csmonitor--2020-06-25--Why migrants in Somalia have never heard of the coronavirus

A half-year into the most momentous pandemic in decades , it ’ s hard to imagine that anyone , anywhere has not heard of the coronavirus .
But scores of migrants arriving in Somalia tell United Nations workers every day that they are unaware of COVID-19 .
Monitors for the International Organization for Migration , the U.N. migration agency , interview people at the border in Somalia , a crossroads on one of the world ’ s most dangerous migration routes : across the Red Sea with traffickers , through war-ravaged Yemen , and into rich Gulf countries .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Destination ?
Why are you going ?
But after the first infections were confirmed in Somalia , a new one was added : How many people in your group are aware of the coronavirus ?
In the week ending June 20 , just over half – 51 % – of the 3,471 people tracked said they had never heard of COVID-19 .
“ The first time I saw this I was also very shocked , ” Celeste Sanchez Bean , a program manager with the U.N. agency based in Somalia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .
The findings , little more than a line in the agency ’ s reports , are a reminder of the huge challenges in reaching everyone in the world with information about the pandemic , much less getting them to wear face masks .
The migrants are often young men from rural parts of neighboring Ethiopia .
Most have no education , and some are from communities where internet access is low , Ms. Bean said .
She doubted that anything had been lost in translation .
“ We ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
In past interviews , many migrants were not even aware that a war was being waged in Yemen , the next step on their journey , she said .
With that in mind , “ I ’ m not super shocked that levels of awareness of the coronavirus are still very low.
” Instead , she ’ s heartened that the number of those unaware of COVID-19 has been dropping over the dozen weeks that the question has been asked , down from 88 % at the start .
Anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given a short explanation of the pandemic , including how the virus is contracted and descriptions of the symptoms and preventative measures .
What worries Ms. Bean now are the findings of a new project mapping the migrant route through Somalia , a country destabilized by decades of conflict , and merging it with epidemiological data showing coronavirus infections .
“ It ’ s very clear to us that migrants are transiting areas with confirmed cases , ” she said .
“ When you have migrants with such levels of unawareness , combined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to say dangerous , but the migrants are putting themselves at risk.
” Possibly others , too .
Migrants already face stigma in cities like Bosaso , where boats set off for Yemen , as some residents blame them for bringing the virus , the U.N. migration agency has said .
Now with the pandemic hurting the local economy , many migrants can not find the work that allows them to save money for their onward journey , Ms. Bean said .
“ So they are struggling even more than ever before.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t limited to the migrants .
“ I ’ ve heard of something that sounds like that name , but we don ’ t have it here , ” Fatima Moalin , a resident of Sakow town in southern Somalia , told the AP when reached by phone .
” Muslims don ’ t contract such a thing.
” Others in rural Somalia , especially in areas held by the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab extremist group , have been dismissive of the virus .
Somali authorities cite limited internet access , limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on communications with the outside world .
A recent assessment by the U.N. migration agency of displaced people in Somalia ’ s breakaway region of Somaliland found “ very high ” levels of misunderstanding , with some people confusing COVID-19 with a mosquito-borne disease or thinking a key symptom of the respiratory disease was diarrhea .
But most respondents were aware of the pandemic , thanks largely to radio broadcasts , word of mouth , and messages played by mobile phone services while waiting for someone to pick up – a common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Slowly , slowly the information is getting there , ” Ms. Bean said .
The virus is , too .
Somalia , with one of the world ’ s weakest health systems , now has more than 2,800 cases .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Abdi Guled in Nairobi , Kenya , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

A half-year into the most momentous pandemic in decades, it’s hard to imagine that anyone, anywhere has not heard of the coronavirus. But scores of migrants arriving in Somalia tell United Nations workers every day that they are unaware of COVID-19.
Monitors for the International Organization for Migration, the U.N. migration agency, interview people at the border in Somalia, a crossroads on one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes: across the Red Sea with traffickers, through war-ravaged Yemen, and into rich Gulf countries.
The questions for migrants are simple. Origin? Destination? Why are you going? But after the first infections were confirmed in Somalia, a new one was added: How many people in your group are aware of the coronavirus?
In the week ending June 20, just over half – 51% – of the 3,471 people tracked said they had never heard of COVID-19.
“The first time I saw this I was also very shocked,” Celeste Sanchez Bean, a program manager with the U.N. agency based in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, told The Associated Press.
The findings, little more than a line in the agency’s reports, are a reminder of the huge challenges in reaching everyone in the world with information about the pandemic, much less getting them to wear face masks.
The migrants are often young men from rural parts of neighboring Ethiopia. Most have no education, and some are from communities where internet access is low, Ms. Bean said. She doubted that anything had been lost in translation.
“We’ve been interviewing migrants for many years,” she said.
In past interviews, many migrants were not even aware that a war was being waged in Yemen, the next step on their journey, she said.
With that in mind, “I’m not super shocked that levels of awareness of the coronavirus are still very low.”
Instead, she’s heartened that the number of those unaware of COVID-19 has been dropping over the dozen weeks that the question has been asked, down from 88% at the start.
Anyone who is unaware of the coronavirus is given a short explanation of the pandemic, including how the virus is contracted and descriptions of the symptoms and preventative measures.
What worries Ms. Bean now are the findings of a new project mapping the migrant route through Somalia, a country destabilized by decades of conflict, and merging it with epidemiological data showing coronavirus infections.
“It’s very clear to us that migrants are transiting areas with confirmed cases,” she said. “When you have migrants with such levels of unawareness, combined with this ... I don’t want to say dangerous, but the migrants are putting themselves at risk.”
Possibly others, too. Migrants already face stigma in cities like Bosaso, where boats set off for Yemen, as some residents blame them for bringing the virus, the U.N. migration agency has said.
Now with the pandemic hurting the local economy, many migrants cannot find the work that allows them to save money for their onward journey, Ms. Bean said. “So they are struggling even more than ever before.”
Lack of awareness about COVID-19 isn’t limited to the migrants.
“I’ve heard of something that sounds like that name, but we don’t have it here,” Fatima Moalin, a resident of Sakow town in southern Somalia, told the AP when reached by phone. ”Muslims don’t contract such a thing.”
Others in rural Somalia, especially in areas held by the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab extremist group, have been dismissive of the virus. Somali authorities cite limited internet access, limited awareness campaigns, and even extremists’ restrictions on communications with the outside world.
A recent assessment by the U.N. migration agency of displaced people in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland found “very high” levels of misunderstanding, with some people confusing COVID-19 with a mosquito-borne disease or thinking a key symptom of the respiratory disease was diarrhea.
But most respondents were aware of the pandemic, thanks largely to radio broadcasts, word of mouth, and messages played by mobile phone services while waiting for someone to pick up – a common approach in many countries in Africa.
“Slowly, slowly the information is getting there,” Ms. Bean said.
The virus is, too. Somalia, with one of the world’s weakest health systems, now has more than 2,800 cases.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Abdi Guled in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-25--Black Lives Matter: Practicing self-care during a revolution

As I watch the protests continue its fourth week I am quickly reminded of the past .
I remember learning about the deaths of Trayvon Martin , Micheal Brown , and Sandra Bland .
I was living in New York at the time .
I was at work and was obligated to have the news on .
Day in and day out I watched the media portray the victims in the worst light , bringing up petty crimes from their past and completely dismantling their character as if to justify the police ’ s actions .
As an African American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those young men .
When a gunman opened fire in a Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston , South Carolina , I saw my parents and extended family among the slain .
I felt compelled to use my voice and body to represent them .
I protested , signed petitions , talked to friends , I even went to Washington , D.C. , to march .
After some time of protesting , I slowly started to feel my body and emotional health dive .
I was not feeling well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back-to-back deaths of Black men , women , and children and I did not have the chance to process any of it .
I knew nothing of self-care at that time so I kept on marching .
One day at work , after hours of watching the news , I broke down .
I couldn ’ t bear the images of bodies in the streets , commentary of news reporters diminishing the character of the victimized , or hearing another not-guilty verdict .
I felt like all my marching , taking a stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top of my lungs went down the drain – I stopped protesting .
Numbness took over .
When a new case would flash across the screen I would either mute it or simply change the channel .
Death after death , video after video , I drowned it out .
I felt hopeless and disempowered .
While all this was happening around me , I was trying to cope with my father ’ s passing and issues around my personal life – I couldn ’ t bear it all .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disconnect between myself and religion .
