chain running during times of crisis that is the U.S. military ’ s secret weapon for winning wars of all sorts .
Many of these logistics in the coming weeks will involve moving medical supplies into place and providing hospital beds , defense officials say .
President Trump has dispatched the Pentagon ’ s two hospital ships to try to relieve city emergency services .
The USNS Mercy arrived Friday in Los Angeles , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early this week .
These ships are more helpful for treating trauma than dealing with infectious disease , since the bunk-style beds don ’ t have segregated recovery areas .
They can , however , along with temporary treatment tents set up by the military , be used to free up space at hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients .
“ As trauma patients come in , instead of going into the hospital , they would go into the field hospital , where we could treat the broken legs , the lacerations , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle them in our big open bays , ” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said at a recent press briefing .
The U.S. military can also help provide vital transportation links .
But even as all this is happening , military strategists will be keeping an eye trained outward , says Dr. Schake .
“ Our military are good strategists , and good strategists worry in this time of national crisis that our ( foreign ) enemies might try and take advantage and do something damaging to our national interests.
” This may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stir up fears of martial law , Secretary Esper said Tuesday .
“ We probably have external actors , countries that want to sow chaos in the United States and are injecting some of this into the ecosystem.
” Against this backdrop , one recurring theme in military war games “ is the temptation to overcommit – then you don ’ t have resources for subsequent challenges , ” Dr. Schake adds .
For this reason , “ There ’ s a tendency for the military to always want to keep something in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for America ’ s allies as well , Mr. Esper added .
“ As the coronavirus hits different countries differently , and as they react differently over time , it may present [ national security ] challenges for us , ” he said .
“ With allies , it may be incumbent upon us to help them.
” Editor ’ s note : This story was updated on Monday , March 30 .
As a public service , we ’ ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s @ @

For now, the active-duty military’s most visible role will be in deploying hospital ships to New York and California to relieve pressure on emergency wards. Behind the scenes, troops will also be moving medical supplies into place. Supply chain logistics is a military strength. As the Army saying goes, “Amateurs talk strategy, experts talk logistics.”
In times of crisis, many public officials want to call in the troops to show they’re taking threats seriously, notes retired Col. Mark Cancian at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. But that doesn’t mean putting Guardsmen in charge of law enforcement.
Conjecture over the military’s proper role in supporting the U.S. pandemic response obscures the reality on the ground, where National Guardsmen are already deploying to support civil authorities.
Not so, insists the Defense Department, which is keen to stress that the military is definitely not on the march. Indeed, the idea that martial law is imminent belies a history in which the use of such powers are exceedingly rare. By contrast, the National Guard has long played a role in aiding civil responses, from Hurricane Katrina to border protection.
States are struggling to support health systems that are increasingly strained by the coronavirus pandemic. As in past emergencies, states have called up their National Guard to help with logistical challenges. That mobilization has fueled social media speculation that troops will soon be policing American cities.
As political leaders across America call for more troops to fight the coronavirus, Pentagon officials are pushing for a U.S. military role that is decidedly, well, unmilitaristic.
This will be no small challenge, they privately allow, as all states and territories have declared emergencies, and governors have activated some 12,000 of their National Guardsmen. Last week, President Donald Trump separately announced the call-up of thousands of National Guard troops for New York, California, and Washington. And naval hospital ships are being deployed to take the pressure off coastal city hospitals.
These rapid developments have triggered a spate of social media posts speculating that these call-ups mark the beginning of martial law to tamp down civil unrest. Defense officials have been quick to shoot down these conjectures, with only a hint of exasperation.
Why We Wrote This Conjecture over the military’s proper role in supporting the U.S. pandemic response obscures the reality on the ground, where National Guardsmen are already deploying to support civil authorities.
There has been no behind-the-scenes “conspiring” to use the National Guard “to do some sort of military action to enforce shelter in place and quarantine,” Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard, said in a briefing with reporters last week. Asked if U.S. troops would help carry out curfews, or take on other law enforcement roles, General Lengyel was unenthusiastic. National Guardsmen could, he allowed, but he didn’t see any great call for this.
Editor’s note: As a public service, we’ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.
It is an illustration of a tension between public officials under pressure to “do something” during national upheaval and a military anxious to demonstrate its deference to civilian control. In times of crisis, many public officials want to call in the troops “almost as a symbolic act,” a sign they’re taking things very seriously, says retired Col. Mark Cancian, senior analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies – even as the Pentagon is trying to stay far away from anything resembling military rule on the streets of America.
Martial law has been used rarely in U.S. history. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, for example, trial by jury was suspended and Hawaiians – more than one-third of whom were of Japanese descent – were issued identity papers they had to produce on demand. The National Guard, on the other hand, is frequently called out by state governors, mostly during national disasters, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the California wildfires of 2019.
Complicating matters, public officials “don’t always fully appreciate what the military legally can and cannot do,” notes Colonel Cancian.
For starters, the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) of 1878 bars active-duty troops from policing fellow citizens – including seemingly innocuous jobs like dispersing crowds – unless there’s an invasion of foreign troops or an “insurrection.” The mass looting of grocery stores for toilet paper likely wouldn’t qualify here, Colonel Cancian says.
A presidential declaration or a congressional statute can override the PCA, a move that Kori Schake, director of defense policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, sees as a possibility to protect medical workers and deliver supplies to hospitals, for example, if the pandemic continues to worsen. That said, “it ought to be a last resort,” she says.
Tony Dejak/AP View caption Hide caption Members of the Ohio National Guard assist in repackaging emergency food boxes for distribution at the Cleveland Food Bank, March 24, 2020. Around the country, Guardsmen responding to the coronavirus emergency are now helping to transport medical supplies, distribute food, and even direct traffic at drive-through testing sites.
“Lousy policemen”
Barring such a move, the National Guard can legally take on law enforcement duties – though it’s not at the top of its to-do list.
“The reason is that soldiers make lousy policemen” – and they know it, says Colonel Cancian. “It’s nothing wrong with them personally, but the way they’re trained. Policemen are [ideally] trained to look at people and say, ‘These are citizens that need to be protected.’ Soldiers are trained to look at people and say, ‘These are threats that need to be neutralized.’”
For this reason, when U.S. troops deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border, as they have in successive administrations, they support law enforcement chiefly through “administrative, logistical, and operational support,” a Defense Department report last year noted.
As the old Army saying goes, “Amateurs talk strategy, experts talk logistics.” It is keeping the supply chain running during times of crisis that is the U.S. military’s secret weapon for winning wars of all sorts.
Many of these logistics in the coming weeks will involve moving medical supplies into place and providing hospital beds, defense officials say. President Trump has dispatched the Pentagon’s two hospital ships to try to relieve city emergency services. The USNS Mercy arrived Friday in Los Angeles, while the USNS Comfort should dock in Manhattan early this week.
These ships are more helpful for treating trauma than dealing with infectious disease, since the bunk-style beds don’t have segregated recovery areas. They can, however, along with temporary treatment tents set up by the military, be used to free up space at hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients.
