Politics Plus

Plenty of people agree that this country is headed in entirely the wrong direction. Liberal or conservative, many of us feel that the regular Joes and Janes of our nation are forgotten and powerless. We are outraged at the NSA for spying on our e-mails and phone conversations, at big business for keeping wages low and moving jobs overseas, and at Congress for placing party politics ahead of this country’s best interests. Income inequality is increasing as employers use dirty tricks to avoid providing employees with benefits, and job growth is largely in low-paying positions. Lobbyists for powerful, well-moneyed interests hold sway at every level of government. Our government has ceased to be of the people, by the people and for the people; and is now of the big corporations, by the big corporations, and for the big corporations.

Many fear that we are creeping in the direction of a police state, one in which our Constitution is meaningless and human rights are trampled, where people must be careful of what they say or post on the Internet lest they get the proverbial midnight knock on the door. Snowden’s exposure of NSA spying demonstrates just how Orwellian our government has become. Meanwhile, our justice system has a double standard for rich and poor, “white” and “minority.” We lock up more people than any nation on the planet, and the conditions of many prisons are deplorable. Even with a Democrat in the Oval Office and Democrats in control of the House, we still have the problems of too many Republicans in the Senate – as well as fake Democrats – who are doing all they can to stymie progress. Some Republican Senators have admitted that their only goal is to frustrate Biden’s plans till the Republicans can get back in power.

Right now the United States is in desperate need of a serious political and economic overhaul. Unfortunately, we need some very drastic changes in our business, political, health, education, and other systems – but taking even baby steps will take, yes, an act of Congress, and Congress is notorious for passing half-hearted compromises that don’t go far enough, or create even bigger problems because they are filled with amendments, weasel words, pork and the like. Even replacing the horrible Trump with Biden in the Oval Office will not change much.

Only one thing will save us: Revolution. Fortunately, we can effect this using peaceful means. Throughout history, many a revolution has occurred and succeeded with minimal or no bloodshed. Civil disobedience and passive resistance have brought about a great deal of positive change. Look at the revolution that Mohandas Gandhi led in India, or the elimination of apartheid in South Africa, or the civil rights movement in the United States. Look at the downfall of the Soviet Union and the collapse of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe. With the exception of Romania, the Autumn of Nations proceeded fairly peacefully. From the Suffragettes to the current gay rights campaign, peaceful crusades have driven the social, ethical and moral progress that has molded and improved this nation.

Now, the proverbial $64K question is: How do we bring about such a revolution in this country, one that will be both drastic and bloodless? While discussing this nation’s problems, and how it’s going to take an out-and-out revolution to make even one of the necessary changes, an acquaintance of mine suggested that what this country needs is another Gandhi or MLK, a leader who can organize and rally the diverse people of our great nation in order to bring about peaceful change, somebody who can properly harness and canalize the vast political and economic might that our citizenry has. Because we are dealing with a country that – at least in principle – believes in human rights and human dignity, a non-violent movement that uses passive resistance and civil disobedience can succeed.

The Little Guys, the 99%, hoi polloi – call them what you will, but the Common Folks of this country are far more powerful than they realize. The fat-cat corporations may have money and political clout, but the 99% have numbers. The greedy CEO has no more of a vote than you do. It may not seem that way, and of course the fat cats want you to think otherwise. However, time and again history has shown that when large numbers of unhappy people get off their rear ends and start raising some serious hell, positive change does occur. Look at all the above-mentioned peaceful revolutions. The Big Bad Business Hogs rely on us thinking that we are helpless against their clout. The fact is, if enough of us work together, we can turn all of our anger and unrest into an unstoppable force. Like all the little fish ganging up on the big fish, all we have to do is organize and work together.

Nor do we need a really huge number of people to effect positive change. Remember this quote by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that has.” Go back over history and you will see how true this is.

What the hell is it with anti-vaxx and anti-mask people? Why do they refuse to take simple precautions to curb the spread of a very real and potentially deadly disease? This is no time to whine about individual rights, this is a time to take one for the team – a very big team, namely, all humanity. At last count, one out of every 500 US residents has died from COVID-19. That is a LOT of tragedies, a lot of funerals, a lot of lost loved ones, co-workers, neighbors, BFFs, drinking buddies.

As I write this, a number of COVID horror stories are making the rounds. One is about an Alabama man who died of cardiac issues after 43 hospitals with full ICUs turned him away. Why so many hospitals have ICUs that are crammed full should be obvious. And it isn’t so much because of the coronavirus, but the nincompoops who are aiding and abetting not just the spread of the illness but also the rate of mutation. The more people get infected, the more chances the virus has to change and get either deadlier or more contagious, or both.

Another involves a Florida couple whose son had appendicitis. They went to the local ER at around 1 AM, but it was already crowded – so crowded, in fact, there were not enough chairs for all three to sit. One nurse told them the reason for the long delay was simple: COVID. When the young man finally got into surgery, his appendix had burst, which is a life-threatening situation. This did not have to happen, and would not have happened if more people exercised personal responsibility.