I wasn ’ t finding the solace I needed to soothe my sadness .
Eventually , I started talking to someone who introduced me to self-care .
My self-care journey has evolved , and it ’ s provided the tools I need to take care of myself during the current revolution .
Fast forward to today , it ’ s the same narrative and the same images .
I listen to my friends and family talk about having nervous breakdowns , crying , calling off work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images and videos replaying in their head .
I lovingly remind them of self-care .
Taking care of yourself is the greatest act of love you can give yourself .
I learned if you ’ re no good to yourself , you ’ re no good to anyone else .
Rather than rising to take a stand , you will melt into total burnout .
One major lesson I have learned during this journey is that when we fail to address our traumas , we risk passing them down .
When pain passes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , support , or love to release , it can manifest in both physical ways and general dis-ease in the body .
This has been dubbed ancestral or intergenerational trauma by psychologists , defined as trauma passed down through generations .
When you look at African Americans ’ history , our pain goes back 400 years .
I think of my forefathers and foremothers who weren ’ t too far removed from slavery .
I wonder if they practiced self-care or even knew what it meant .
I don ’ t imagine when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have time to think about it .
I look at Harriet Tubman , Marcus Garvey , Fred Hampton , Malcolm X , Dr. Martin Luther King , Fannie Lou Hamer – all of these leaders knew they had targets on their backs .
How do you live a full life knowing that ?
Fannie Lou Hamer was a voting rights and women ’ s activist , famous for saying , “ I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.
” Throughout her life , she struggled with illness .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American prisoners to beat her .
Did she ever have time to process or heal from that trauma or even take care of herself while dealing with her illnesses ?
Did she , or any of our leaders have opportunities to have a full life ?
My assumption : not when you ’ re fighting for the lives of others or constantly looking over your shoulder .
So many Black leaders didn ’ t make it past a certain age .
When Black people come in contact with a police officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the 400-year-old torch African American people carry , on top of the everyday struggles of being Black .
Every time a Black man , woman , or child is killed I think of the families left behind , our civil rights leaders , and the wounds that don ’ t have the proper chance to heal .
Though I have not protested recently , I have found other ways to show my support .
One of those ways is by engaging in my own self-healing and being present when friends and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a sounding board as well as focusing on my self-care is the best act of service I can give right now .

As I watch the protests continue its fourth week I am quickly reminded of the past. I remember learning about the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Micheal Brown, and Sandra Bland. I was living in New York at the time. I was at work and was obligated to have the news on. Day in and day out I watched the media portray the victims in the worst light, bringing up petty crimes from their past and completely dismantling their character as if to justify the police’s actions.
As an African American woman, I saw my brothers in those young men. When a gunman opened fire in a Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, I saw my parents and extended family among the slain. I felt compelled to use my voice and body to represent them. I protested, signed petitions, talked to friends, I even went to Washington, D.C., to march. After some time of protesting, I slowly started to feel my body and emotional health dive. I was not feeling well, but I ignored it.
There were back-to-back deaths of Black men, women, and children and I did not have the chance to process any of it. I knew nothing of self-care at that time so I kept on marching. One day at work, after hours of watching the news, I broke down. I couldn’t bear the images of bodies in the streets, commentary of news reporters diminishing the character of the victimized, or hearing another not-guilty verdict. I felt like all my marching, taking a stand, yelling “Black Lives Matter” at the top of my lungs went down the drain – I stopped protesting.
Numbness took over. When a new case would flash across the screen I would either mute it or simply change the channel. Death after death, video after video, I drowned it out. I felt hopeless and disempowered.
While all this was happening around me, I was trying to cope with my father’s passing and issues around my personal life – I couldn’t bear it all. I became more involved in church but felt a disconnect between myself and religion. I wasn’t finding the solace I needed to soothe my sadness. Eventually, I started talking to someone who introduced me to self-care. My self-care journey has evolved, and it’s provided the tools I need to take care of myself during the current revolution.
Fast forward to today, it’s the same narrative and the same images. I listen to my friends and family talk about having nervous breakdowns, crying, calling off work because they can’t handle the images and videos replaying in their head. I lovingly remind them of self-care.
Taking care of yourself is the greatest act of love you can give yourself. I learned if you’re no good to yourself, you’re no good to anyone else. Rather than rising to take a stand, you will melt into total burnout.
One major lesson I have learned during this journey is that when we fail to address our traumas, we risk passing them down. When pain passes from generation to generation without proper tools, support, or love to release, it can manifest in both physical ways and general dis-ease in the body. This has been dubbed ancestral or intergenerational trauma by psychologists, defined as trauma passed down through generations.
When you look at African Americans’ history, our pain goes back 400 years. I think of my forefathers and foremothers who weren’t too far removed from slavery. I wonder if they practiced self-care or even knew what it meant. I don’t imagine when you’re fighting for your life you have time to think about it.
I look at Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Fred Hampton, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Fannie Lou Hamer – all of these leaders knew they had targets on their backs. How do you live a full life knowing that?
Fannie Lou Hamer was a voting rights and women’s activist, famous for saying, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Throughout her life, she struggled with illness. She was jailed and white officers forced two African American prisoners to beat her. Did she ever have time to process or heal from that trauma or even take care of herself while dealing with her illnesses? Did she, or any of our leaders have opportunities to have a full life? My assumption: not when you’re fighting for the lives of others or constantly looking over your shoulder.
So many Black leaders didn’t make it past a certain age. When Black people come in contact with a police officer, they hold that same fear.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This is the 400-year-old torch African American people carry, on top of the everyday struggles of being Black. Every time a Black man, woman, or child is killed I think of the families left behind, our civil rights leaders, and the wounds that don’t have the proper chance to heal.
Though I have not protested recently, I have found other ways to show my support. One of those ways is by engaging in my own self-healing and being present when friends and family need me. I have found that being a sounding board as well as focusing on my self-care is the best act of service I can give right now.


csmonitor--2020-06-25--Will the Postal Service be the star of the 2020 election?

The U.S .
Postal Service 's famous motto – `` Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers ” – is being tested like never before , by challenges that go well beyond the weather .
Its finances have been devastated by the coronavirus .
The Trump administration may attach big strings to federal bailouts .
The agency ’ s responsibilities , meanwhile , are mounting .
A dramatic shift in many states to voting by mail is intended to protect voters from spreading the virus at polling places .
But it ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributing to delays in determining election winners .
Results were delayed this week in Kentucky and New York as both states were overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots .
Both states are now giving voters extra time after Election Day to return mail ballots , as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday .
“ What we don ’ t need is more chaos in the chaos , ” said Wendy Fields , executive director of the voting rights advocacy group The Democracy Initiative , who said worries about undue strain at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against voter suppression .
President Donald Trump opposes expanding voting by mail , arguing that it will trigger fraud , even though there 's no evidence that will happen .
Mr. Trump and many of his administration 's leading voices frequently vote absentee themselves .
The president has also called the Postal Service “ a joke ” and says that package shipping rates should be at least four times higher for heavy users like Amazon .
But shipping and packages are actually a top revenue generator for the Postal Service , and critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punish Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos in retaliation for unflattering coverage in The Washington Post , which the billionaire also owns .
Mr. Trump has acknowledged that larger political calculations are at work , tweeting that expanding vote by mail will “ LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.
” Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has suggested that the president 's opposition to absentee voting and criticism of the Postal Service may help him “ steal ” the election .
Mark Dimondstein , president of the American Postal Workers Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration is “ shamefully trying to use the crisis to carry out an agenda '' of privatization , which would ultimately `` break up the Postal Service and sell it.
” Jim Condos , Vermont 's Democratic secretary of state , said “ our democracy depends on a reliable post office.
” “ Mid-election year is not the time to see changes in the dependability of the Postal Service , especially during a year when our country is experiencing a pandemic and health crisis , which will dramatically increase the necessity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The Postal Service predates the United States , created by the Second Continental Congress in July 1775 .
Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general .
Unlike its private competitors , the Postal Service can not refuse to make costly deliveries to especially hard-to-reach addresses .
Still , much of its budgetary concerns stem from a 2006 law requiring the agency to fully fund retiree health benefits for the next 75 years .
It normally operates without taxpayer funds .
Amid the pandemic , however , the Postal Service lost $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second quarter .
Congress approved a $ 10 billion line of credit for the agency as part of March 's sweeping economic rescue package .
Since then , though , the Postal Service and the Treasury Department have had discussions about requirements to actually extend those loans .