“As trauma patients come in, instead of going into the hospital, they would go into the field hospital, where we could treat the broken legs, the lacerations, the falling-down-hit-your-head type of stuff. We can handle them in our big open bays,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said at a recent press briefing.
Distraction and war games
The U.S. military can also help provide vital transportation links. But even as all this is happening, military strategists will be keeping an eye trained outward, says Dr. Schake. “Our military are good strategists, and good strategists worry in this time of national crisis that our (foreign) enemies might try and take advantage and do something damaging to our national interests.”
This may include disinformation campaigns on social media that stir up fears of martial law, Secretary Esper said Tuesday. “We probably have external actors, countries that want to sow chaos in the United States and are injecting some of this into the ecosystem.”
Against this backdrop, one recurring theme in military war games “is the temptation to overcommit – then you don’t have resources for subsequent challenges,” Dr. Schake adds. For this reason, “There’s a tendency for the military to always want to keep something in reserve.”
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This might come in handy for America’s allies as well, Mr. Esper added. “As the coronavirus hits different countries differently, and as they react differently over time, it may present [national security] challenges for us,” he said. “With allies, it may be incumbent upon us to help them.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Monday, March 30. As a public service, we’ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-03-27--Zoom Shabbat, drive-through confessional: Faith during coronavirus

“ My hope and my prayer is that people will come back to the altar at a time when it ’ s safe again , and have a deeper understanding of what it is that we are receiving , ” says Father Corey Bassett-Tirrell , a Roman Catholic priest in Chelmsford , Massachusetts .
Within America ’ s tapestry of religious traditions , the vast majority have turned to technology , including interactive teleconferenced gatherings , livestreamed services , and even old-fashioned conference calls .
Just two weeks into an unprecedented era of social distancing and canceled community gatherings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of worship , including mosques , synagogues , and other traditions of worship , have been forced to find alternative forms of gatherings for prescribed rituals and forms of worship .
Still , in Muslim theology , Mr. Maksut and others say , the preservation of human life is paramount and supersedes all other religious obligations .
“ To suspend the Friday prayer , to suspend an obligation that has been made quite clear in the Scripture , is quite serious – you are almost upending God ’ s law , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim communities throughout New York and New Jersey agonized over whether or not to cancel Friday prayer services , a religious requirement for all adult Muslim men .
Even though it was a sunny afternoon , Father Corey Bassett-Tirrell was shocked to see the line of cars in the parking lot of St. Mary Church in Chelmsford , Massachusetts , waiting to participate in the parish ’ s first ever drive-through confessional .
A week earlier , before the pandemic upended the religious traditions of communities throughout the world , forcing many to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the newly ordained priest had heard only a single confession in the booth within St. Mary ’ s sanctuary .
As he sat dressed in his white-laced surplice on a chair surrounded by orange traffic cones , Mr. Bassett-Tirrell offered the sacrament of reconciliation to 17 drive-through penitents in just over two hours .
“ Never in all my days did I ever think that I would be unable to celebrate my first Holy Week as a priest , ” says Mr. Bassett-Tirrell , who was ordained last year and is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collaborative , which includes the parish of St. John the Evangelist .
“ When the Lenten fast came upon us on Ash Wednesday in February , we had no idea that in two or three weeks ’ time , we ’ d be in a Eucharistic fast as well.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Like so many places of worship across the U.S. , the two Roman Catholic churches that comprise this pastoral collaborative in the Archdiocese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – including the celebration of the Mass , the central act of worship for Catholics culminating with the sacrament of the Eucharist .
And while the collaborative is well-prepared to livestream services and sermons , having had in place robust social media options for those unable to attend in person , Mr. Bassett-Tirrell says these technologies are not substitutes for the essential physical and embodied practices of Catholic worship .
“ But I see this as a great opportunity – though a difficult one , ” he continues .
One of the purposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life ’ s everyday joys through a period of self-reflection and abstinence .
“ So my hope and my prayer is that people will come back to the altar at a time when it ’ s safe again , and have a deeper understanding of what it is that we are receiving , ” he says .
Just two weeks into an unprecedented era of social distancing and canceled community gatherings , many of the nation ’ s communities of worship , including mosques , synagogues , and other traditions of worship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gatherings for prescribed rituals and forms of worship .
Within America ’ s tapestry of religious traditions , the vast majority have turned to technology , including interactive teleconferenced gatherings , livestreamed services , and even old-fashioned conference calls .
But for many , the absence of certain physical rites and community rituals have presented profound theological conundrums .
If it ’ s online , is it jumu ’ ah ?
“ To suspend the Friday prayer , to suspend an obligation that has been made quite clear in the Scripture , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upending God ’ s law , ” says Selaedin Maksut , a religious scholar and civil rights advocate in New Jersey who was scheduled to preach a sermon at the Muslim Community Center in Paramus last Friday before it was canceled .
Two weeks ago , as the scope and seriousness of the coronavirus epidemic was beginning to unfold in the U.S. , Muslim communities throughout New York and New Jersey were “ pulling their hair out , ” Mr. Maksut says , as the community tried to decide on Thursday whether or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary day of worship that Muslims call jumu ’ ah .
It is a religious requirement for all adult Muslim men .
“ The conversation was , well , how about we just have the sermon on Facebook so everyone can observe from home ?
” continues Mr. Maksut , executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations .
“ But the scholars came to their collective opinion that this wouldn ’ t qualify as jumu ’ ah .
Jumu ’ ah is essentially a congregational thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and say , ‘ OK , today I went to jumu ’ ah because I listened to the sermon online.
’ You might be listening at home , but you ’ re really not participating in the essential physical , collective , and group effort.
” Friday services are also part of the social rhythms of American Muslim communities , a time and place to gather to discuss politics , business , and other aspects of life .
Still , in Muslim theology , Mr. Maksut and others say , the preservation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other religious obligations .
“ It is our moral duty as Muslims that we take all steps necessary to safeguard ourselves and others around us from this terrible disease , ” said the Fiqh Council of North America in a joint statement with organizations including The Islamic Medical Association of North America and the Islamic Society of North America .
“ One ’ s personal desire to do obligatory prayers at the masjid or fulfill other religious duties comes secondary to ensuring the common health of the larger community.
” Last Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ r Beth Torah in Clark , New Jersey , welcomed Shabbat as a congregation using Zoom .
Cantor Steven Stern began the service with the traditional song “ Shalom Aleichem , ” or “ Peace Be with You.
” “ We ’ re a small congregation , and people are just trying to get accustomed to the technology , ” says Mr. Stern , who ’ s also planning group meetings on the platform to discuss texts from the Torah and Talmud .
“ But we ’ re hoping to combine elements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can actually see each other and hear each other , ask questions and answer questions , and to really , in that way , connect and feel part of the community.
” COVID-19 has in many ways thrust long-simmering theological questions about religion and the nature of community in the digital age into stark relief , says the Rev .
