Orange County, CA is reopening movie theaters. Social distancing, five theater seats between viewers. No one behind one another. Everyone wears a mask – that will muffle laughter, quiet gasps of horror, and suppress awe when the monster on the screen does something disgusting. The real social setting in movie houses is when the monster in the theater actually does something.

Look at what Covid-19 has done to America! Teenagers once sat in back and necked – explored, and did other things – there are plenty of verbs in the language to describe their activities. NO MORE! Any pair that wants to sit next to one another, honeys touching and thereupon, a creep in uniform and a flashlight will shine a beam in eyes and say, “SOCIAL DISTANCE!” How can anyone social distance and do what is necessary in dark theaters. Don’t talk about prostheses. A first learning experience, learning more about the partner while offering directions and instructions. The glory of learning and satisfaction reinforcing everything public education needs. ALL THAT IS GONE!

The activity, the wandering, the imagination – American teenagers will be crippled forever! Something tells me no vaccine will improve these circumstances for good, soon. 2025 sounds all right after health security is fixed. And a whole slew of teenagers will be stunted, unable to act impulsively, intrusively: Boys and girls, young men and women, will wonder what is wrong and what they should do as a species.

I say, KEEP THE MOVIE THEATERS CLOSED1