Stuck at home like everyone else, or at least those lucky enough, I decided to write Noam Chomsky, first of all to see how he’s doing, then to ask what he thinks about the coronavirus crisis and the reaction of public opinion.

Someone of late has given credence to the idea that the virus could have been spread voluntarily, for economic or geopolitical interests. Professor Chomsky, whose books I have had the privilege to translate for several years, answered me in just a few hours with his customary kindness.

He tells me he’s fine. Just like us, he’s staying home in Tucson with his wife, Valeria. Not that that is stopping him, which is impossible.

He lets me know that he is being inundated every day with hundreds of interview requests, now more than ever, and that he has a “torrid schedule.” I would have liked to ask him more, and I know that he would have answered if he could.

“The situation is very serious,” he says. “And there is absolutely no credibility to the claim that the virus was spread deliberately.”

As for the attitude of various governments, “the Asian countries seem to have succeeded in containing the virus, while the European Union’s actions came late.” And his own country?

“The United States’ reaction has been terrible. It’s been almost impossible for people to get tested, so we don’t even have an idea of how many cases there really are.”

In his responses, which he minimizes as “I don’t know if there’s anything of value here worth publishing,” we find in a nutshell the core of what we need to understand the truth. “The neoliberal assault has left hospitals unprepared. Just one example of which is the number of beds that have been cut in the name of ‘efficiency’.”

Making matters worse is “Hurricane Trump.” Things finally seem to be changing in the United States, but so far either Trump or Kushner [editor: Jared, Trump’s son-in-law and close counselor] have minimized the gravity of the crisis. This approach was then amplified by the right wing media, causing many people to not even take the most basic precautions.”

Finally, Chomsky says in a few words what we need to know about the system under which we live. “In general, this crisis is yet another important example of the failure of the market, just as the threat of environmental destruction is. For years, the government and the multinational pharmaceutical companies have known about the strong possibility of a serious pandemic but because it wasn’t profitable to prepare for that outcome, nothing was done.”

Thank you, Professor. Hope to see you soon.

“Take care. Stay at home.”

(Translated by Danica Jorden)

https://ilmanifesto.it/noam-chomsky-sanita-devastata-dal-neoliberismo/