Paul Brandeis Raushenbush , a Baptist minister who has spent a significant part of his nearly 25 years as an ordained minister in online communities .
“ I always start with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered online , is Christ there ?
And then , if 10 Jews are on a Zoom call , is that a minyan ?
” says Mr. Raushenbush , now a senior adviser for public affairs and innovation at the Interfaith Youth Core , which fosters interfaith cooperation in U.S. colleges .
“ The truth is , we are in touch with one another much more because of technology than we were before , not less , ” he says .
“ My Facebook page feels like a prayer circle , and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are showing up for one another in new and unprecedented ways that are allowing for a sense of deep community.
” Last Sunday , Mr. Raushenbush helped lead a spiritual gathering using the virtual reality environment Altspace .
Using avatars in a virtual grass field surrounded by hills during a rising full moon , the virtual minister led about two dozen people in a guided 10-minute meditation before asking them to gather with him on a large rock in the middle of the field .
He asked how they were holding up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded , others could virtually express their emotions with VR versions of “ emoticons.
” As avatars were speaking , others were releasing cascades of hearts that bubbled above their heads to express their connection to the speaker ’ s words .
“ We are less inhibited online , which , yes , can be bad , ” says Mr. Raushenbush , who lives in Brooklyn .
“ But it can also be good .
We can actually say things to one another and show up for one another in ways that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerability and be present to one another in a way that sometimes face-to-face meetings do not allow.
” In some ways , something similar happened at the drive-through confessional in St. Mary ’ s parking lot .
“ I had a few of the penitents tell me – and thank us for offering the sacrament this way – because they said they had been away from the church for quite some time , but they thought this might be a less intimidating medium in which to receive the sacrament of reconciliation , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are longing for the time when they can renew the forms of worship that are central to the faith .
Both St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist remain open for individuals to come to pray , as they follow CDC guidelines for social distancing .
And priests still say the Mass and bless the elements of the Eucharist and then partake themselves – which is then livestreamed .
But one of the staff was helping with the altar linens last week , and she asked the priest if he would give her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it just broke my heart , because I couldn ’ t , because we ’ re not allowed to , ” he says .
But it ’ s precisely this kind of longing during a time of fasting and absence from physical communion that makes him hope that when the crisis passes , it could usher in a time of renewal – just as the season of Lent culminates in the joy of Easter .
“ In the end , we ’ re hoping this crisis can bring us all to a deeper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our understanding of Scripture , and our joyful celebration of the liturgy , ” he says .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
There is no paywall .

“My hope and my prayer is that people will come back to the altar at a time when it’s safe again, and have a deeper understanding of what it is that we are receiving,” says Father Corey Bassett-Tirrell, a Roman Catholic priest in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Within America’s tapestry of religious traditions, the vast majority have turned to technology, including interactive teleconferenced gatherings, livestreamed services, and even old-fashioned conference calls.
Just two weeks into an unprecedented era of social distancing and canceled community gatherings, many of the nation’s communities of worship, including mosques, synagogues, and other traditions of worship, have been forced to find alternative forms of gatherings for prescribed rituals and forms of worship.
Still, in Muslim theology, Mr. Maksut and others say, the preservation of human life is paramount and supersedes all other religious obligations.
During the pandemic, what does it mean to come together and pray? Members of many religions are wrestling with how to best serve their faith while heeding government guidelines.
“To suspend the Friday prayer, to suspend an obligation that has been made quite clear in the Scripture, is quite serious – you are almost upending God’s law,” says Selaedin Maksut.
Two weeks ago, Muslim communities throughout New York and New Jersey agonized over whether or not to cancel Friday prayer services, a religious requirement for all adult Muslim men.
Even though it was a sunny afternoon, Father Corey Bassett-Tirrell was shocked to see the line of cars in the parking lot of St. Mary Church in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, waiting to participate in the parish’s first ever drive-through confessional.
A week earlier, before the pandemic upended the religious traditions of communities throughout the world, forcing many to forgo physical gatherings for prayer and worship, the newly ordained priest had heard only a single confession in the booth within St. Mary’s sanctuary.
As he sat dressed in his white-laced surplice on a chair surrounded by orange traffic cones, Mr. Bassett-Tirrell offered the sacrament of reconciliation to 17 drive-through penitents in just over two hours.
Why We Wrote This During the pandemic, what does it mean to come together and pray? Members of many religions are wrestling with how to best serve their faith while heeding government guidelines.
“Never in all my days did I ever think that I would be unable to celebrate my first Holy Week as a priest,” says Mr. Bassett-Tirrell, who was ordained last year and is now the parochial vicar at the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, which includes the parish of St. John the Evangelist. “When the Lenten fast came upon us on Ash Wednesday in February, we had no idea that in two or three weeks’ time, we’d be in a Eucharistic fast as well.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Like so many places of worship across the U.S., the two Roman Catholic churches that comprise this pastoral collaborative in the Archdiocese of Boston have suspended all physical gatherings – including the celebration of the Mass, the central act of worship for Catholics culminating with the sacrament of the Eucharist.
And while the collaborative is well-prepared to livestream services and sermons, having had in place robust social media options for those unable to attend in person, Mr. Bassett-Tirrell says these technologies are not substitutes for the essential physical and embodied practices of Catholic worship.
“But I see this as a great opportunity – though a difficult one,” he continues. One of the purposes of fasting during Lent is to rediscover life’s everyday joys through a period of self-reflection and abstinence.
“So my hope and my prayer is that people will come back to the altar at a time when it’s safe again, and have a deeper understanding of what it is that we are receiving,” he says.
Just two weeks into an unprecedented era of social distancing and canceled community gatherings, many of the nation’s communities of worship, including mosques, synagogues, and other traditions of worship, have been forced to find alternative forms of gatherings for prescribed rituals and forms of worship.
Within America’s tapestry of religious traditions, the vast majority have turned to technology, including interactive teleconferenced gatherings, livestreamed services, and even old-fashioned conference calls.
But for many, the absence of certain physical rites and community rituals have presented profound theological conundrums.
If it’s online, is it jumu’ah?
“To suspend the Friday prayer, to suspend an obligation that has been made quite clear in the Scripture, is quite serious – you are almost upending God’s law,” says Selaedin Maksut, a religious scholar and civil rights advocate in New Jersey who was scheduled to preach a sermon at the Muslim Community Center in Paramus last Friday before it was canceled.
Two weeks ago, as the scope and seriousness of the coronavirus epidemic was beginning to unfold in the U.S., Muslim communities throughout New York and New Jersey were “pulling their hair out,” Mr. Maksut says, as the community tried to decide on Thursday whether or not to cancel prayer services, the primary day of worship that Muslims call jumu’ah. It is a religious requirement for all adult Muslim men.