Neither side will say publicly what 's being negotiated , but Mr. Trump has made his feelings clear .
A 2018 Treasury Department task force also recommended the Postal Service increase package rates and cut labor costs .
A second coronavirus aid package passed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 billion in direct aid for the Postal Service , but the GOP-majority Senate has n't passed its own version .
In the meantime , more than 3,420 of the Postal Service 's 630,000-plus employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , and some have died .
While package deliveries have increased as Americans stay home , mail volumes plummeted – as much as 30 % , according to the American Postal Workers Union .
In April , then-Postmaster General Megan Brennan said the agency could be out of money by Sept. 30 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina businessman and GOP fundraiser who has donated to Mr. Trump in the past , succeeded Ms. Brennan .
Postal Service spokesperson David Partenheimer said that more recent trends “ indicate that our 2020 financial performance will be better than our early scenarios predicted , '' though he said much remains uncertain .
`` Our current financial condition is not going to impact our ability to deliver election and political mail this year , ” Mr. Partenheimer said .
But Mr. Condos , who is president of the National Association of Secretaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a promise could force the Postal Service to cut back on routine services , which may see voting materials prioritized over regular mail .
The pressure is also on since absentee ballots for overseas military members are sent 45 days before Election Day , or Sept. 18 – less than three months away .
“ This whole idea that we have until November to decide , we really don ’ t , ” Mr. Condos said .
The Postal Service consistently ranks as Americans ' favorite federal agency , with recent approval ratings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also one that does n't break down neatly along ideological lines .
Congressional Democrats are clamoring to “ save the post office , ” and Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are among those proposing boosting Postal Service profits by having it expand into banking services , which it provided for decades until the 1960s .
Rural Republicans like Alaska Rep. Dan Young have also called for defending the post office .
Still , some conservatives say tying its funding to Election Day jitters is a partisan ploy .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legitimacy of the outcome , ” said Tom Ridge , the Republican former Pennsylvania governor who now heads VoteSafe , a bipartisan group working with state and local officials to expand and strengthen vote-by-mail options head of November .
`` It ’ s very sad , it ’ s very disappointing , it ’ s very troubling.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s free .

The U.S. Postal Service's famous motto – "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers” – is being tested like never before, by challenges that go well beyond the weather.
Its finances have been devastated by the coronavirus. The Trump administration may attach big strings to federal bailouts.
The agency’s responsibilities, meanwhile, are mounting. A dramatic shift in many states to voting by mail is intended to protect voters from spreading the virus at polling places. But it’s also making more work for post offices and contributing to delays in determining election winners.
Results were delayed this week in Kentucky and New York as both states were overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots. Both states are now giving voters extra time after Election Day to return mail ballots, as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday.
“What we don’t need is more chaos in the chaos,” said Wendy Fields, executive director of the voting rights advocacy group The Democracy Initiative, who said worries about undue strain at the post office only exacerbate larger struggles against voter suppression.
President Donald Trump opposes expanding voting by mail, arguing that it will trigger fraud, even though there's no evidence that will happen. Mr. Trump and many of his administration's leading voices frequently vote absentee themselves.
The president has also called the Postal Service “a joke” and says that package shipping rates should be at least four times higher for heavy users like Amazon. But shipping and packages are actually a top revenue generator for the Postal Service, and critics say Mr. Trump is merely looking to punish Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos in retaliation for unflattering coverage in The Washington Post, which the billionaire also owns.
Mr. Trump has acknowledged that larger political calculations are at work, tweeting that expanding vote by mail will “LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.” Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has suggested that the president's opposition to absentee voting and criticism of the Postal Service may help him “steal” the election.
Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, which represents 200,000-plus employees, said the Trump administration is “shamefully trying to use the crisis to carry out an agenda" of privatization, which would ultimately "break up the Postal Service and sell it.”
Jim Condos, Vermont's Democratic secretary of state, said “our democracy depends on a reliable post office.”
“Mid-election year is not the time to see changes in the dependability of the Postal Service, especially during a year when our country is experiencing a pandemic and health crisis, which will dramatically increase the necessity of voting by mail," he said.
The Postal Service predates the United States, created by the Second Continental Congress in July 1775. Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general.
Unlike its private competitors, the Postal Service cannot refuse to make costly deliveries to especially hard-to-reach addresses. Still, much of its budgetary concerns stem from a 2006 law requiring the agency to fully fund retiree health benefits for the next 75 years.
It normally operates without taxpayer funds. Amid the pandemic, however, the Postal Service lost $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2020's second quarter. Congress approved a $10 billion line of credit for the agency as part of March's sweeping economic rescue package. Since then, though, the Postal Service and the Treasury Department have had discussions about requirements to actually extend those loans.
Neither side will say publicly what's being negotiated, but Mr. Trump has made his feelings clear. A 2018 Treasury Department task force also recommended the Postal Service increase package rates and cut labor costs. A second coronavirus aid package passed in May by the Democratic-controlled House includes $25 billion in direct aid for the Postal Service, but the GOP-majority Senate hasn't passed its own version.
In the meantime, more than 3,420 of the Postal Service's 630,000-plus employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and some have died. While package deliveries have increased as Americans stay home, mail volumes plummeted – as much as 30%, according to the American Postal Workers Union.
In April, then-Postmaster General Megan Brennan said the agency could be out of money by Sept. 30. Last week, Louis DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman and GOP fundraiser who has donated to Mr. Trump in the past, succeeded Ms. Brennan.
Postal Service spokesperson David Partenheimer said that more recent trends “indicate that our 2020 financial performance will be better than our early scenarios predicted," though he said much remains uncertain.
"Our current financial condition is not going to impact our ability to deliver election and political mail this year,” Mr. Partenheimer said.
But Mr. Condos, who is president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, fears that keeping such a promise could force the Postal Service to cut back on routine services, which may see voting materials prioritized over regular mail. The pressure is also on since absentee ballots for overseas military members are sent 45 days before Election Day, or Sept. 18 – less than three months away.
“This whole idea that we have until November to decide, we really don’t,” Mr. Condos said.
The Postal Service consistently ranks as Americans' favorite federal agency, with recent approval ratings topping 90%. The issue is also one that doesn't break down neatly along ideological lines. Congressional Democrats are clamoring to “save the post office,” and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are among those proposing boosting Postal Service profits by having it expand into banking services, which it provided for decades until the 1960s.
Rural Republicans like Alaska Rep. Dan Young have also called for defending the post office. Still, some conservatives say tying its funding to Election Day jitters is a partisan ploy.
“It’s just casting seeds of doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome,” said Tom Ridge, the Republican former Pennsylvania governor who now heads VoteSafe, a bipartisan group working with state and local officials to expand and strengthen vote-by-mail options head of November. "It’s very sad, it’s very disappointing, it’s very troubling.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-25--Trump applauds court's decision to drop Michael Flynn case

A divided federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the dismissal of the criminal case against President Donald Trump 's former national security adviser Michael Flynn , turning back efforts by a judge to scrutinize the Justice Department 's extraordinary decision to drop the prosecution .
The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said in a 2-1 ruling that the Justice Department 's move to abandon the case against Mr. Flynn settles the matter , even though Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty as part of special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation to lying to the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for both Mr. Flynn and the Justice Department , appears to cut short what could have been a protracted legal fight over the basis for the government 's dismissal of the case .
It came as Democrats question whether the Justice Department has become too politicized and Attorney General William Barr too quick to side with the president , particularly as he vocally criticizes , and even undoes , some of the results of the Russia investigation .
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday centered on another unusual move by Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask for less prison time for another Trump associate , Roger Stone .
Mr. Barr has accepted an invitation to testify before the panel on July 28 , a spokeswoman said Wednesday , and he will almost certainly be pressed about the Flynn case .
Mr. Trump tweeted just moments after the ruling became public : `` Great !
Appeals Court Upholds Justice Departments Request to Drop Criminal Case Against General Michael Flynn . ''
Later , at the White House , Mr. Trump told reporters he was happy for Mr. Flynn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of very bad people , '' Mr. Trump said .
`` What happened to Gen. Flynn should never happen in our country . ''
Mr. Flynn called into conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh 's radio show and said the ruling was a good development for him and his family .
But he also called it a `` great boost of confidence for the American people in our justice system because that 's what this really comes down to – is whether or not our justice system is going to have the confidence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Emmet Sullivan had declined to immediately dismiss the case , seeking instead to evaluate on his own the department 's request .
