A Tale Of Two Generations

Protesters stormed Lansing, Michigan and other capitals last week, brandishing pistols and assault rifles. How dare those governors restrict their personal freedom!

There is plenty of evidence (for those of you who don’t genuflect to Fox News) that these demonstrations were triggered and fomented by far right Trump supporters. In Michigan, it was the Michigan Freedom Fund and Michigan Conservative Coalition, both backed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ family.

Trump’s well-coordinated “Liberate Michigan!” tweet ginned them up too, of course.

Who were these macho protesters prepared to shoot? The police? Healthcare workers? How about the “main stream media”? Or seniors, the sweet-spot for the disease. Or Covid-19 patients?

Maybe Covid-19, itself?  Hey! Let’s shoot the disease! 

Yeah! Anybody who follows the guidance of healthcare professionals is a gutless, ass-kissing, non-smoking, minority-loving, big-city, wine-drinking liberal!!

What triggered this fury? The governors’ directives for people to isolate at home and stay six feet away from other people.

There are 4 ways to combat Covid-19: 1) develop and distribute a vaccine; 2) develop and distribute a cure; 3) develop and distribute a test to identify those with the virus, and use it to 4) trace others it might have infected.

The problem: 1) no vaccine; 2) no cure (although Remdesivir can reduce the length of the disease from 15 to 11 days); 3) not enough tests and therefore; 4) no way of tracing the disease.

The only solution, at least for now, is self-isolation. And that will only slow the spread of Covid-19 enough to accommodate the healthcare system and allow time to develop a vaccine. It will not stop it.  

So we’re all being asked to make a temporary shared sacrifice: stay home. 

Most Americans have cooperated. But to these protesters, staying at home is gutless. Only they have the courage to stand up to Covid-19 and those lefty, mealy-mouthed, yellow-belly scientists, Democrat loving scientists!

The last time this nation was asked to collectively sacrifice was WWII, which followed on the heels of a worldwide Depression where people didn’t just miss their beach parties; they starved.

Franklin Roosevelt was President for both calamities, a man who lost the use of his legs to Polio in his 20’s – in the 1920’s – and despite that, exuded positivity, confidence, and integrity. That was courage.

He led a government that brought novel and successful solutions to the Depression, then readied the country for a war it didn’t want, and led it to victory. 

Compare Roosevelt to Trump, if it won’t make you sick. Compare those Americans to Americans today, if it won’t make you ashamed.

Do the 30 million who have lost their jobs – so far – have reason to complain? Darn right. But, at least the current government has the wherewithall to replace much of that lost income. Compare that people dying in the streets during the Depression.

Yes, Trump decimated the government of good leaders. Yes, his administration shut down pandemic planning. Yes, they refused to buy plenty of good tests from Europe. Yes, he lied to the country about it. Yes, he waited too long. Yes, he bucked responsibility to the states. 

But, at this point, what else can the governors do to keep people safe, except isolate them? 

As I write this, grocery stores – not the government – have just announced rationing of three pieces of meat per customer per visit, because meat workers are getting sick from Covid-19. 

Compare that to WWII rationing of meats, butter, fat, oils, and most cheeses, of canned, bottled, frozen fruits and vegetables, of juices and dry beans, soups, baby food and ketchup, of clothing, shoes, coffee, gasoline, tires, and fuel oil. 

You know what? Like their leader, those Americans didn’t complain. They knew their sacrifices would help those on the front lines who fought the war.  

The front lines of today are manned by EMT, firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, and others caring for Covid-19 patients – and dying in the process.

Compare their bravery and sacrifice to the Trump-slingers who crowd beaches and capitals today, risking the health of themselves and everyone around them.

Their chest-beating is just a cover for a “survival of the fittest – screw the rest of you” approach to the disease.  

If that’s your approach, tough guys, which of your friends, family, grandparents, children, and others will you infect? Which will die?

You know what takes real courage? Staying at home, with all the boredom, frustration, and fear that entails – and protecting yourself and others – instead of behaving like spoiled, self-centered, entitled children.

(If you like this, pass it on. If you don't, pass it on anyway. Why should you suffer alone?)