And so it begins. Protests sprung up all over the country since Friday, including one here in Indianapolis, attacking state governments and especially governors who have stay-at-home orders. Many of the protesters seem driven by the Fox News screamers who are calling for the governments to drop these orders, and the President who last week said that he has the authority to override the states (he doesn't) and later said he is allowing states to make the decision. Claiming he is allowing people to do something he doesn't have the authority over is simply insane. But what is truly troubling is the number of people who have turned out for these protests who are so wildly misinformed and that that misinformation is being promoted on Fox and other right-wing noise machine outlets and of course the White House. There is everything from the idea that this is some kind of plot to institute one-world government to it is caused or made worse by 5-G towers the cacophony of crazy conspiracies are coupled with White Supremacist ideology and pro-Trump campaigning. It is a real toxic bouillabaisse.
Seriously there were all kinds of things that made no sense, or more precisely made perfect sense in the era we are in. Some protesters carried Swastika Flags with Trump 2020 on them. I would comment but what could I actually say about this that doesn't already create scream at you from this. To promote your candidate you attend a rally that is protesting what you think is an authoritarian over-reach of government, but use the short-hand symbol for governmental over-reach and tyranny linked to your guy. I think that if you think too much about the level of stupid this is you fall through a wormhole.
More impressive however were the marchers in Michigan, a state the borders Canada, carrying Confederate flags. Again carrying a symbol of rebellion over the right to own other people, by law, while protesting laws that limit your activity. Logic is just not taught well enough these days.
But there were two shining things that came out of these protests that can't be ignored for the sheer privilege and arrogance of many of the protesters. The first was the number of them who were calling for bars, restaurants and hair salons to be open. They are basically saying that what they want is the people who normally serve them to come back to work, against scientific advice, because they may have to cook their own meals and let their hair grown or return to its natural color. I really heard few and saw few signs from people who were calling to go back to work, they were screaming for others to go back to work. To serve them. I have little idea how to respond to that beyond telling them to suck it up.
The other message seemed to be signs that said things like "My Body, My Choice". Ironic I know. But setting that aside, their idea was that we should all be able to choose what chances we want to take and that they are willing to risk going out during the pandemic. They remind me of a story, several people escaped a sinking ship only to be strained on a life boat. One guy, for not reason, started to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat in front of where he was sitting. The others protested that the boat will flood and sink. His reply was, "This is where I am sitting, the water will only come in here". Several people who have challenged the idea that they should be able to take a chance and defied government suggestions and orders have died of Covid 19. But how many people did they infect? How many people did they put in danger because they were spreading the virus or using up much needed medical supplies? The water runs everywhere not just where you are sitting.
These protests are ginned up by a segment of the far right of this country that has replaced science and reality with feelings and anger. They attack anything that does fit their world view as bad. They are selfish and arrogant and seem to find comfort in ignorance. And they have a champion in the White House who has been one of them for his entire life.
We will remember this time as a time when science stood firm against willful ignorance and down right arrogance. We will remember this time when some people found a way to work around the necessary restrictions while others complained that someone might know they dye their hair. (Trust me we know). We will remember this time when local governmental officials stood against their own party to provide safety for their states while national politicians sat in their mansions and joined the protests through Skype. The question is will we learn.
The Crucible tells the story of how one town in colonial America lost its collective mind and killed 20 people for fear of witches, magic and the devil. How many are we willing to sacrifice this time and will 200 years from now some school children read the play of our time and wonder, just how stupid were they in the 21st century.
Seriously there were all kinds of things that made no sense, or more precisely made perfect sense in the era we are in. Some protesters carried Swastika Flags with Trump 2020 on them. I would comment but what could I actually say about this that doesn't already create scream at you from this. To promote your candidate you attend a rally that is protesting what you think is an authoritarian over-reach of government, but use the short-hand symbol for governmental over-reach and tyranny linked to your guy. I think that if you think too much about the level of stupid this is you fall through a wormhole.
More impressive however were the marchers in Michigan, a state the borders Canada, carrying Confederate flags. Again carrying a symbol of rebellion over the right to own other people, by law, while protesting laws that limit your activity. Logic is just not taught well enough these days.
But there were two shining things that came out of these protests that can't be ignored for the sheer privilege and arrogance of many of the protesters. The first was the number of them who were calling for bars, restaurants and hair salons to be open. They are basically saying that what they want is the people who normally serve them to come back to work, against scientific advice, because they may have to cook their own meals and let their hair grown or return to its natural color. I really heard few and saw few signs from people who were calling to go back to work, they were screaming for others to go back to work. To serve them. I have little idea how to respond to that beyond telling them to suck it up.
The other message seemed to be signs that said things like "My Body, My Choice". Ironic I know. But setting that aside, their idea was that we should all be able to choose what chances we want to take and that they are willing to risk going out during the pandemic. They remind me of a story, several people escaped a sinking ship only to be strained on a life boat. One guy, for not reason, started to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat in front of where he was sitting. The others protested that the boat will flood and sink. His reply was, "This is where I am sitting, the water will only come in here". Several people who have challenged the idea that they should be able to take a chance and defied government suggestions and orders have died of Covid 19. But how many people did they infect? How many people did they put in danger because they were spreading the virus or using up much needed medical supplies? The water runs everywhere not just where you are sitting.
These protests are ginned up by a segment of the far right of this country that has replaced science and reality with feelings and anger. They attack anything that does fit their world view as bad. They are selfish and arrogant and seem to find comfort in ignorance. And they have a champion in the White House who has been one of them for his entire life.
We will remember this time as a time when science stood firm against willful ignorance and down right arrogance. We will remember this time when some people found a way to work around the necessary restrictions while others complained that someone might know they dye their hair. (Trust me we know). We will remember this time when local governmental officials stood against their own party to provide safety for their states while national politicians sat in their mansions and joined the protests through Skype. The question is will we learn.
The Crucible tells the story of how one town in colonial America lost its collective mind and killed 20 people for fear of witches, magic and the devil. How many are we willing to sacrifice this time and will 200 years from now some school children read the play of our time and wonder, just how stupid were they in the 21st century.
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