He appointed a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department 's position and to consider whether Mr. Flynn could be held in criminal contempt for perjury .
He had set a July 16 hearing to formally hear the request to dismiss the case .
Judge Neomi Rao , a Trump nominee who was joined by Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson , wrote that Judge Sullivan had overstepped his bounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This case , she said , `` is not the unusual case where a more searching inquiry is justified . ''
`` To begin with , '' she added , `` Flynn agrees with the government 's motion to dismiss , and there has been no allegation that the motion reflects prosecutorial harassment .
Additionally , the government 's motion includes an extensive discussion of newly discovered evidence casting Flynn 's guilt into doubt . ''
She called Judge Sullivan 's scrutiny of the government 's request an `` irregular and searching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have to publicly justify its decision in this case and others .
`` Our precedents emphatically leave prosecutorial charging decisions to the Executive Branch and hold that a court may scrutinize a motion to dismiss only on the extraordinary showing of harassment of the defendant or malfeasance such as bribery – neither of which is manifest in the record before the district court , '' she wrote .
Some critics of the Justice Department 's dismissal urged the full appeals court to take up the case and reverse the decision of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do .
In a dissent , Judge Robert Wilkins said it appeared to be the first time his court had compelled a lower court judge to rule in a particular way without giving the judge a `` reasonable opportunity to issue its own ruling . ''
`` It is a great irony that , in finding the District Court to have exceeded its jurisdiction , this Court so grievously oversteps its own , '' wrote Judge Wilkins , an appointee of former President Barack Obama .
Mr. Flynn was the only White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia .
He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI days after the president 's January 2017 inauguration about conversations he had had during the presidential transition period with the Russian ambassador , in which the two men discussed sanctions that had been imposed on Russia by the Obama administration for election interference .
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case in May as part of a broader effort by Mr. Barr to revisit some of the decisions reached during the Russia investigation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its motion , the department argued that Mr. Flynn 's calls with the Russian ambassador were entirely appropriate and not material to the underlying counterintelligence investigation .
The department also noted that weeks before the interview , the FBI had prepared to close its investigation into Mr. Flynn after not finding evidence that he had committed any crimes .
But the retired judge appointed by Judge Sullivan , John Gleeson , called the Justice Department 's request a `` gross abuse '' of prosecutorial power and accused the government of creating a pretext @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Judge Henderson , the other judge in the majority , had asked skeptical questions of lawyers for Mr. Flynn and the Justice Department during arguments earlier this month , raising the prospect she would decide in favor of leaving the case in Judge Sullivan 's hands .
But she ultimately ruled in favor of dismissing the case .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Mark Sherman , Colleen Long , and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

A divided federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the dismissal of the criminal case against President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn, turning back efforts by a judge to scrutinize the Justice Department's extraordinary decision to drop the prosecution.
The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said in a 2-1 ruling that the Justice Department's move to abandon the case against Mr. Flynn settles the matter, even though Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation to lying to the FBI.
The ruling, a significant win for both Mr. Flynn and the Justice Department, appears to cut short what could have been a protracted legal fight over the basis for the government's dismissal of the case. It came as Democrats question whether the Justice Department has become too politicized and Attorney General William Barr too quick to side with the president, particularly as he vocally criticizes, and even undoes, some of the results of the Russia investigation.
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday centered on another unusual move by Mr. Barr to overrule his own prosecutors and ask for less prison time for another Trump associate, Roger Stone. Mr. Barr has accepted an invitation to testify before the panel on July 28, a spokeswoman said Wednesday, and he will almost certainly be pressed about the Flynn case.
Mr. Trump tweeted just moments after the ruling became public: "Great! Appeals Court Upholds Justice Departments Request to Drop Criminal Case Against General Michael Flynn."
Later, at the White House, Mr. Trump told reporters he was happy for Mr. Flynn.
"He was treated horribly by a group of very bad people," Mr. Trump said. "What happened to Gen. Flynn should never happen in our country."
Mr. Flynn called into conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh's radio show and said the ruling was a good development for him and his family. But he also called it a "great boost of confidence for the American people in our justice system because that's what this really comes down to – is whether or not our justice system is going to have the confidence of the American people."
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan had declined to immediately dismiss the case, seeking instead to evaluate on his own the department's request. He appointed a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department's position and to consider whether Mr. Flynn could be held in criminal contempt for perjury. He had set a July 16 hearing to formally hear the request to dismiss the case.
Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump nominee who was joined by Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, wrote that Judge Sullivan had overstepped his bounds by second-guessing the Justice Department's decision. This case, she said, "is not the unusual case where a more searching inquiry is justified."
"To begin with," she added, "Flynn agrees with the government's motion to dismiss, and there has been no allegation that the motion reflects prosecutorial harassment. Additionally, the government's motion includes an extensive discussion of newly discovered evidence casting Flynn's guilt into doubt."
She called Judge Sullivan's scrutiny of the government's request an "irregular and searching" step that could force the government to have to publicly justify its decision in this case and others.
"Our precedents emphatically leave prosecutorial charging decisions to the Executive Branch and hold that a court may scrutinize a motion to dismiss only on the extraordinary showing of harassment of the defendant or malfeasance such as bribery – neither of which is manifest in the record before the district court," she wrote.
Some critics of the Justice Department's dismissal urged the full appeals court to take up the case and reverse the decision of the three-judge panel, as it is empowered to do.
In a dissent, Judge Robert Wilkins said it appeared to be the first time his court had compelled a lower court judge to rule in a particular way without giving the judge a "reasonable opportunity to issue its own ruling."
"It is a great irony that, in finding the District Court to have exceeded its jurisdiction, this Court so grievously oversteps its own," wrote Judge Wilkins, an appointee of former President Barack Obama.
Mr. Flynn was the only White House official charged in Mr. Mueller's investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI days after the president's January 2017 inauguration about conversations he had had during the presidential transition period with the Russian ambassador, in which the two men discussed sanctions that had been imposed on Russia by the Obama administration for election interference.
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case in May as part of a broader effort by Mr. Barr to revisit some of the decisions reached during the Russia investigation, which he has increasingly disparaged.
In its motion, the department argued that Mr. Flynn's calls with the Russian ambassador were entirely appropriate and not material to the underlying counterintelligence investigation. The department also noted that weeks before the interview, the FBI had prepared to close its investigation into Mr. Flynn after not finding evidence that he had committed any crimes.
But the retired judge appointed by Judge Sullivan, John Gleeson, called the Justice Department's request a "gross abuse" of prosecutorial power and accused the government of creating a pretext to benefit an ally of the president.
Judge Henderson, the other judge in the majority, had asked skeptical questions of lawyers for Mr. Flynn and the Justice Department during arguments earlier this month, raising the prospect she would decide in favor of leaving the case in Judge Sullivan's hands.
But she ultimately ruled in favor of dismissing the case.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Mark Sherman, Colleen Long, and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-25--Are you hearing fireworks every night? You're not alone.

They are a symbol of celebration , loudly lighting up the night sky and best known in the United States as the explosive exclamation point to Fourth of July festivities .
This year , fireworks are n't being saved for Independence Day .
They 've become a nightly nuisance ringing out from Connecticut to California , angering sleep-deprived residents and alarming elected officials .
All of them want to know : Why the fascination with fireworks , and where is everybody getting the goods ?
`` I had that same question , '' said Julie L. Heckman , executive director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range from coordinated efforts to blame those protesting police brutality to bored people blowing off steam following coronavirus lockdowns .
Most states allow at least some types of consumer fireworks , making them difficult to contain in cities like New York where they 're banned because people can drive a couple of hours away to buy them legally .
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio set up a multiagency task force in hopes of getting answers , after blasts from Brooklyn to the Bronx have people in the city that never sleeps desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of police , firefighters , and the Sheriff 's Bureau of Criminal Investigation , the task force will conduct sting operations to try to stop the sales of explosives that are proving dangerous .
A 3-year-old boy was injured Wednesday while watching fireworks from his apartment window .
`` This is a real problem .
It is not just a quality-of-life problem and a noise problem , '' Mr. de Blasio said .
Many Fourth of July celebrations will be smaller or eliminated entirely because of coronavirus restrictions .
Yet the business of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting 200 % increases from the same time last year , Ms. Heckman said .
Her industry had high hopes for 2020 , with July 4 falling on a Saturday .
