Can we maintain unity?

As a nonagenarian, and a member of the most vulnerable group in the current health crisis, I am the beneficiary of numerous offers of assistance from neighbors, friends, and relatives. I see this as an expression of unity. People are reaching out to show that they care.

Many of President Trump's policies are divisive, so it is novel that his inept handling of the COVID19 pandemic has created in us Americans a spirit of unity in the face of a threat. I've seen that spirit before, of course. I was a teenager when we came together to crush the threats of Nazism and Japanese aggression.

It is ironic that one manifestation of our current unity is a willingness to practice social distancing and isolation. I can only hope that our unity is successful, in the next few months, in mitigating the effects of COVID19. I hope, also, that we are equally committed to removing the threat to our unity and our democracy come November.

Donald G. Westlake

Wheaton