Candace Ayers of Illinois, who was fully vaccinated, visited Mississippi, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. She contracted COVID-19 and died. I have made two out-of-state trips in the last three weeks, one to North Carolina to visit a family member who had been hospitalized, and one to Texas for a national convention. A few days after returning home I got tested, and thankfully the results came back negative. Not only have I gotten both of my “jabs,” but I take precautions such as wearing masks and thoroughly washing my hands. Also, I’ve been fortunate.

In Colorado, a bunch of jerks threw garbage and lit fireworks at three mobile vaccine clinics, forcing them to shut down. How many people who wanted to be vaccinated had to wait another day, or several days, because of these ignorant and selfish creeps? What did they hope to accomplish? People like them are enemies of human life.

The problem with common sense is it’s anything but common. Far too many people are ignoring medical pundits who have years of education on the subject of infectious diseases, and years or even decades of experience dealing with such; and listening to ignorant knot-heads whose knowledge of medicine is scanty at best but who spew garbage as if they knew more than Dr. Fauci. These jerks cater to the ignorance-is-strength extreme right-wing crowd, the hypocrites who have purloined “My Body My Choice” to mean they don’t have to wear masks if they don’t want to.

One word very accurately describes anti-maskers: crybabies. They howl that masks make it hard to breathe, and parrot rubbish about masks blocking oxygen or causing a buildup of carbon dioxide. Bonjour! Surgeons wear similar masks for hours, yet you never hear about them keeling over in the middle of operations. FYI, oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules are way, way smaller than even the smallest virus.

Another thing they claim is enforced mask-wearing is a form of oppression. Excrementum tauri. There is a definite difference between oppression and inconvenience. Lockdowns and quarantines are temporary, and so are mask mandates. I wonder how many of those who rail against masks and lockdowns have no problem with the PATRIOT Act, or mass surveillance, or taking off their shoes before boarding an airplane. Individual rights are important, but your rights end where your neighbor’s nose begins. If you are spreading dangerous viruses with every exhalation, you are violating the bodily autonomy of everybody who inhales what you breathed out. If someone catches COVID-19 because you didn’t wear a mask, you are responsible for his/her illness, if that person dies, you have blood on your hands.

Opponents of coronavirus vaccinations belch some of the same sort of B.S. that anti-vaxx bugnuts have been using for years. One claim is we shouldn’t get our corona “jabs” because you don’t know what’s in the vaccine. Have these people ever read the ingredients of the sodas they guzzle, or the Cheesy Poofs or other junk food they shovel into their maws? Another claim about the COVID-19 vaccination is they inject you with a microchip. Even the tiniest microchip is far too large to fit through the fine needles used for coronavirus shots.

Time and again you hear about people who are anti-vaxx, and probably anti-mask as well, who come down with COVID-19 and then urge people to get the vaccine. Quite a few people have died of a disease whose existence they denied, sometimes even to the very end. Others managed to face reality, although often it was too late by then.

Fortunately, the majority of US citizens and residents are willing to listen to disease experts and follow the guidelines that the CDC recommends, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and getting vaccinated. The fact that California’s Governor Gavin Newsom survived the recall attempt should send a clear message to Republicans and other right-wingers that most people understand we all need to exercise self-discipline. We would not need mask or vaccination mandates if people heeded infectious disease experts and understood that individual rights are not absolutes. Just as the better part of valor is discretion, so the better part of right is responsibility.

We all need to accept that we are in the middle of a global emergency. We all need to put on our big kid pants and accept some temporary inconvenience until the pandemic ebbs. If we truly want a “return to normal,” the more people take the proper precautions now, the sooner we can start gathering in large groups, eating at indoor restaurants, attending concerts and sporting events, et cetera.

Dear Humanity, 

You’ve been getting on My nerves for centuries, but over the last few decades you have really p*ssed Me off. You are destroying this planet’s ecosphere with your greed and arrogance. You seem to regard Earth as your oyster and its natural resources as pearls to plunder. You are driving species into extinction by eliminating their habitats, or hunting them for bragging rights or phony folk remedies.

You are filling the air, water and land with pollution and garbage. The planet is not your trash can. Animals, including members of your own vile species, are dying because of your refuse. But instead of taking responsibility, you whine about your rights.

You do not have the right to trash the environment. You do not have the right to hunt other animals just for fun. You do not have the right to ravish Earth’s crust for minerals or fuel sources. You do not have the right to cover every last square centimeter of land with your buildings and streets. You do not have the right to make other animals suffer for the sake of your culinary or fashion choices.

I see some people are doing something about it. They buy hybrid or electric vehicles, ride rapid transit, walk or bike for short trips, combine errands, carpool, install energy efficient light bulbs and low-flow shower heads, go vegetarian or at least reduce their consumption of meat, etc. Unfortunately, not enough people are doing enough. Big Fossil Fuel has too many politicians in many countries at its beck and call, so necessary progress on environmental progress frequently hits roadblocks.

