My 'Southlake Privilege' is For Sale

A little bit of perspective can go along way.

(The nation’s response to COVID-19 created what many called a healthcare-led recession.)

“I get the biggest kick out of watching you rich, Southlake Republicans meltdown right now. Y’all are freaking out about your jobs and your businesses being closed—and not wearing masks—while folks are dying from COVID-19. What a bunch of...arrogant a$$es.”

At least once a week I receive a similar message. This latest message sums up the others quite well. We are, as one caller said, “...so privileged in Southlake; the pandemic isn’t even registering for you guys.”

Instead of arguing my points, I assumed this person lacks perspective. So I shared some.

What about the COO who’s been forced to take a mandatory, unpaid leave of absence [MULA]? He’s prepared to retire, but his 4,000 employees can not afford to be furloughed well into next year. Also, the longer his plant sits largely idle, the more likely it is that his biggest contract goes overseas for the work, meaning the COO will be facing massive layoffs. Is he an a$$?

Or the physician whose “non-essential” practice now sees 15% of their usual patients? She’s furloughed most of her staff but continues to pay them for 30 hours of work each week so they can retain their insurance. But she realizes that the longer the shutdown goes on, the more likely she is to lose staff, whether because they have to move with a displaced spouse or because they leave for another medical practice. (Not to mention the patients she now cannot treat because their ailments aren’t “essential.”) Is she an a$$, too?

And what about all of your middle manager peers? The ones who—unlike you—can not work from home. Many of them are worried that the next phone call will be to discuss their severance package. Are they, too, a$$es?

I have a proposition for you:

“I’ll sell you MY Southlake privilege at YOUR valuation. Make me an offer.”