By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK (TURKISH JOURNAL) – In New York Governor Cuomo’s Tuesday briefing, he underscored the importance of not playing politics. Cuomo said: “In this partisanship, we have to change the page, and you do need a totally different mindset, it can’t be ‘me’ it has to be ‘we.’” The governor pointed out that the coronavirus “it’s not red or blue” – “you have to get out of this Democrat or Republican” viewpoint he added. Cuomo highlighted that: “The virus is less discriminating and more of an equalizer than the lense we’re viewing it through.”
The governor praised New Yorkers, sharing that the majority of New Yorkers have been following social distancing, taking precautions and wearing masks. But he highlighted the fact that at least one percent of New Yorkers are not following coronavirus guidelines and that it’s “irresponsible” that those people aren’t wearing masks. Cuomo explained: “Each one of us must do our part. Citizens have a role to play. Each one of us keeps the other safe.” Cuomo added: “Each person has a social responsibility and that’s what wearing a mask is all about.” He also said: “In all this complexity, there’s still a right thing.” The governor cautioned those who refuse to comply: “You know what the right thing to do is. The right thing to do is to wear a mask, wearing a mask is not the greatest intrusion.”
On addressing the Trump administration, Cuomo asked: “You have a national crisis, a national outbreak, a national epidemic, you can’t put your policies aside even now?” The governor urged: “If there’s ever a time to come together, it’s in a moment of crisis. The great ones always told us it won’t work this way.” Cuomo emphasized: “ I said from day one that I can give the facts to New Yorkers but New Yorkers have to agree that it makes sense. New Yorkers have done all these things.” The governor said his daughter Moriah suggested running an ad to explain the importance of wearing face masks and the information behind that concept. Cuomo said that it’s a great idea and said they decided it will be an ad competition with the best ad to be chosen out of five ads. One reason this concept is necessary Cuomo said is that: “99 percent of the people are doing it and there’s one percent not doing it.” Cuomo said it will be a contest where all New Yorkers can submit an ad which will run for 30-seconds and that the state will run the ad competition. The governor added: “I’m excited about that, Moriah will take that on as a project, she will be a volunteer.” The governor added that wearing a mask isn’t your choice, the governor said – it’s protecting other people. As he has often reiterated: “You don’t have the right to infect other people.” Cuomo highlighted: “How much do you think a human life is worth?”