Then came the pandemic and its closures and cancellations , leaving fireworks retailers worried they would n't be able to scratch out much of a sales season .
Those fears have gone up in smoke .
`` Sales are off the hook right now .
We 're seeing this anomaly in use , '' Ms. Heckman said .
`` What 's concerning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where consumer fireworks are not legal to use . ''
Officials have the same concern .
New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy said there are too many reports of fireworks being set off across the state , where they are mostly illegal .
`` This is no way to blow off steam , '' he told reporters Tuesday in Trenton , the capital .
New Jersey outlaws pyrotechnics except for sparklers and snakes , which produce smoke but do n't explode , though residents have easy access to fireworks at shops in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's neighbor , a big shop sits at the foot of the bridge leading to New Jersey .
On Tuesday , the parking lot was nearly full , with cars primarily from New Jersey and Pennsylvania , but others from New York , North Carolina , and even Texas .
Officials in Oakland , California , say they have received more complaints of illegal fireworks and reports of celebratory gunfire this year than is typical before the Fourth of July .
At least five fires have been linked to fireworks since late May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities seized up to 3,000 pounds of illegal fireworks discovered during a traffic stop this week .
Theories abound for why fireworks have gotten so popular .
Some speculate on social media that police are either setting them off themselves or giving them to local teens in hopes people blame those protesting racist policing .
Another claim says police are just harassing communities of color .
`` My neighbors and I believe that this is part of a coordinated attack on Black and Brown communities by government forces , '' tweeted the writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fireworks have been retweeted thousands of times .
A video captured in New York appears to show fire department staff setting off the explosives outside their station .
Pyrotechnics expert Mike Tockstein , who has directed hundreds of professional fireworks shows , thinks there 's an easier explanation : the upcoming holiday and a nation filled with young people fed up with quarantines .
`` I 've heard a lot of conspiracy theories , and none of them are based in logic or data or facts , '' said Mr. Tockstein , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company that trains fireworks professionals .
`` Fireworks are used across the entire country for a full month leading up to the Fourth of July , '' he said .
`` There is a slight uptick , but I do n't think it 's anything more than people are stuck at home and hey , look , fireworks are available . ''
One theory that can probably be blown up : organizers of canceled Fourth of July events passing surplus products to recreational users .
`` Nothing could be further from the truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` because that would be a felony . ''
Those who sell professional fireworks , which are much more dangerous for amateurs to fire , need licenses from the federal Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives , and goods are housed in secure facilities , often guarded .
`` It 's like the Fort Knox of fireworks , '' said Larry Farnsworth , a spokesman for the National Fireworks Association .
Retail use falls under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission .
The fireworks Ms. Heckman is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireworks are capped at under 2 inches in diameter and burst at just under 200 feet .
Professional fireworks are wider and can explode hundreds of feet higher .
Still , they can be a bother at any height for young children , pets , and veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder .
In Hartford , Connecticut , police say they have been responding to up to 200 complaints a day .
Connecticut allows only fireworks that do n't explode or launch into the air , but they 're legal a drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia has some restrictions on fireworks and warned of their dangers this week after a number of complaints .
`` We understand the absence of in-person festivals may cause some to crave the excitement of an enormous fireworks display over the river .
But the simple fact is that these are extremely dangerous products , and the risks far outweigh the momentary excitement of the explosions , '' city Managing Director Brian Abernathy said .
The light shows could last a while longer .
Many pop-up seasonal stores only opened this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireworks in the coming weeks as they realize traditional July 4 displays wo n't happen .
`` I think with all these public events being canceled , more families will bring the celebration home for the Fourth of July , '' Ms. Heckman said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Dave Collins in Hartford , Connecticut ; Mike Catalini in Trenton , New Jersey ; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia ; and Cuneyt Dil in Sacramento , California , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

They are a symbol of celebration, loudly lighting up the night sky and best known in the United States as the explosive exclamation point to Fourth of July festivities.
This year, fireworks aren't being saved for Independence Day.
They've become a nightly nuisance ringing out from Connecticut to California, angering sleep-deprived residents and alarming elected officials.
All of them want to know: Why the fascination with fireworks, and where is everybody getting the goods?
"I had that same question," said Julie L. Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association.
Theories range from coordinated efforts to blame those protesting police brutality to bored people blowing off steam following coronavirus lockdowns. Most states allow at least some types of consumer fireworks, making them difficult to contain in cities like New York where they're banned because people can drive a couple of hours away to buy them legally.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio set up a multiagency task force in hopes of getting answers, after blasts from Brooklyn to the Bronx have people in the city that never sleeps desperate to actually get some.
Made up of police, firefighters, and the Sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the task force will conduct sting operations to try to stop the sales of explosives that are proving dangerous. A 3-year-old boy was injured Wednesday while watching fireworks from his apartment window.
"This is a real problem. It is not just a quality-of-life problem and a noise problem," Mr. de Blasio said.
Many Fourth of July celebrations will be smaller or eliminated entirely because of coronavirus restrictions. Yet the business of fireworks is booming, with some retailers reporting 200% increases from the same time last year, Ms. Heckman said.
Her industry had high hopes for 2020, with July 4 falling on a Saturday. Then came the pandemic and its closures and cancellations, leaving fireworks retailers worried they wouldn't be able to scratch out much of a sales season.
Those fears have gone up in smoke.
"Sales are off the hook right now. We're seeing this anomaly in use," Ms. Heckman said. "What's concerning to us is this usage in cities where consumer fireworks are not legal to use."
Officials have the same concern.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said there are too many reports of fireworks being set off across the state, where they are mostly illegal.
"This is no way to blow off steam," he told reporters Tuesday in Trenton, the capital.
New Jersey outlaws pyrotechnics except for sparklers and snakes, which produce smoke but don't explode, though residents have easy access to fireworks at shops in Pennsylvania.
In Morrisville, Pennsylvania, Trenton's neighbor, a big shop sits at the foot of the bridge leading to New Jersey. On Tuesday, the parking lot was nearly full, with cars primarily from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but others from New York, North Carolina, and even Texas.
Officials in Oakland, California, say they have received more complaints of illegal fireworks and reports of celebratory gunfire this year than is typical before the Fourth of July. At least five fires have been linked to fireworks since late May, officials said.
In Denver, authorities seized up to 3,000 pounds of illegal fireworks discovered during a traffic stop this week.
Theories abound for why fireworks have gotten so popular.
Some speculate on social media that police are either setting them off themselves or giving them to local teens in hopes people blame those protesting racist policing. Another claim says police are just harassing communities of color.
"My neighbors and I believe that this is part of a coordinated attack on Black and Brown communities by government forces," tweeted the writer Robert Jones Jr., whose recent posts on fireworks have been retweeted thousands of times.
A video captured in New York appears to show fire department staff setting off the explosives outside their station.
Pyrotechnics expert Mike Tockstein, who has directed hundreds of professional fireworks shows, thinks there's an easier explanation: the upcoming holiday and a nation filled with young people fed up with quarantines.
"I've heard a lot of conspiracy theories, and none of them are based in logic or data or facts," said Mr. Tockstein, owner of Pyrotechnic Innovations, a California-based company that trains fireworks professionals.
"Fireworks are used across the entire country for a full month leading up to the Fourth of July," he said. "There is a slight uptick, but I don't think it's anything more than people are stuck at home and hey, look, fireworks are available."
One theory that can probably be blown up: organizers of canceled Fourth of July events passing surplus products to recreational users.
"Nothing could be further from the truth in that regard," Ms. Heckman said, "because that would be a felony."
Those who sell professional fireworks, which are much more dangerous for amateurs to fire, need licenses from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and goods are housed in secure facilities, often guarded.
"It's like the Fort Knox of fireworks," said Larry Farnsworth, a spokesman for the National Fireworks Association.
Retail use falls under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The fireworks Ms. Heckman is seeing aren't professional. Retail aerial fireworks are capped at under 2 inches in diameter and burst at just under 200 feet. Professional fireworks are wider and can explode hundreds of feet higher.
Still, they can be a bother at any height for young children, pets, and veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder.
In Hartford, Connecticut, police say they have been responding to up to 200 complaints a day. Connecticut allows only fireworks that don't explode or launch into the air, but they're legal a drive away in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia has some restrictions on fireworks and warned of their dangers this week after a number of complaints.