“The conversation was, well, how about we just have the sermon on Facebook so everyone can observe from home?” continues Mr. Maksut, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “But the scholars came to their collective opinion that this wouldn’t qualify as jumu’ah. Jumu’ah is essentially a congregational thing. You can’t check the box and say, ‘OK, today I went to jumu’ah because I listened to the sermon online.’ You might be listening at home, but you’re really not participating in the essential physical, collective, and group effort.”
Friday services are also part of the social rhythms of American Muslim communities, a time and place to gather to discuss politics, business, and other aspects of life.
Still, in Muslim theology, Mr. Maksut and others say, the preservation of human life is paramount and supersedes all other religious obligations.
“It is our moral duty as Muslims that we take all steps necessary to safeguard ourselves and others around us from this terrible disease,” said the Fiqh Council of North America in a joint statement with organizations including The Islamic Medical Association of North America and the Islamic Society of North America. “One’s personal desire to do obligatory prayers at the masjid or fulfill other religious duties comes secondary to ensuring the common health of the larger community.”
Shabbat via Zoom
Last Friday, the Conservative synagogue Temple Beth O’r Beth Torah in Clark, New Jersey, welcomed Shabbat as a congregation using Zoom. Cantor Steven Stern began the service with the traditional song “Shalom Aleichem,” or “Peace Be with You.”
“We’re a small congregation, and people are just trying to get accustomed to the technology,” says Mr. Stern, who’s also planning group meetings on the platform to discuss texts from the Torah and Talmud. “But we’re hoping to combine elements of the service together with an opportunity where we can actually see each other and hear each other, ask questions and answer questions, and to really, in that way, connect and feel part of the community.”
COVID-19 has in many ways thrust long-simmering theological questions about religion and the nature of community in the digital age into stark relief, says the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, a Baptist minister who has spent a significant part of his nearly 25 years as an ordained minister in online communities.
“I always start with the question, when two or three are gathered online, is Christ there? And then, if 10 Jews are on a Zoom call, is that a minyan?” says Mr. Raushenbush, now a senior adviser for public affairs and innovation at the Interfaith Youth Core, which fosters interfaith cooperation in U.S. colleges.
“The truth is, we are in touch with one another much more because of technology than we were before, not less,” he says. “My Facebook page feels like a prayer circle, and people are reaching out to one another and people are showing up for one another in new and unprecedented ways that are allowing for a sense of deep community.”
On this virtual rock
Last Sunday, Mr. Raushenbush helped lead a spiritual gathering using the virtual reality environment Altspace. Using avatars in a virtual grass field surrounded by hills during a rising full moon, the virtual minister led about two dozen people in a guided 10-minute meditation before asking them to gather with him on a large rock in the middle of the field.
He asked how they were holding up, and as many of those gathered responded, others could virtually express their emotions with VR versions of “emoticons.” As avatars were speaking, others were releasing cascades of hearts that bubbled above their heads to express their connection to the speaker’s words.
“We are less inhibited online, which, yes, can be bad,” says Mr. Raushenbush, who lives in Brooklyn. “But it can also be good. We can actually say things to one another and show up for one another in ways that can be deeply loving, and show our vulnerability and be present to one another in a way that sometimes face-to-face meetings do not allow.”
In some ways, something similar happened at the drive-through confessional in St. Mary’s parking lot.
“I had a few of the penitents tell me – and thank us for offering the sacrament this way – because they said they had been away from the church for quite some time, but they thought this might be a less intimidating medium in which to receive the sacrament of reconciliation,” says Mr. Bassett-Tirrell.
Still, many are longing for the time when they can renew the forms of worship that are central to the faith.
Both St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist remain open for individuals to come to pray, as they follow CDC guidelines for social distancing. And priests still say the Mass and bless the elements of the Eucharist and then partake themselves – which is then livestreamed.
But one of the staff was helping with the altar linens last week, and she asked the priest if he would give her Holy Communion as well.
“And it just broke my heart, because I couldn’t, because we’re not allowed to,” he says. But it’s precisely this kind of longing during a time of fasting and absence from physical communion that makes him hope that when the crisis passes, it could usher in a time of renewal – just as the season of Lent culminates in the joy of Easter.
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“In the end, we’re hoping this crisis can bring us all to a deeper connection and understanding of the Blessed Sacrament, our understanding of Scripture, and our joyful celebration of the liturgy,” he says.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. There is no paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-02--White House coronavirus briefings: How much is must-see TV?

But she understands the hesitation over giving the president unlimited airtime .
One alternative , she suggests , would be to “ summarize the entire press conference and edit it down to key points.
” The network ’ s decision that day seemed “ a little petty , ” says Kelly McBride , chair of the Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg , Florida .
The network did the same the day before , declining to show the president ’ s opening remarks , which had highlighted , in a notably somber tone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the virus in the United States .
CNN and MSNBC , which lean liberal , have taken to showing only parts of the briefing , cutting away when it is deemed to be off-topic .
On Wednesday , CNN skipped the first portion when Mr. Trump opened by touting an “ enhanced counternarcotics operation , ” a decision anchor John King called “ shameless.
” Within the media , debate is swirling around whether cable networks should televise President Donald Trump ’ s daily briefings live .
They are often long – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mix of valuable information , particularly from the scientists on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , as well as misstatements and grandstanding .
Which statement best describes the daily White House briefings in the age of coronavirus ?
( A ) They are fact-based and analytical ; ( B ) They convey questionable or even false information ; ( C ) They are vital to the public interest ; ( D ) They are opportunities for grandstanding ; or ( E ) All of the above .
The answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame for this daily stew of essential public service and political reality TV sit at the feet of both President Donald Trump and the reporters asking him questions .
The ethics here are profound .
Lives are on the line , and everyone involved plays an important role – the president and his team , journalists , and ultimately , the public , which must follow safe practices and figure out fact from fiction .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we ’ ve removed the paywall for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free .
“ Everybody has a responsibility here , ” says Kathleen Culver , director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin , Madison .
The fact that President Trump is up for reelection , with Election Day just seven months away , only adds to the drama .
Within the media , debate is swirling around whether cable networks should televise Mr. Trump ’ s briefings live .
These daily sessions are often long – well over an hour – and contain a mix of valuable information , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House ’ s coronavirus task force , and diversions that can include unproductive exchanges between Mr. Trump and antagonists in the press corps .
The news that Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert and a member of the task force , now needs a security detail reinforces the central role of information in this crisis .
Dr. Fauci , known to correct Mr. Trump at times in public , has both fervent admirers and critics .
And there ’ s no doubt that when Dr. Fauci speaks at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and MSNBC , which lean liberal , have taken to showing only parts of the briefing live , cutting away when it is deemed to be off-topic .
On Wednesday , CNN skipped the first portion when Mr. Trump opened by touting an “ enhanced counter-narcotics operation , ” a phalanx of military advisers flanking him at the podium .
Some would call the decision to highlight a tangential topic “ shameless , ” CNN anchor John King said .
“ This is a coronavirus task force briefing.
” After the narcotics discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started , with the usual cast at Mr. Trump ’ s side – including Drs .
