Saturday, September 12, 2020

Reality Denied

2020…..It’s been quite a year, one we won’t soon forget. Among other things, no year in the last one hundred has brought us a pandemic as dangerous as the one we are facing at this moment. Among other things this will go down in history as the year of Covid-19.


By mid-March we knew it was bad, and getting worse. Truth to tell the devil was in what we did not know.


Having lived with that reality for six months, seeing the ways it has impacted our lives, we are just now learning that in the midst of all that death and dying our President has realized from the start how serious that invisible enemy would be.


So what did he do with that terrible understanding? Well, in the beginning he assured us that any talk of real danger was a “hoax,” since this new “bug” was no more lethal than the seasonal flu. 


The way he tells it, to alert our unsuspecting population to the truth of the matter would have probably upset them, creating anxiety, perhaps even panic. Rather than trigger that awful possibility he concluded it would be better of “downplay” the threat……..to label it “fake news”……and soften the blow. AND WITH THAT PEOPLE BEGAN TO DIE.


But what about the need to protect our health-care providers with the tools and equipment they would need for the coming battle? Masks, protective gear, and ventilators would be necessary tools in their arsenal. But cranking up production of those items would probably fuel the dreaded possibility of anxiety and panic? Best not to do that. So pandemic preparation was set aside for the sake of calming the population. AND EVEN MORE PEOPLE DIED.


In a matter of weeks, as the scope of the pandemic became more obvious to the general public, a new round of concerns was being voiced. Perhaps it was time to restrict social and business activities to help control the spread of what now had a name……Covid-19. 


A few state and local leaders began moving in that direction……requiring masks in public places, calling for “social distancing,” even closing “non-essential” businesses. The government’s own scientists and experts supported those efforts…….at least until they were instructed to “back off.” AND STILL PEOPLE WERE DYING.


Yet, even as isolated examples of “Lockdown” effectiveness began to surface, the President and his loyal Republican state governors resisted the economic price to be paid by closing bars and businesses ……the always disturbing loss of jobs and profits. By then our Leader was suggesting that like FDR and Churchill he was leading His People through a great test…….shielding them from a hurtful reality, by denying its reality. AND PEOPLE CONTINUED TO DIE.


And now we have learned another 2020 lesson, about our ‘Designated Protector’s’ opinion of those who have died or suffered in the defense of our country. You’ve heard the stories of how he has called them “losers” and “suckers.” 


Of course he denies ever saying that. That is his way……he always denies everything…….falling back on his familiar justifications……”It’s a hoax.” “That’s false.” “Not true at all.” 


You may believe his denials. You may be one of those who accept his word when he says “Up is down, and down is up,” or “White is Black.” (Sorry, bad example…….He would never suggest that anything White is Black. In his eyes that difference is too important to mistake.)


As for me, having seen the President’s response to John McCain’s passing, and his thoughts on what McCain stood for, I am inclined to believe those who have confirmed his unsavory quotes about our fallen heroes. Having seen how he has “downplayed” the patriotic loss of life in war, it is easier to understand his apparent lack of concern over the tens of thousands of lives lost in our present pandemic. 


Yet, even though his disinterest is understandable, it is not acceptable …….. NOT WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DYING EVERY DAY.


What would a better response look like? Who ought to lead that effort? In a matter of weeks the American people will have the opportunity to answer those important questions for themselves.


 

6 comments:

  1. Very brave of you to put it out there. Will be curious to see how many will support you and how
    many will be offended and outraged. John Frederick

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    1. Who really cares if people are offended. I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone, who really cares about what is happening to our country, could possibly support our president for another term in office.
      Perhaps it could be that those people just plain want a republican in office. I see no other reason to support Trump with his continual lies & untruths, bad mouthing & the things that he has said about our wounded & dead military personnel is disgraceful. Republican or Democrat, it would just be so nice to have our country be respected again. The coronavirus lies to save concern of the people have done nothing but cost unnecessary deaths of numerous Americans. He has to live with that, but probably doesn't give it a second thought. AND....How do we feel about Putin being his buddy & helping him win this election like he did in 2016? I am just flabbergasted at how intelligent people truly feel that this president deserves another 4 years. Not hard to figure out who I am supporting in this election.

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  2. Thanks for checking in, John. I'm not sure who "Unknown" is, but we know there are strong feelings out there.......on both sides of the issue. But then, that's why we have elections.

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  3. So I don't screw up again and appear as a unknown(not the one above), This is Myron Bredahl. Pres Don would not be my first choice as President. That being said I must also say the other side is more scary.The writers of the constitution did not call it by name but they did say, in their words, Socialism will be the downfall of this nation. They put in all the blocks they could think of. These have been our salvation to this point. When Ben Franlin was asked by the people outside the convention hall, DO WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION? His reply was "We have given you a Republic and now it is up to the people to keep it." When the number of people recieving free stuff outnumber the people supplying the free stuff we are DONE. We are the next Venezuela at that point. I guess that shows how I am going to vote but I TRULY BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE US of A. I took an oath to defend it in 1959 and have not been relieved of that duty to this day.

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  4. Myron, old friend.......thanks for coming out of the shadows. I happen to know that you feel strongly about your opinions, even I don't always agree. Good to hear from you.

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    1. Seems to me I ended my reply too soon. While in most cases I can deal with differing opinions, I hope we can agree on the matter at hand, the one I addressed in this post. This a President who, for the sake of his own political fortunes, intentionally lied to the people about something as life-changing and lethal as Covid-19, which he knew from the start was a serious and deadly threat. For six months we have paid, and are paying, an increasingly high price for his deception. Nowhere does the Constitution excuse that behavior.

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