You could have been getting all of your energy needs from clean renewable sources years, if not decades, ago. You could all enjoy a sustainable lifestyle, be happy with the basics and maybe just a little bit more. Just a little bit. But no, you gotta have your McMansions on one-and-a-quarter hectare lots, your petrol-swilling SUVs, your bottled water, your fast fashion, your shelves loaded with Funko Pop figurines. And you can’t be bothered with carrying reusable straws and cutlery, or separating recyclables from the rest of the trash, or composting unusable foodstuffs. Nor do you check the fridge and pantry before grocery shopping to make sure you’re not buying stuff you don’t need and that will go bad before you can use it. The amount of food that gets wasted every day is appalling and utterly unacceptable. People are dying of hunger while edible food goes in the garbage. Worse, some grocery store workers pour bleach on it to prevent dumpster divers from salvaging it. Really!

Whenever people in the know speak out on My behalf, they get labeled “tree-huggers” or even “Communists.” Funny, Communist regimes have a very poor track record on environmental protection. People who actually care about Earth should be regarded as patriots because, by taking care of the planet, they protect their countries as well.

Many corporate fat cats don’t care about the ecology because they’ll be food for worms before the feces hits the fan. Those jerks – indeed, everybody – should keep in mind the saying that you don’t inherit the Earth from your parents, you borrow it from your children. When you borrow something, you’re supposed to return it in better shape than you received it.

Don’t get Me any angrier. SARS and MIRS were supposed to be shots over the bow, warning you that I can get really nasty. COVID-19 should be not only showing you just who is Large and In Charge, but also warning you how devastating a pandemic can be. The next one could be worse – a LOT worse. The next one could be more contagious and much deadlier. Hear about that rare tropical disease that just got a few cases in the US?

Humanity, you can still redeem yourselves. More and more people need to both preach and practice sustainability. You need to lean on your respective country’s politicians to pass laws that protect the environment and put your nation on the path towards a green lifestyle. You need to contact the CEOs of big companies and encourage them to make their businesses truly sustainable. You need to sign petitions, write post cards, march and protest, and do your part to reduce how much waste you create. It is up to all of you, as groups and as individuals.

Signed,

Mother Nature

What the flap is wrong with some people? We are in the middle of a national emergency – hell, an INTERNATIONAL emergency – and some people simply will not adapt. I’m talking about all those who have a problem with mask mandates, as well as the anti-vaxxers.

People who refuse to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus are either ignorant, selfish, stupid or cowardly – and probably some combination of the four. One thing all of them are, regardless of their excuses, is unpatriotic. Whatever happened to taking one for the team? A society comprises individuals, and individual rights are important; however, your rights end where your neighbor’s nose begins. A society works – and can protect individual rights – only when everybody follows certain rules.

When anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers hide behind “my body my choice,” they are being self-centered in the extreme. Refusing to wear a mask and avoiding vaccination are not matters of individual rights or risk – all those who are unvaccinated without good reason and go about unprotected pose threats to all those around them. The infection and death rates in the USA would be a lot lower, and ICUs would not be crammed to the gills, if more of us had at least a lick of sense.

Not long after COVID-19 was recognized as a deadly pandemic, “liberation” groups began protesting lockdowns. They claimed that shelter-in-place orders violated their civil rights. Clearly they did not understand the difference between inconvenience and oppression. Individual freedom does not mean doing anything you want, and it does not give you the right to put other people’s lives in peril just because you are a crybaby or don’t like following orders. Just as the better part of valor is discretion, so the better part of freedom is responsibility for one’s actions. Dying stupidly because you didn’t take reasonable precautions to protect against a dangerous disease – especially if you infected others – is a far cry from dying heroically on some battlefield.

During the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918-1919, a group called the Anti-Mask League arose in San Francisco. They managed to get a city ordnance requiring mask-wearing in public rescinded. The result? Flu cases in the city nearly doubled over the next month, and flu deaths spiked. Kudos to Arnold Schwarzenegger for roasting anti-maskers with “No, screw your freedom, because with freedom comes obligation and responsibilities.” Way to go, Governator. Those who are unwilling to accept responsibility do not deserve freedom.

If we used our heads and listened to doctors and scientists, we wouldn’t need mask mandates, because everybody would be taking the proper precautions. How can anybody think that an ignoramus with a big mouth and a half-assed blog is more trustworthy than somebody who has had years of education and decades of experience in the medical field? People who actually care about their family, friends, co-workers, drinking buddies, indeed, all of humanity get the “jab,” practice social distancing, and wear masks even if they are fully vaccinated. If we truly want this pandemic to end as soon as possible, we all need to do our part.

Consider seat belts. People have perished in wrecks even while wearing them; however, you are much more likely to survive an accident if you have yours on. Just ask any police officer, EMT or emergency room doctor. Keep in mind that over 99% of those who have died from COVID-19 have been unvaccinated.

This pandemic is not over, and we may – no, will – have to deal with more variants. We will almost certainly need to get more shots. (As for those evil Bill Gates microchips, even the smallest chip is far too large to fit through a vaccination needle!) We may have to endure another round or two of lockdown. But we need to think of others. There is no reason to not wear a mask in public, and unless you have some medical condition that precludes vaccination there is no reason to not get inoculated. The best weapon to use against the coronavirus is common sense – which, unfortunately, is anything but common.

Bored Panda burns “covidiots”