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Illustration by Paola Bilancieri.

Dear reader

I want to make

An immodest proposal.

Please listen to

Me because I am serious

Deadly serious.

Given that world leaders have

Utterly failed to bring peace

And war continues raging in many places

Not only wars with

Guns, and tanks, and bombs, and

Missiles

But also wars against people’s rights.

All people

Hard-working ones and those not working enough

Depriving them of health care

Education, and basic rights

Cheating them of hard-earned money through utter corruption.

Given that in many cases they have used their high

Office to enrich themselves to undreamed-of heights

Given that instead of instilling and following values

Of solidarity and compassion

They have perverted those values for their

Own profit,

I want to make an immodest proposal

One that if followed may

Change the face of the world

and help us lead more fulfilling

and generous lives.

I propose to replace world leaders

with emergency room nurses.

Those who give their all for the sick

And who save patients’ lives

at the risk of their own.

Those who make us survive deadly epidemics

and help create a better world.

I hadn’t finished uttering these words

When my wife touched my shoulder lightly

and said,

“Wake up, honey. The sounds you are making

Don’t let me sleep in peace.”