Fauci and Deborah Birx – CNN showed the briefing live .
The network did the same the day before , declining to show the president ’ s opening remarks , then going live with the experts .
On that day , Mr. Trump had highlighted , with a notably somber tone , projections of between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the virus in the United States .
The decision to skip the president ’ s opening remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says Kelly McBride , chair of the Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg , Florida .
But she understands the hesitation over giving the president unlimited air time , and suggests an alternative , including transparency with viewers .
“ You can summarize the entire press conference and edit it down to key points , ” Ms. McBride says .
“ You certainly have the prerogative to run the whole thing .
And if you ’ re going to run a portion of it live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why you think that portion live is more important than any of the other portions live.
” Some media critics have pleaded for TV networks to stop running the president ’ s briefings altogether .
They are , in effect , a substitute for the campaign rallies he can no longer hold , and contain exaggerations and lies , writes Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post .
Examples : The president argued that tests for the virus were readily available when they weren ’ t .
Ditto a nationwide website that Google would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it hasn ’ t .
Jack Shafer , Politico ’ s senior media writer , has a different take .
The effort to suppress attention to the briefings reflects a “ paternalistic mindset ” toward the public , he writes .
And besides , it won ’ t work .
Trump-friendly Fox News will keep showing the briefings , as does C-SPAN .
Live streams are all over the web .
The backstory to Mr. Trump ’ s dealings with the media is crucial to understanding the current state of play .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump White House stopped holding daily press briefings .
Disdain for the press corps was palpable .
Mr. Trump pivoted instead to “ chopper talk ” gaggles with reporters as he headed to Marine One for trips out of town , or visits with the press corps on Air Force One .
These regular interactions reinforced the notion that Mr. Trump sees himself as his own best press secretary , going back to his days as a real estate developer who would call reporters under an assumed name to advocate for himself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship with the press .
He hates being confronted , but he loves the attention media bring .
These conflicting impulses have come to the fore amid the COVID-19 crisis , and are most evident in the daily press conferences .
“ You see a little bit of everything in these briefings , ” says William Jacobson , a law professor at Cornell University and conservative blogger .
“ You see straightforward information , you see the science , you see Trump as he describes himself , as the cheerleader for the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You also see his interaction with the media.
” He agrees Mr. Trump loves the attention , but he also sees reporters looking for “ that sound bite , that gotcha moment.
” The president is smart enough to sense it and doesn ’ t want to give it to them , Mr. Jacobson says .
One of Mr. Trump ’ s biggest antagonists is CNN ’ s Jim Acosta , whose White House press credential was revoked temporarily in 2018 after he refused to relinquish the microphone at a press conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump called on Mr. Acosta with a “ here we go.
” The CNN reporter read a series of statements by Mr. Trump , going back several weeks , that seemed to play down the severity of the looming crisis – such as “ just stay calm , it will all go away.
” Mr. Trump insisted all the statements were true , then attacked CNN .
The exchange was highly predictable , and didn ’ t elicit any new information .
It also furthered Mr. Trump ’ s longstanding claim that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m not sure we need members of the media trying to provoke confrontation when the nation needs calm and information , ” says Jeffrey McCall , a professor of communication at DePauw University in Greencastle , Indiana .
“ We don ’ t need reporters seeking a ‘ moment ’ to stand out.
” Still , he says , journalists at the briefings are doing a fine job , and serving effectively as surrogates for the public .
“ The problem is that these become rhetorical-slash-theatrical events , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see some grandstanding from Trump , but that ’ s his nature .
He got elected by being outspoken and by being grandiose.
” Ultimately , says Ms. Culver , the media ethicist at the University of Wisconsin , it ’ s a critically important time for TV networks to be exercising their editorial judgment .
And it ’ s a time for journalists to show their mettle in serving the public interest .
“ Are we as citizens getting what we need from these briefings when they ’ re displayed live , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to journalists performing the function they ’ re supposed to perform , which is to verify and fact-check information before it ’ s shared ?
” In the end , Ms. Culver notes , everyone – the president , the press , the public – shares the same goal : to act individually and collectively to maximize the survival rate amid the biggest viral threat facing the planet in more than a century .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we ’ ve removed the paywall for all our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

But she understands the hesitation over giving the president unlimited airtime. One alternative, she suggests, would be to “summarize the entire press conference and edit it down to key points.”
The network’s decision that day seemed “a little petty,” says Kelly McBride, chair of the Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The network did the same the day before, declining to show the president’s opening remarks, which had highlighted, in a notably somber tone, projections of between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the virus in the United States.
How does one best convey information during a public health crisis? That’s a question media outlets are grappling with as they cover the president’s daily briefings, which tend to mix valuable information with inaccurate assertions.
CNN and MSNBC, which lean liberal, have taken to showing only parts of the briefing, cutting away when it is deemed to be off-topic. On Wednesday, CNN skipped the first portion when Mr. Trump opened by touting an “enhanced counternarcotics operation,” a decision anchor John King called “shameless.”
Within the media, debate is swirling around whether cable networks should televise President Donald Trump’s daily briefings live. They are often long – well over an hour – and contain a mix of valuable information, particularly from the scientists on the White House’s coronavirus task force, as well as misstatements and grandstanding.
Which statement best describes the daily White House briefings in the age of coronavirus?
(A) They are fact-based and analytical; (B) They convey questionable or even false information; (C) They are vital to the public interest; (D) They are opportunities for grandstanding; or (E) All of the above.
The answer is (E). Praise and blame for this daily stew of essential public service and political reality TV sit at the feet of both President Donald Trump and the reporters asking him questions.
Why We Wrote This How does one best convey information during a public health crisis? That’s a question media outlets are grappling with as they cover the president’s daily briefings, which tend to mix valuable information with inaccurate assertions.
The ethics here are profound. Lives are on the line, and everyone involved plays an important role – the president and his team, journalists, and ultimately, the public, which must follow safe practices and figure out fact from fiction.
Editor’s note: As a public service, we’ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.
“Everybody has a responsibility here,” says Kathleen Culver, director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
The fact that President Trump is up for reelection, with Election Day just seven months away, only adds to the drama.
Within the media, debate is swirling around whether cable networks should televise Mr. Trump’s briefings live. These daily sessions are often long – well over an hour – and contain a mix of valuable information, particularly from the scientists on the White House’s coronavirus task force, and diversions that can include unproductive exchanges between Mr. Trump and antagonists in the press corps.
The news that Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a member of the task force, now needs a security detail reinforces the central role of information in this crisis. Dr. Fauci, known to correct Mr. Trump at times in public, has both fervent admirers and critics. And there’s no doubt that when Dr. Fauci speaks at briefings, people pay attention.
CNN and MSNBC, which lean liberal, have taken to showing only parts of the briefing live, cutting away when it is deemed to be off-topic. On Wednesday, CNN skipped the first portion when Mr. Trump opened by touting an “enhanced counter-narcotics operation,” a phalanx of military advisers flanking him at the podium.
