"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
The real truth about this so-called pandemic is slowly starting to come out. I think (and am fiercely hoping) that people will soon force the end of mass lockdowns before we slide into something worse than the Great Depression. As for people bleating about "endangering your grandma if you don't stay locked up", I AM that grandma. I've already faced death a couple of times, so I know Something's going to get me before long anyway, but I'd prefer it not to be from staring at the walls.
There's something to be said for social distancing in response to a newly discovered infectious, influenza like virus. That's what saved a fair number of communities from devastation during the Spanish Flu.
There's been a whole lot of scaremongering and knee jerk reactions. I've had to repeatedly tell people to chill after they saw a convoy of Guard vehicles near their homes. Which, as it turns out, had perfectly good reasons to be driving around.
But, yeah, there are good reasons to distrust the government agencies implementing these stay-at-home orders, and outright lockdowns. It got ugly in western Washington when one city council attempted to pass an emergency ordinance clamping down on 2nd Amendment rights. Reportedly, another city is doing the same thing -- and refusing to allow public comment on that ordinance. Or the state's attempt to shut background checks for firearm purchases -- which was rescinded after a public outcry.
And so on.
It ain't pretty. And I am not looking forward to the time when we have a far greater crisis at hand.
The things that bother me going forward are the possibility (indeed, alas, the likelihood) of continuing dependence on China for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals (plus almost everything else), and the economic shocks to the economy of this type of crisis - we cannot afford a multi-trillion dollar bailout every time there's a pandemic; I'm not at all sure, in fact, that we can afford the bill that is being passed now (Pelosi willing, of course).
7 comments:
The real truth about this so-called pandemic is slowly starting to come out. I think (and am fiercely hoping) that people will soon force the end of mass lockdowns before we slide into something worse than the Great Depression. As for people bleating about "endangering your grandma if you don't stay locked up", I AM that grandma. I've already faced death a couple of times, so I know Something's going to get me before long anyway, but I'd prefer it not to be from staring at the walls.
There's something to be said for social distancing in response to a newly discovered infectious, influenza like virus. That's what saved a fair number of communities from devastation during the Spanish Flu.
There's been a whole lot of scaremongering and knee jerk reactions. I've had to repeatedly tell people to chill after they saw a convoy of Guard vehicles near their homes. Which, as it turns out, had perfectly good reasons to be driving around.
But, yeah, there are good reasons to distrust the government agencies implementing these stay-at-home orders, and outright lockdowns. It got ugly in western Washington when one city council attempted to pass an emergency ordinance clamping down on 2nd Amendment rights. Reportedly, another city is doing the same thing -- and refusing to allow public comment on that ordinance. Or the state's attempt to shut background checks for firearm purchases -- which was rescinded after a public outcry.
And so on.
It ain't pretty. And I am not looking forward to the time when we have a far greater crisis at hand.
Good points, Rebecca and JeffS.
The things that bother me going forward are the possibility (indeed, alas, the likelihood) of continuing dependence on China for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals (plus almost everything else), and the economic shocks to the economy of this type of crisis - we cannot afford a multi-trillion dollar bailout every time there's a pandemic; I'm not at all sure, in fact, that we can afford the bill that is being passed now (Pelosi willing, of course).
In the “good news we shouldn’t need”department, one city took a (reluctant) step from fascism ......
https://www.edmondsbeacon.com/story/2020/03/26/news/edmonds-mayor-changes-mind-on-emergency-firearms-ban/22916.html
I wonder who changed his mind for him.
His campaign manager, I would imagine. If there is one thing all elected officials work tirelessly for, it's reelection.
A lot of pushback, lead by an activist name of Tim Eyman. He's also running for governor.
Cockroaches hate sunlight.
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