"We understand the absence of in-person festivals may cause some to crave the excitement of an enormous fireworks display over the river. But the simple fact is that these are extremely dangerous products, and the risks far outweigh the momentary excitement of the explosions," city Managing Director Brian Abernathy said.
The light shows could last a while longer. Many pop-up seasonal stores only opened this week. Mr. Tockstein predicts more people will buy fireworks in the coming weeks as they realize traditional July 4 displays won't happen.
"I think with all these public events being canceled, more families will bring the celebration home for the Fourth of July," Ms. Heckman said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia; and Cuneyt Dil in Sacramento, California, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-25--Beyond fortitude: COVID-19 nurses tap a hidden strength – “sisu”

COVID nurses , she says , are “ digging to reach layers of strength they did not know existed.
” Emilia Lahti , a world expert on sisu , thinks of it as the next gear beyond fortitude .
It expands your sense of what you can do , encourages you to take action in the most daunting of circumstances , and opens untapped channels of power .
Finnish soldiers drew on sisu during their brutal winter war to repel a Soviet invasion in 1939 .
Nowadays Erin Dean , a nurse in New York , says she is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strength and determination .
The whole hospital is calling upon a unique type of fortitude that allows us to get the job done.
” They draw on a quality that in Finland they have a word for – sisu .
It signifies the extraordinary courage and determination that surfaces in response to particular adversity and hardship .
How do nurses cope with the enormous pressures they face on COVID-19 wards , overwhelmed with work and fearful of infection ?
I can see the banner atop the Space Needle from my desk at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Seattle.
” While I am grateful that my city is no longer the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic , my thoughts turn to my former home and my colleagues in New York City living in the eye of this dark storm .
I emailed a number of front-line nurses at Manhattan ’ s Lenox Hill Hospital , where I once worked , asking them to describe how they are able to maintain a constancy of care when they are running on empty .
Their stories are gallant examples of sisu : a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determination that surface only in response to particular adversity , suffering , and hardship .
The word is 500 years old , but it was revived by the perseverance of Finnish soldiers who fought in the punishing cold of the 1939 Winter War .
They defied a powerful Soviet army invasion and preserved Finland ’ s independence .
Since then , sisu has become a key element in Finnish culture , though it is a capacity we all share .
At the core of sisu is the idea that , in each of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meets the eye .
Take Erin Dean , who details her evenings in the intensive care unit .
“ Every night , when I take the elevator up to my floor , I call upon an inner strength to get me through one more night , ” she explains .
“ I became a nurse to help .
I never believed it would require a special courage , but now I know that is true .
It ’ s not just me ; the whole team , the whole floor , the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fortitude.
” Ms. Dean describes how this “ horrifying disease has allowed me to witness acts of love on a scale I would not have imagined.
” She recalls a loving , long-married couple – each fatally ill – in beds on separate floors .
She ferried the wife in a wheelchair to her husband ’ s side so that they could die together .
By the time Erin returned to her station , the wife ’ s bed had been assigned to another patient .
“ No time to be sad.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ another patient to care for .
As nurses , we have all developed the ability to compartmentalize illness and death , but not at this extreme , unprecedented level .
We are drawing upon a heretofore untouched well of strength and determination.
” I discovered the notion of sisu when I worked on a Fulbright grant at the Helsinki University hospital .
There I encountered the work of Finnish psychologist Emilia Lahti , the world ’ s foremost authority on the phenomenon .
Ms. Lahti ’ s research details three key elements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move beyond our existing view of our mental and physical capacities .
Sisu is also an action mindset that helps us to face up to fears , extend ourselves in moments of suffering , and take action in the most daunting circumstances .
And finally , sisu is a second wind that allows us to draw upon a previously hidden , untapped source of strength .
These three elements sing in the example of Lenox Hill front-line nurse Emily Fawcett , who describes working her fifth 13-hour shift in a row .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ complain about how my feet are swollen and throbbing , how I have a headache from the tight mask , how I have cried three times today already , or how I miss my family .
But , I am choosing not to .
And this is why : Today I had the honor and privilege to “ send off ” a Navy veteran – to give him the goodbye that he deserved .
“ It was at this moment I had to call on my inner strength and courage .
It no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I had not eaten lunch , that I had charting to do .
All that mattered was this patient and his family .
They were my strength , my courage .
If they could be strong in this moment , so could I.
” Ms. Fawcett describes her team jumping into action .
They called the family in , gathered hospital workers who were veterans , got the music ready .
“ We all gowned up , the family said their goodbyes .
We played the Star Spangled Banner and we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed away shortly after .
It was beautiful and it is this moment that will carry me into my next shift.
” I ask Emilia Lahti how she views the exceptional responses of front-line health care workers .
“ The sisu these nurses describe has appeared in a moment of extreme adversity , ” she responds .
“ It is invoked by an experience that calls them to stretch and expand.
” Ms. Lahti thinks of sisu as the next gear beyond fortitude .
It begins where grit and perseverance end , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparks our “ ability to channel a moment and open the pathway to a latent existing strength that resides within us , ” she says .
The COVID-19 pandemic is such a moment , Ms. Lahti suggests .
“ We are witnessing a global expression of sisu .
We see nurses and health care providers digging to reach layers of strength they did not know existed .
They are stepping into their previously unpresented strength.
” Consider a final example of sisu as defiant bravery .
ICU nurse Rose May Coma compares her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being “ a civilian at war , ” toe to toe with the enemy virus .
She addressed it directly .
“ That ’ s okay Corona , I was not ready today .
Scoreboard : CORONA : 1 ME : 0 .
But tomorrow is another day .
I ’ m made of tougher stuff than you , Corona .
You won ’ t get me again .
Enjoy your win ; I ’ m in it in for the long haul .
I will dig deep , deeper than I ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for my family , your family , my brothers and sisters at the front line , for me , for humanity.
” More than 100 years ago , the American philosopher William James wondered “ what keeps our lights burning and our hearts hoping during the dark night of the soul ?
” When I listen to the stories of these valiant nurses , I hear eloquent answers .
I can only express wonder and gratitude for the sisu that moves them to meet this unthinkable moment .
Barbara Mackoff is a Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Organization for Nursing Leadership , co-author of “ The Inner Work of Leaders , ” and author of the forthcoming “ What ’ s in Your Just in Case Book ?
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

COVID nurses, she says, are “digging to reach layers of strength they did not know existed.”
Emilia Lahti, a world expert on sisu , thinks of it as the next gear beyond fortitude. It expands your sense of what you can do, encourages you to take action in the most daunting of circumstances, and opens untapped channels of power.
Finnish soldiers drew on sisu during their brutal winter war to repel a Soviet invasion in 1939. Nowadays Erin Dean, a nurse in New York, says she is “drawing on a heretofore untouched well of strength and determination. The whole hospital is calling upon a unique type of fortitude that allows us to get the job done.”
Sometimes, life and work can get so tough that it takes more than grit and perseverance to cope. Front-line nurses on COVID-19 wards have needed that quality in spades. The Finns have a word for it.
They draw on a quality that in Finland they have a word for – sisu. It signifies the extraordinary courage and determination that surfaces in response to particular adversity and hardship.
How do nurses cope with the enormous pressures they face on COVID-19 wards, overwhelmed with work and fearful of infection?
I can see the banner atop the Space Needle from my desk at home. It reads, “We got this Seattle.” While I am grateful that my city is no longer the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, my thoughts turn to my former home and my colleagues in New York City living in the eye of this dark storm.
I emailed a number of front-line nurses at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Hospital, where I once worked, asking them to describe how they are able to maintain a constancy of care when they are running on empty.
Their stories are gallant examples of sisu: a Finnish word meaning the extraordinary courage and determination that surface only in response to particular adversity, suffering, and hardship. The word is 500 years old, but it was revived by the perseverance of Finnish soldiers who fought in the punishing cold of the 1939 Winter War. They defied a powerful Soviet army invasion and preserved Finland’s independence.
Why We Wrote This A story focused on Resilience Sometimes, life and work can get so tough that it takes more than grit and perseverance to cope. Front-line nurses on COVID-19 wards have needed that quality in spades. The Finns have a word for it.
Since then, sisu has become a key element in Finnish culture, though it is a capacity we all share. At the core of sisu is the idea that, in each of us, there is more strength than meets the eye.
“No time to be sad”
Take Erin Dean, who details her evenings in the intensive care unit.
