“Well, what another fine mess you’ve gotten us into again, Stanley.” Don’t you sometimes feel that you are watching a Laurel and Hardy skit when you see all the bungling politicians trying to explain how they got us into this fine mess? If it were not so serious and sad with so many people suffering and dying, it would be downright funny to watch.
How can people with a modicum of intelligence not have seen this mess a brewing months ago? What is so difficult to understand about what we absolutely needed to do to get control of this thing and conquer it as quickly as possible? Like the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand, is denying its existence or downplaying it seriousness the kind of thinking we should accept from those empowered to lead us? How about the lemmings in the governor’s mansions that followed that kind of thinking into this disastrous sea?
Is it any surprise that the lockdowns we endured in March and April in hopes of getting control over this thing, not to mention the trillions spent to save the economy, went to naught when the lemmings threw out the masks, scuttled social distancing, and opened up the tattoo parlors and bars so their supporters could party? We are seeing the stupidity of that now with Covid-19 raising its ugly head again in those States that opened too early and may be spreading it again throughout the country.
Now what? We are right back in the soup again. I think it is time to call a spade a spade. Let’s look at the logic. When this hit us like a ton of bricks in March and the Dow fell 10,000 points, the essential facts about what had to be done were pretty darn clear. Yes, leadership was slow on the uptake in January and February, but by early March, when most of us were watching our 401s cave like an elevator in free fall, we knew what had to be done.
It was no secret that the whole world was not prepared to deal with a sudden pandemic of this magnitude. We learned quickly from the experience in China that is was no ordinary virus like the common cold or winter flu. It was a mass killer and extremely dangerous. It was highly contagious, stealthy in that it could be carried by innocent people with no symptoms, deadly to many, and fast moving from one to another like falling dominos. We knew that there was no vaccine to prevent it and no medication to treat it. Get it and good luck.
Our only defense was isolation. Once the virus got a foothold in any population, the only sure remedy was separating every individual from every other individual with a sufficient distance so the virus could not spread from one to another. Of course, in a highly social society like the human race, that is impossible. But the principal, like the laws of gravity, must be followed in its most practical form until a vaccine is developed to prevent the disease and medications to treat it. Since it is a respiratory virus spread from one individual to another through respiratory discharges, the use of a mask covering the nose and mouth helps a lot and separating people by about six feet is also very helpful. Because the virus can live on surfaces for a while, it is also helpful to wash or sanitize the hands frequently.
Now, has anything changed since March when most of the countries of the world and the states in the US went into lockdown and closed all business except essential services? The virus has not changed and the remedy has not changed. What has changed is the success and failure of those charged with implementing the remedy and protecting those who entrusted them with this awesome responsibility. Some leaders have done a masterful job, and some have failed miserably. As citizens of the world experiencing all of this in real time and in plain sight, we had a chance to see our leaders in action, with all of their brilliance and bungling. Yes, with a little comedy relief, it was like watching Laurel and Hardy getting us into or out of this fine mess.
We all know by now what we must do to protect ourselves and those we care about, which should be everybody, and it is up to us to make our own decisions about what we will do and will not do. If we do not want to wear a mask or keep a safe distance, then the hell with it, we will not do it. If we want to make a political statement by not wearing a mask, even if it may cost someone serious illness or death, then that is our choice to make. And just because some lemming in the governor’s mansion opens tattoo parlors and bars, it does not mean they are safe to visit. I guess in the end, it is all up to us as individuals to use our common sense and do the right thing, regardless of how good or incompetent our leaders might be.
The future is in our hands and the good news is, so is the future of our leaders.