Some would call the decision to highlight a tangential topic “shameless,” CNN anchor John King said. “This is a coronavirus task force briefing.”
After the narcotics discussion ended, and the actual coronavirus briefing started, with the usual cast at Mr. Trump’s side – including Drs. Fauci and Deborah Birx – CNN showed the briefing live.
The network did the same the day before, declining to show the president’s opening remarks, then going live with the experts. On that day, Mr. Trump had highlighted, with a notably somber tone, projections of between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the virus in the United States.
The decision to skip the president’s opening remarks on Tuesday seemed “a little petty,” says Kelly McBride, chair of the Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
But she understands the hesitation over giving the president unlimited air time, and suggests an alternative, including transparency with viewers.
“You can summarize the entire press conference and edit it down to key points,” Ms. McBride says. “You certainly have the prerogative to run the whole thing. And if you’re going to run a portion of it live, you have to tell your audience why you think that portion live is more important than any of the other portions live.”
A love-hate relationship
Some media critics have pleaded for TV networks to stop running the president’s briefings altogether. They are, in effect, a substitute for the campaign rallies he can no longer hold, and contain exaggerations and lies, writes Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post. Examples: The president argued that tests for the virus were readily available when they weren’t. Ditto a nationwide website that Google would roll out “very quickly,” which it hasn’t.
Jack Shafer, Politico’s senior media writer, has a different take. The effort to suppress attention to the briefings reflects a “paternalistic mindset” toward the public, he writes. And besides, it won’t work. Trump-friendly Fox News will keep showing the briefings, as does C-SPAN. Live streams are all over the web.
The backstory to Mr. Trump’s dealings with the media is crucial to understanding the current state of play. More than a year ago, the Trump White House stopped holding daily press briefings. Disdain for the press corps was palpable. Mr. Trump pivoted instead to “chopper talk” gaggles with reporters as he headed to Marine One for trips out of town, or visits with the press corps on Air Force One.
These regular interactions reinforced the notion that Mr. Trump sees himself as his own best press secretary, going back to his days as a real estate developer who would call reporters under an assumed name to advocate for himself.
Mr. Trump has long had a love-hate relationship with the press. He hates being confronted, but he loves the attention media bring. These conflicting impulses have come to the fore amid the COVID-19 crisis, and are most evident in the daily press conferences.
“You see a little bit of everything in these briefings,” says William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell University and conservative blogger.
“You see straightforward information, you see the science, you see Trump as he describes himself, as the cheerleader for the nation,” Professor Jacobson says. “You also see his interaction with the media.”
He agrees Mr. Trump loves the attention, but he also sees reporters looking for “that sound bite, that gotcha moment.” The president is smart enough to sense it and doesn’t want to give it to them, Mr. Jacobson says.
Confrontation vs. information
One of Mr. Trump’s biggest antagonists is CNN’s Jim Acosta, whose White House press credential was revoked temporarily in 2018 after he refused to relinquish the microphone at a press conference. At Monday’s press briefing, Mr. Trump called on Mr. Acosta with a “here we go.” The CNN reporter read a series of statements by Mr. Trump, going back several weeks, that seemed to play down the severity of the looming crisis – such as “just stay calm, it will all go away.”
Mr. Trump insisted all the statements were true, then attacked CNN. The exchange was highly predictable, and didn’t elicit any new information. It also furthered Mr. Trump’s longstanding claim that the media are out to get him.
“I’m not sure we need members of the media trying to provoke confrontation when the nation needs calm and information,” says Jeffrey McCall, a professor of communication at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. “We don’t need reporters seeking a ‘moment’ to stand out.”
Still, he says, journalists at the briefings are doing a fine job, and serving effectively as surrogates for the public.
“The problem is that these become rhetorical-slash-theatrical events,” Professor McCall says. “We do see some grandstanding from Trump, but that’s his nature. He got elected by being outspoken and by being grandiose.”
Ultimately, says Ms. Culver, the media ethicist at the University of Wisconsin, it’s a critically important time for TV networks to be exercising their editorial judgment. And it’s a time for journalists to show their mettle in serving the public interest.
“Are we as citizens getting what we need from these briefings when they’re displayed live,” she asks, “as opposed to journalists performing the function they’re supposed to perform, which is to verify and fact-check information before it’s shared?”
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In the end, Ms. Culver notes, everyone – the president, the press, the public – shares the same goal: to act individually and collectively to maximize the survival rate amid the biggest viral threat facing the planet in more than a century.
Editor’s note: As a public service, we’ve removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-02--Locavores were resetting the American table. Then came a pandemic.

“ This highlights the need for Minneapolis or any American city to localize their supply chains , ” says Mr. Kempenich .
“ What I hope people do is take a step back and think , ‘ Hey , we have an incredibly unique moment in history here ... where we can recognize the flaws that are so obvious and address them , and not just go back to business as usual.
’ ” The anxiety that has sparked hoarding behavior and temporary shortages is rooted in a food supply infrastructure designed more to push volume than to nimbly fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America 's cornucopia , fears of scarcity remain .
Yet in the midst of the turmoil , a grocery store chain bought his entire fungi stock – part of an effort both to keep Mr. Kempenich ’ s small firm afloat and to make sure that shelves are stocked .
In Minneapolis , professional forager Mike Kempenich went from his best year ever in his mushroom business to “ zero sales ” overnight as the Keg and Case food hall closed down .
As a morning sun filters through the live oak boughs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two lines quickly build to snap up Adam Mentzer ’ s bouquets of carrots and asparagus .
On any other day , the foot traffic would be a bonanza for his small organic farm , Adam ’ s Farm and Garden .
But Mr. Mentzer ’ s brow is furrowed and his expression clipped .
Two weeks ago , this Savannah market barely opened as the city shuttered all nonessential businesses , saved at the last minute by an exemption .
Meanwhile , trend-setting restaurants like Staplehouse in Atlanta have become soup kitchens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ My warehouse is full , but my markets are disappearing , ” says Mr. Mentzer .
“ I ’ m worried.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
America ’ s globalized food supply chain is groaning under the weight of a national emergency .
As the baskets overflowed on Saturday in the park , onions , potatoes , and meat were nonexistent at one Savannah-area Kroger .
Some of the nation ’ s best restaurants have turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newly unemployed .
But behind a deepening struggle to keep kitchens open is another challenge : how to preserve the farm-to-table supply chains that have been changing how America eats .
As restaurants close or go to takeout , producers are deeply worried about the ability of local farmers , foragers , and fishers to ride out the pandemic .
But there is also a growing sense that the crisis is causing Americans to see new value in local foodscapes .
For many Americans , the term food insecurity is tied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become a larger , buzzing question across the continent .
“ I wouldn ’ t blame the government for shutting the market down , but that would be like shutting down a lifeline for me right now , ” says Alex Chamberlain , a laid-off restaurant server , at the market .
“ Is that scary ?
