I have been in a funk after speaking to my neighbor last night. She's a lovely , 64 year old, bohemian Southern California leftist. I'm as far right as she is far left. I adore her and she adores my young children.

Last night it came to a head. She believes that Riverside County CA loosening their mask requirement and social distancing rules is too much. Every death to her is one death too many and all life should be protected, no matter the cost. She spurted out how many more have died than wars. I am a numbers person and reminded her how good our country is doing because the US population is more than Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and the UK combined. Our death rate is significantly less. It was hard for her too fathom.

I mentioned how Sweden is expecting herd immunity, and she was dismayed by their death rate. I gave the exact figures of deaths per million and how it is 252 deaths per million to 328 deaths per million in the US. That is only about 25% less than the US and they are not slaughtering their economy.

She mentioned the children and I pointed out that a quick Google search showed that over 3000 kids get kawasaki illness in the us every year, so the number of Kids showing this "mystery" illness is right in line for how many would be expected to get it during this pandemic timeline.

She is a realtor, who has still been working, had had people in and out of her house picking up furniture, and was on her way to meet her liberal political group in the park. I don't understand why she thinks everybody else should stay home for her.

I expressed that people who need to can stay home. There is no promise of a vaccine, there is apparently doubt whether they can be made for upper respiratory infections. She was very quiet and I feel like this conversation may have hurt our relationship, but I am flabbergasted by the all-feelings, no logic group. I reminded her that people need to feed their families and pay for their shelter. Where is this money to come from? Oh, I couldn't resist a jab at how the media had no credibility because of all their lies, and how can you blame people for not believing the media hype.

My elderly, high -risk mom lives with us. I know I need to be cautious for her, but we don't expect everyone to lose everything when she can stay home.