“Every night, when I take the elevator up to my floor, I call upon an inner strength to get me through one more night,” she explains. “I became a nurse to help. I never believed it would require a special courage, but now I know that is true. It’s not just me; the whole team, the whole floor, the whole hospital is calling upon a unique type of fortitude.”
Ms. Dean describes how this “horrifying disease has allowed me to witness acts of love on a scale I would not have imagined.” She recalls a loving, long-married couple – each fatally ill – in beds on separate floors. She ferried the wife in a wheelchair to her husband’s side so that they could die together. By the time Erin returned to her station, the wife’s bed had been assigned to another patient.
“No time to be sad.” Dean writes. “I had another patient to care for. As nurses, we have all developed the ability to compartmentalize illness and death, but not at this extreme, unprecedented level. We are drawing upon a heretofore untouched well of strength and determination.”
I discovered the notion of sisu when I worked on a Fulbright grant at the Helsinki University hospital. There I encountered the work of Finnish psychologist Emilia Lahti, the world’s foremost authority on the phenomenon.
Ms. Lahti’s research details three key elements of sisu. Firstly, it enables us to move beyond our existing view of our mental and physical capacities. Sisu is also an action mindset that helps us to face up to fears, extend ourselves in moments of suffering, and take action in the most daunting circumstances. And finally, sisu is a second wind that allows us to draw upon a previously hidden, untapped source of strength.
Digging deeper
These three elements sing in the example of Lenox Hill front-line nurse Emily Fawcett, who describes working her fifth 13-hour shift in a row.
“I could probably sit here and complain about how my feet are swollen and throbbing, how I have a headache from the tight mask, how I have cried three times today already, or how I miss my family. But, I am choosing not to. And this is why: Today I had the honor and privilege to “send off” a Navy veteran – to give him the goodbye that he deserved.
“It was at this moment I had to call on my inner strength and courage. It no longer mattered that I was exhausted, that I had not eaten lunch, that I had charting to do. All that mattered was this patient and his family. They were my strength, my courage. If they could be strong in this moment, so could I.”
Ms. Fawcett describes her team jumping into action. They called the family in, gathered hospital workers who were veterans, got the music ready. “We all gowned up, the family said their goodbyes. We played the Star Spangled Banner and we all gave him his final salute. He passed away shortly after. It was beautiful and it is this moment that will carry me into my next shift.”
I ask Emilia Lahti how she views the exceptional responses of front-line health care workers.
“The sisu these nurses describe has appeared in a moment of extreme adversity,” she responds. “It is invoked by an experience that calls them to stretch and expand.” Ms. Lahti thinks of sisu as the next gear beyond fortitude. It begins where grit and perseverance end, a “friendly darkness of adversity” that sparks our “ability to channel a moment and open the pathway to a latent existing strength that resides within us,” she says.
The COVID-19 pandemic is such a moment, Ms. Lahti suggests. “We are witnessing a global expression of sisu. We see nurses and health care providers digging to reach layers of strength they did not know existed. They are stepping into their previously unpresented strength.”
Consider a final example of sisu as defiant bravery. ICU nurse Rose May Coma compares her first day on a COVID-19 unit to being “a civilian at war,” toe to toe with the enemy virus. She addressed it directly.
“That’s okay Corona, I was not ready today. Scoreboard: CORONA: 1 ME: 0. But tomorrow is another day. I’m made of tougher stuff than you, Corona. You won’t get me again. Enjoy your win; I’m in it in for the long haul. I will dig deep, deeper than I ever needed to. I will do it for my family, your family, my brothers and sisters at the front line, for me, for humanity.”
More than 100 years ago, the American philosopher William James wondered “what keeps our lights burning and our hearts hoping during the dark night of the soul?” When I listen to the stories of these valiant nurses, I hear eloquent answers. I can only express wonder and gratitude for the sisu that moves them to meet this unthinkable moment.
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Barbara Mackoff is a Seattle consulting psychologist, senior faculty at the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, co-author of “The Inner Work of Leaders,” and author of the forthcoming “What’s in Your Just in Case Book?”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-06-26--For migrant farmworkers, coronavirus adds new burdens

Their story reveals the heightened economic challenges , as well as health risks , that farmworkers face this year .
“ I give my boys jobs and things to do throughout the week , ” Ms. Madrigal says .
“ But it ’ s not the same ” as when school or day care are open .
The combination of the late harvest , the pandemic , and a delay in unemployment benefits wrecked the Madrigal family ’ s careful financial plans .
After their savings were eroded , they were forced to sell one of their vehicles .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the permanent U.S. residents , as well as a rising number of guest workers , who do this work .
In Michigan an early May freeze postponed the asparagus harvest , which in turn caused an income gap for the labor crews .
In western Michigan ’ s Oceana County and beyond , the coronavirus is complicating the lives of the workers who pick America ’ s fresh produce .
For Yesenia Madrigal and her family , it means she has been unable to work because she ’ s caring for young children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend school or day care .
When Yesenia Madrigal and her family planned their annual trip from Florida to Oceana County , Michigan , they thought their travels as a seasonal farmworker family would proceed as in years past .
They would arrive in time for the May asparagus harvest , take a short break , and then plunge into the tree fruit season before returning to Florida .
Their children would be able to go to schools and Head Start programs while she , her husband Lazaro , and 22-year-old son Hector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 .
COVID-19 and the resulting stay-at-home orders provided a one-two punch of setbacks to the Madrigal family and added extra pressure to the migrant farm labor system for workers and employers alike .
“ When I first heard about [ COVID-19 ] , I thought , ‘ OK , the kids won ’ t be in school and that ’ s a big deal.
’ I have a 2-year-old and he couldn ’ t go to day care .
So I would have to stay home and that means I wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , ” Ms. Madrigal says .
There are an estimated 2.4 million seasonal farmworkers in the United States , including permanent residents , “ follow the crop ” workers such as the Madrigal family , and workers who come to the U.S. from other countries .
Those workers come from Mexico , Central America , Jamaica , and as far away as South Africa .
In the current pandemic , even as food-industry workers such as grocery clerks have gained public attention for providing “ essential ” services , seasonal farmworkers remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re tasked with picking much of America ’ s food , while facing heightened challenges and health risks due to the coronavirus .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
And they are doing this difficult work for low pay .
Average pay for farmworkers in 2019 was $ 13.99 per hour – 60 % of what U.S. production and nonsupervisory workers outside of agriculture averaged , according to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute .
For the rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a guest-worker basis , the federally set minimum ranges by state from $ 11.71 to $ 15.83 an hour , after a proposed reduction was averted this spring .
“ Essential farm workers continue putting food on our tables , but too often can ’ t feed their own families , ” United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero said in a statement released early this month .
“ We will keep pushing for urgently needed remedies , ” she said , such as paid sick leave regardless of the size of an employer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oceana County , an early May freeze added an extra layer of distress to both growers and farmworkers .
The freeze forced asparagus growers to cut off and discard the damaged spears and then wait for them to grow again to the height required for sale to the fresh market .
The delay in turn caused an income gap for the labor crews .
The combination of the late start of harvest , the pandemic , and a delay in the arrival of unemployment benefits – which had still not arrived as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans put in place by the Madrigal family that normally guide the transition as they head north .
After their savings were eroded , they were forced to sell one of their vehicles .
From there , it has been a waiting game until an overburdened state of Michigan unemployment system could provide benefits .
Until children could return to schools and day-care facilities , Ms. Madrigal , a U.S. citizen , had to care for her sons who are too young to work in the fields and keep them occupied while fending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re good kids , ” she says .
“ I keep them busy .
My 2-year-old is having a hard time with speech , but with me being home , I have been helping him with that .
I give my boys jobs and things to do throughout the week .
But it ’ s not the same as being in school.
” As harvest season ramps up nationwide in a time of pandemic , worker safety becomes an even more pressing concern .
Because of food safety regulations , some workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment ( PPE ) , including masks and gowns , before COVID-19 .
Social distancing is easier to achieve during outdoor work , depending on row spacing and the distance between fruit trees and bushes .
Social distancing becomes more challenging indoors , where areas such as packing and inspection lines traditionally have people working in close proximity .
For seasonal farmworker service provider organizations , 2020 has meant finding new ways to help clients .
Telamon , a nonprofit that provides educational services to farmworker families , has not yet gained governmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers .
Donald Kuchnicki , workforce and career services director for Telamon in Michigan , said the organization has been getting ready for the day the centers can reopen .
Staff have been busy ordering supplies , cleaning and sanitizing , and establishing best practices to monitor for the virus .