Yeah , that ’ s scary.
” The anxiety that has sparked hoarding behavior and temporary shortages is rooted in a food supply infrastructure designed more to push volume than to nimbly fill market demands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s cornucopia , fears of scarcity remain .
“ The food system today is built upon a lack of transparency : That ’ s how folks make money , in the arbitrage , ” says Ben Deda , CEO of FoodMaven , a locavore logistics firm in Colorado Springs , Colorado .
“ But in a situation like this , you want there to be a transparent view of supply and demand to make sure that you don ’ t have artificial spikes in prices or supply .
There is no true shortage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t be this sense of fear .
But food is at the base level of what you need .
If people only fear they don ’ t have enough food , that creates a real dangerous situation.
” To be sure , supply chain experts say America has enough chicken in cold storage to feed a nation .
But at trucking logistics firms like Allen Lund Company , color-coded tracking maps are lit up red across the United States , suggesting a “ widespread shortage of capacity , ” executive vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logistics intelligence firm .
In California , farmworker unions are pushing farmers to take precautions in the field , not out of concern of contamination , but to keep critical workers – already in short supply – healthy .
“ Food production is a strategic issue for the country , ” says Daniel Stanton , author of “ Supply Chain Management for Dummies.
” The global food network “ is great , because it gives us a huge number of choices at a relative low cost .
But what you find is when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes a blip in the system .
And when you have disruption everywhere , the only supply chains that really work are the ones you started with : simple , local production.
” From best year ever to “ zero sales ” In Minneapolis , forager Mike Kempenich went from his best year ever in his Forest to Fork mushroom business to “ zero sales ” overnight as customers like the Keg and Case food hall closed down .
Yet in the midst of the turmoil , an 11-store grocery chain called Kowalski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock .
It ’ s part of an effort both to keep Mr. Kempenich ’ s small firm afloat and to make sure that shelves are stocked while many markets struggle to get trucks into the loading dock .
“ This highlights the need for Minneapolis or any American city to localize their supply chains , ” says Mr. Kempenich .
“ What I hope people do is take a step back and think , ‘ Hey , we have an incredibly unique moment in history here ... where we can recognize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and not just go back to business as usual.
’ ” Amelia Gay has seen privation , and this isn ’ t it .
“ Right now , I ’ m not worried about food for me and my family , ” she says at the Savannah market .
“ Part of the reason for that is all the food I can see around me from all these other vendors.
” An immigrant from Angola , Ms .
Gay lived through decades of civil war before moving to the U.S. Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gay , run a small microgreens farm in Pooler , Georgia .
“ The key for us right now is to be compassionate to counter that feeling of fear in people , ” says Mr .
Gay .
In Abingdon , Virginia , the local farmers market is shut down , but producers are switching to direct-to-consumer internet sales .
“ Things are changing , ” says market manager David McLeish , who owns a small wool-and-veggies farm called Dreamland Alpacas outside the city limits .
“ People are going to become even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from , and they will support local farmers even more.
” For many producers , their role in fighting the pandemic is taking on a patriotic glow .
“ Our farmers are saying , ‘ As long as there ’ s soil , I ’ m going to be growing , ’ ” says Mary Elizabeth Kidd , communications manager at Georgia Organics in Atlanta , which helps connect farmers with consumers .
“ I have found such hope in their determination .
And as an eater , it brings me a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get eggs , some grains , and some big juicy tomatoes.
” That search for eddies of safety amid currents of fear has begun to drive policy .
Colorado has made it easier to package inspected meats in order to streamline local supply chains .
A growing number of states are listing farmers markets as essential to fighting the pandemic .
“ States are loosening logistical bottlenecks to get food to where it needs to go , and that ’ s happening at the smaller producer level , too , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Michigan ’ s Center for Sustainable Systems in Ann Arbor .
In 2018 , a survey of U.S. consumers showed roughly 60 % to 70 % are willing to pay more for food products in the “ natural , ethical , enhanced or ‘ less of ’ categories ” – at least a 10 percentage-point increase from two years earlier .
But that was before millions of people lost their jobs .
Thousands of field-to-table chefs are currently cooking only at home .
Some of them worry that the locavore movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America faces a recession in which commodities may shoulder out local niche products .
“ I look at how slowly the culture of local foods was built in Atlanta , and I worry with a lot of restaurants that have those values going away , does Atlanta go backwards to the meat-and-potatoes city it ’ s been for 40 or 50 years ?
” says Josh Hopkins , a former executive chef at Empire State South in Atlanta .
Yet times of crisis can also clarify the bonds between consumers and local suppliers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , North Carolina , “ philosoforager ” and educator .
“ What goes to the heart of the challenge and possibility now is fear versus love , ” says Mr. Muskat , who leads guided mushroom hunts across the Appalachian Highlands .
“ The hunter-gatherer and fisherman see real abundance ... [ and ] realize we don ’ t have to be afraid [ of going hungry ] .
If we stay afraid , it ’ s possible we go more in a direction of autocratic centralization [ of the food supply ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Garden of Eden even now and we can all feed each other locally if we share , then it ’ s very clearly laid out – it ’ s a bottom-line choice that this virus makes obvious.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“This highlights the need for Minneapolis or any American city to localize their supply chains,” says Mr. Kempenich. “What I hope people do is take a step back and think, ‘Hey, we have an incredibly unique moment in history here ... where we can recognize the flaws that are so obvious and address them, and not just go back to business as usual.’”
The anxiety that has sparked hoarding behavior and temporary shortages is rooted in a food supply infrastructure designed more to push volume than to nimbly fill market demands. That means that despite America's cornucopia, fears of scarcity remain.
With farm-to-table restaurants takeout-only and many farmers markets closed, locavores are concerned that the pandemic could undo the progress of their movement. Others believe the crisis only highlights how vital local supply chains are.
Yet in the midst of the turmoil, a grocery store chain bought his entire fungi stock – part of an effort both to keep Mr. Kempenich’s small firm afloat and to make sure that shelves are stocked.
In Minneapolis, professional forager Mike Kempenich went from his best year ever in his mushroom business to “zero sales” overnight as the Keg and Case food hall closed down.
As a morning sun filters through the live oak boughs overhanging the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, two lines quickly build to snap up Adam Mentzer’s bouquets of carrots and asparagus.
On any other day, the foot traffic would be a bonanza for his small organic farm, Adam’s Farm and Garden. But Mr. Mentzer’s brow is furrowed and his expression clipped.
Two weeks ago, this Savannah market barely opened as the city shuttered all nonessential businesses, saved at the last minute by an exemption. Meanwhile, trend-setting restaurants like Staplehouse in Atlanta have become soup kitchens to help out during the crisis.
Why We Wrote This With farm-to-table restaurants takeout-only and many farmers markets closed, locavores are concerned that the pandemic could undo the progress of their movement. Others believe the crisis only highlights how vital local supply chains are.
