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RUBBER GLOVES By Judith Haney I did not need the U.S. Postmaster General to tell me last week to wash my hands after handling my mail or that the mail is "no longer considered safe." My common sense had kicked in prior to his announcement. Nor did I need the U.S. Homeland Security Chief to tell me that the government is presently unable to identify and stop the criminals who are spreading anthrax disease. Since I read the news everyday, I knew that as well. In reality, the anthrax threat places us Americans squarely on our own to keep ourselves safe from infection. We should not rely upon antibiotics to take care of us, or wait on the government to tell us what to do, we should practice preventive medicine. Ahead of the U.S. government's campaign last week to inform the public of the dangers of anthrax infection, I decided to buy a package of throw-away rubber gloves to wear when handling my mail. This is a cheap, effective, solution to warding off cutaneous anthrax. Further, I cook my own food and I do not go to crowded public events. The other decision I made simultaneously with buying rubber gloves, cooking my own food, and not going to high profile, stadium, events, was to immediately throw away mail that I do not absolutely need to open. I don't even want the stuff in my car or my house! Any and all unwanted, non-essential, mail sent to me is going to be 'delivered' to the post office trash can. I am setting up online bill paying, therefore, next month any mail I receive will sit in the post office box gathering dust. I don't want to go inside of a post office, much less handle any mail. I will conduct business via overnight courier when I need to send or receive anything. And I will use my email account for all other written correspondence. I'm taking control of "my" mail, and will no longer use the U.S. Postal Service until the anthrax criminals are caught. If U.S. government officials were honest with Americans, they would tell them to avoid going to the post office, and avoid handling mail without wearing gloves and masks. But it won't 'spill the beans' for fear of disrupting postal operations and causing the U.S. Postal Service to go bankrupt from loss of revenue. Instead of telling Americans the truth, our elected and appointed officials are letting us poor saps figure out the deadly, dangerous, uncontrollable, situation for ourselves. I have figured it out and I hope other Americans are figuring it out too. Let's all be safe and smart and wear prophylactics when handling the mail. |
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