“ We ’ ve been reaching out to the farmworker families as they return to the area .
It ’ s really been a struggle with the families that want the centers to be open , but we have to be measured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
The virus has introduced a stark risk assessment into the lives of workers and their families , as they balance the need for income against the risk of a serious illness that has hit some farmworker communities hard .
“ If you ’ re feeling sick , are you going to let someone know or are you going to keep that to yourself ?
If you test positive , the last thing you want to do is bring attention to yourself , ” Mr. Kuchnicki says .
Farm businesses such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates farms in the western United States , say they are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on social distancing and PPE .
The farms instruct their workers on how to use masks and gloves and on proper sanitation procedures in the fields and in housing .
In-field leafy green harvesting and packing machines now include plastic barriers between workers .
The industry is grappling with uncertainty on many fronts , from shifting demand ( as restaurants curtailed operations ) to an already tight supply of agricultural workers .
In some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to the U.S. due to problems obtaining visas and restricted air travel .
Some farmers , meanwhile , have adjusted their crop mix this year to be less labor-intensive .
“ For the most part , it seems that as long as they can get workers , they ’ re going to try and harvest the crops they ’ ve historically produced , ” says Michael Marsh , executive director of the National Council of Agricultural Employers .
“ Farmers are very innovative in finding solutions .
They ’ ve rolled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they can.
” The workers and their allies are also trying to cope , day by day .
“ We want to open up the Head Start centers when appropriate , but we want to make sure it ’ s in the best interests of the families , ” Mr. Kuchnicki says , noting that services will probably be offered in smaller classroom groups .
“ There are so many moving pieces that it makes the situation challenging.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Their story reveals the heightened economic challenges, as well as health risks, that farmworkers face this year. “I give my boys jobs and things to do throughout the week,” Ms. Madrigal says. “But it’s not the same” as when school or day care are open.
The combination of the late harvest, the pandemic, and a delay in unemployment benefits wrecked the Madrigal family’s careful financial plans. After their savings were eroded, they were forced to sell one of their vehicles.
The United States relies on 2.4 million farmworkers to harvest everything from blueberries to lettuce. This year they’re confronting extra risks tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That comes alongside all the other variables for the permanent U.S. residents, as well as a rising number of guest workers, who do this work. In Michigan an early May freeze postponed the asparagus harvest, which in turn caused an income gap for the labor crews.
In western Michigan’s Oceana County and beyond, the coronavirus is complicating the lives of the workers who pick America’s fresh produce. For Yesenia Madrigal and her family, it means she has been unable to work because she’s caring for young children who haven’t been able to attend school or day care.
When Yesenia Madrigal and her family planned their annual trip from Florida to Oceana County, Michigan, they thought their travels as a seasonal farmworker family would proceed as in years past. They would arrive in time for the May asparagus harvest, take a short break, and then plunge into the tree fruit season before returning to Florida. Their children would be able to go to schools and Head Start programs while she, her husband Lazaro, and 22-year-old son Hector Vasquez were earning money.
Not so in 2020. COVID-19 and the resulting stay-at-home orders provided a one-two punch of setbacks to the Madrigal family and added extra pressure to the migrant farm labor system for workers and employers alike.
“When I first heard about [COVID-19], I thought, ‘OK, the kids won’t be in school and that’s a big deal.’ I have a 2-year-old and he couldn’t go to day care. So I would have to stay home and that means I wouldn’t be able to go to work,” Ms. Madrigal says.
Why We Wrote This The United States relies on 2.4 million farmworkers to harvest everything from blueberries to lettuce. This year they’re confronting extra risks tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are an estimated 2.4 million seasonal farmworkers in the United States, including permanent residents, “follow the crop” workers such as the Madrigal family, and workers who come to the U.S. from other countries. Those workers come from Mexico, Central America, Jamaica, and as far away as South Africa.
In the current pandemic, even as food-industry workers such as grocery clerks have gained public attention for providing “essential” services, seasonal farmworkers remain largely out of the limelight. They’re tasked with picking much of America’s food, while facing heightened challenges and health risks due to the coronavirus.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
And they are doing this difficult work for low pay. Average pay for farmworkers in 2019 was $13.99 per hour – 60% of what U.S. production and nonsupervisory workers outside of agriculture averaged, according to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute. For the rising share who come to the U.S. on a guest-worker basis, the federally set minimum ranges by state from $11.71 to $15.83 an hour, after a proposed reduction was averted this spring.
“Essential farm workers continue putting food on our tables, but too often can’t feed their own families,” United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero said in a statement released early this month. “We will keep pushing for urgently needed remedies,” she said, such as paid sick leave regardless of the size of an employer.
Marco Bello/Reuters View caption Hide caption Migrant workers from Mexico carried containers filled with blueberries at a farm in Lake Wales, Florida, on March 31, 2020. As the harvest season ramps up, growers have been adding safety measures during a pandemic that puts farmworkers at risk.
Here in west Michigan’s Oceana County, an early May freeze added an extra layer of distress to both growers and farmworkers. The freeze forced asparagus growers to cut off and discard the damaged spears and then wait for them to grow again to the height required for sale to the fresh market. The delay in turn caused an income gap for the labor crews.
Eroded savings and added duties
The combination of the late start of harvest, the pandemic, and a delay in the arrival of unemployment benefits – which had still not arrived as of June 10 – wrecked the careful financial plans put in place by the Madrigal family that normally guide the transition as they head north. After their savings were eroded, they were forced to sell one of their vehicles.
From there, it has been a waiting game until an overburdened state of Michigan unemployment system could provide benefits. Until children could return to schools and day-care facilities, Ms. Madrigal, a U.S. citizen, had to care for her sons who are too young to work in the fields and keep them occupied while fending off boredom.
“Thank God they’re good kids,” she says. “I keep them busy. My 2-year-old is having a hard time with speech, but with me being home, I have been helping him with that. I give my boys jobs and things to do throughout the week. But it’s not the same as being in school.”
As harvest season ramps up nationwide in a time of pandemic, worker safety becomes an even more pressing concern. Because of food safety regulations, some workers were already required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and gowns, before COVID-19. Social distancing is easier to achieve during outdoor work, depending on row spacing and the distance between fruit trees and bushes. Social distancing becomes more challenging indoors, where areas such as packing and inspection lines traditionally have people working in close proximity.
For seasonal farmworker service provider organizations, 2020 has meant finding new ways to help clients. Telamon, a nonprofit that provides educational services to farmworker families, has not yet gained governmental approval to open its 13 Head Start centers.
Donald Kuchnicki, workforce and career services director for Telamon in Michigan, said the organization has been getting ready for the day the centers can reopen. Staff have been busy ordering supplies, cleaning and sanitizing, and establishing best practices to monitor for the virus.
“We’ve been reaching out to the farmworker families as they return to the area. It’s really been a struggle with the families that want the centers to be open, but we have to be measured in our approach,” Mr. Kuchnicki says.
The virus has introduced a stark risk assessment into the lives of workers and their families, as they balance the need for income against the risk of a serious illness that has hit some farmworker communities hard.
“If you’re feeling sick, are you going to let someone know or are you going to keep that to yourself? If you test positive, the last thing you want to do is bring attention to yourself,” Mr. Kuchnicki says.
Farm businesses such as the Scaroni Family of Companies, which operates farms in the western United States, say they are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on social distancing and PPE. The farms instruct their workers on how to use masks and gloves and on proper sanitation procedures in the fields and in housing. In-field leafy green harvesting and packing machines now include plastic barriers between workers.
Uncertainty for farmers
The industry is grappling with uncertainty on many fronts, from shifting demand (as restaurants curtailed operations) to an already tight supply of agricultural workers. In some cases, workers have been unable to come to the U.S. due to problems obtaining visas and restricted air travel. Some farmers, meanwhile, have adjusted their crop mix this year to be less labor-intensive.
“For the most part, it seems that as long as they can get workers, they’re going to try and harvest the crops they’ve historically produced,” says Michael Marsh, executive director of the National Council of Agricultural Employers. “Farmers are very innovative in finding solutions. They’ve rolled with this and done as well with it as they can.”
The workers and their allies are also trying to cope, day by day.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“We want to open up the Head Start centers when appropriate, but we want to make sure it’s in the best interests of the families,” Mr. Kuchnicki says, noting that services will probably be offered in smaller classroom groups. “There are so many moving pieces that it makes the situation challenging.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.