“My warehouse is full, but my markets are disappearing,” says Mr. Mentzer. “I’m worried.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
America’s globalized food supply chain is groaning under the weight of a national emergency. As the baskets overflowed on Saturday in the park, onions, potatoes, and meat were nonexistent at one Savannah-area Kroger.
Some of the nation’s best restaurants have turned from feeding the Instagram generation to feeding the newly unemployed. But behind a deepening struggle to keep kitchens open is another challenge: how to preserve the farm-to-table supply chains that have been changing how America eats. As restaurants close or go to takeout, producers are deeply worried about the ability of local farmers, foragers, and fishers to ride out the pandemic. But there is also a growing sense that the crisis is causing Americans to see new value in local foodscapes.
For many Americans, the term food insecurity is tied to class and income. But today it has become a larger, buzzing question across the continent.
“I wouldn’t blame the government for shutting the market down, but that would be like shutting down a lifeline for me right now,” says Alex Chamberlain, a laid-off restaurant server, at the market. “Is that scary? Yeah, that’s scary.”
The anxiety that has sparked hoarding behavior and temporary shortages is rooted in a food supply infrastructure designed more to push volume than to nimbly fill market demands. That means that despite America’s cornucopia, fears of scarcity remain.
“The food system today is built upon a lack of transparency: That’s how folks make money, in the arbitrage,” says Ben Deda, CEO of FoodMaven, a locavore logistics firm in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “But in a situation like this, you want there to be a transparent view of supply and demand to make sure that you don’t have artificial spikes in prices or supply. There is no true shortage of food right now, so there shouldn’t be this sense of fear. But food is at the base level of what you need. If people only fear they don’t have enough food, that creates a real dangerous situation.”
Patrik Jonsson/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Amelia Gay lived through decades of civil war before emigrating from Angola to the United States with her husband, James Gay. Given that experience, the bounty of their Georgia farm, and their connection to Savannah's Forsyth Farmers' Market, Ms. Gay feels no panic about food shortages. Their mission now, says Mr. Gay, is to "fight fear with kindness and compassion." The couple and their children sell microgreens from their farm at the market on March 29, 2020.
To be sure, supply chain experts say America has enough chicken in cold storage to feed a nation. But at trucking logistics firms like Allen Lund Company, color-coded tracking maps are lit up red across the United States, suggesting a “widespread shortage of capacity,” executive vice president Kenny Lund tells JOC.com, a logistics intelligence firm.
In California, farmworker unions are pushing farmers to take precautions in the field, not out of concern of contamination, but to keep critical workers – already in short supply – healthy.
“Food production is a strategic issue for the country,” says Daniel Stanton, author of “Supply Chain Management for Dummies.” The global food network “is great, because it gives us a huge number of choices at a relative low cost. But what you find is when there is a disruption anywhere, it causes a blip in the system. And when you have disruption everywhere, the only supply chains that really work are the ones you started with: simple, local production.”
From best year ever to “zero sales”
In Minneapolis, forager Mike Kempenich went from his best year ever in his Forest to Fork mushroom business to “zero sales” overnight as customers like the Keg and Case food hall closed down.
Courtesy of Mike Kempenich View caption Hide caption Minnesota forager Mike Kempenich holds up a prime fungus. Mr. Kempenich has had to close his Forest to Fork outlet at the Keg and Case food hall in Minneapolis, but a local grocery chain bought up his entire supply in order to keep him afloat – and prevent a sense of scarcity in local markets.
Yet in the midst of the turmoil, an 11-store grocery chain called Kowalski’s Markets bought his entire fungi stock. It’s part of an effort both to keep Mr. Kempenich’s small firm afloat and to make sure that shelves are stocked while many markets struggle to get trucks into the loading dock.
“This highlights the need for Minneapolis or any American city to localize their supply chains,” says Mr. Kempenich. “What I hope people do is take a step back and think, ‘Hey, we have an incredibly unique moment in history here ... where we can recognize the flaws that are so obvious and address them, and not just go back to business as usual.’”
Amelia Gay has seen privation, and this isn’t it. “Right now, I’m not worried about food for me and my family,” she says at the Savannah market. “Part of the reason for that is all the food I can see around me from all these other vendors.”
On hand: seasonal shad roe, locally butchered pork, cultivated mushrooms.
An immigrant from Angola, Ms. Gay lived through decades of civil war before moving to the U.S. Today, she and her husband, James Gay, run a small microgreens farm in Pooler, Georgia.
“The key for us right now is to be compassionate to counter that feeling of fear in people,” says Mr. Gay.
In Abingdon, Virginia, the local farmers market is shut down, but producers are switching to direct-to-consumer internet sales.
“Things are changing,” says market manager David McLeish, who owns a small wool-and-veggies farm called Dreamland Alpacas outside the city limits. “People are going to become even more aware of where their food comes from, and they will support local farmers even more.”
Victory in gardening
For many producers, their role in fighting the pandemic is taking on a patriotic glow.
“Our farmers are saying, ‘As long as there’s soil, I’m going to be growing,’” says Mary Elizabeth Kidd, communications manager at Georgia Organics in Atlanta, which helps connect farmers with consumers. “I have found such hope in their determination. And as an eater, it brings me a great sense of comfort that I know where to get eggs, some grains, and some big juicy tomatoes.”
That search for eddies of safety amid currents of fear has begun to drive policy. Colorado has made it easier to package inspected meats in order to streamline local supply chains. A growing number of states are listing farmers markets as essential to fighting the pandemic.
“States are loosening logistical bottlenecks to get food to where it needs to go, and that’s happening at the smaller producer level, too,” says Shelie Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems in Ann Arbor.
In 2018, a survey of U.S. consumers showed roughly 60% to 70% are willing to pay more for food products in the “natural, ethical, enhanced or ‘less of’ categories” – at least a 10 percentage-point increase from two years earlier. But that was before millions of people lost their jobs.
Thousands of field-to-table chefs are currently cooking only at home. Some of them worry that the locavore movement will, in fact, retreat as America faces a recession in which commodities may shoulder out local niche products.
“I look at how slowly the culture of local foods was built in Atlanta, and I worry with a lot of restaurants that have those values going away, does Atlanta go backwards to the meat-and-potatoes city it’s been for 40 or 50 years?” says Josh Hopkins, a former executive chef at Empire State South in Atlanta.
Yet times of crisis can also clarify the bonds between consumers and local suppliers, says Alan Muskat, an Asheville, North Carolina, “philosoforager” and educator.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“What goes to the heart of the challenge and possibility now is fear versus love,” says Mr. Muskat, who leads guided mushroom hunts across the Appalachian Highlands. “The hunter-gatherer and fisherman see real abundance ... [and] realize we don’t have to be afraid [of going hungry]. If we stay afraid, it’s possible we go more in a direction of autocratic centralization [of the food supply]. But if we recognize this is a Garden of Eden even now and we can all feed each other locally if we share, then it’s very clearly laid out – it’s a bottom-line choice that this virus makes obvious.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.