JANESVILLE, Wis.— Today, COVID Survivors for Change and Opportunity Wisconsin welcomed President Trump to Janesville with an outdoor memorial dedicated to the over 1,500 lives lost across Wisconsin to COVID-19. The tribute, which consisted of 1,500 empty chairs, was erected to not only remember our friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors killed by this deadly virus, but to also hold President Trump to account for his failure to lead during this crisis—which has undoubtedly led to unnecessary illness and even death.
Visitors were able to read stories from Wisconsinites personally impacted by COVID-19, in addition to a message that lined the perimeter of the memorial, “He knew in January…But ‘wanted to always play it down’…They told their friends on Wall St. the truth, who made millions…But never did what needed to be done to protect us…Now, Wisconsin has lost tens of thousands of jobs…And more than 1,500 of our friends, neighbors, and family members have been lost forever…#WeRemember”
This morning, Dr. Rachel Hughes, a southern Wisconsin Emergency Medicine physician and Opportunity Wisconsin steering committee member, published an open letter to President Trump in the Capital Times:
Your decision to politicize prevention has directly led to the inability of schools to open this fall. The fallout from your lack of leadership has fragmented families and pushed many Americans into poverty as the economy continues to sputter. Your refusal to address the gaps in our healthcare system and your on-going attacks against the Affordable Care Act show your lack of respect for hardworking families and demonstrate your belief that excellent healthcare is only for the wealthy. Moreover, your failure to mobilize the full capacity of your office to support front-line medical workers across the country leaves those Wisconsinites most at risk to fall through the widening gaps, and is a death sentence for many.
Members of the media wishing to speak with Dr. Hughes via phone/Zoom should email press@opportunitywisconsin.org
