Love — Not Capitalism — in the Time of COVID-19

When it comes to stepping up, people of color are there to help the most vulnerable

Zion Williamson. Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

How is it possible for a country to handle a global pandemic in such a selfish, careless, and capitalistic way?

Viral videos of U.S. shoppers stocking up on six months of toilet paper and leaving store shelves empty are a grim reminder of how quickly first-world nations revert to primal individualism in moments of uncertainty. Young Americans gathering at crowded events and showing off their whereabouts like they’re on top of the world is nothing but unfiltered privilege and ignorance on display. Many have even bought a year’s worth of supplies with the intent to resell at inflated prices. It’s all genuinely disgusting and reflects the collective sickness to make a profit and brag about a false sense of resilience when the most vulnerable human lives are at risk.

By nature, capitalism functions as the excessively segregated distribution of resources hoarded by a few on our planet. So it makes sense that during a frightening event, many Americans are reacting with excessive hoarding and self-glorification. We live in a system that rewards the individual willing to out-hustle their neighbor, often at the expense of the rest.

That said, there are millions of people stepping up with altruism and looking out for our most vulnerable and at-risk populations. These are the actual Americans who should be proud to call themselves citizens, who live by the virtues of the flag instead of wrapping themselves in it. The people who embody the principles of democratic liberalism that our country claims to be founded on, and who put their money where their mouths are.

Every one of these instances of unprompted philanthropy is from people of color. In times of crisis, it’s common for people of color to be the first at the frontline and the most generous givers.

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, just 19 years old, has pledged to pay a month’s worth of the salaries of out-of-work employees at Smoothie King Center, his home arena. Mark Cuban also contributed by…