It’s unfortunate that every facet of this pandemic seems to be divided by party lines when it should be a collective us against the virus. One side has taken to tiny acts of rebellion in the form of public histrionics which they believe makes them patriots, but in reality they just look selfish and sad.
I’m not sure what their problem is with facts, or science, or secondary education for that matter, and I can’t tell if it’s spectacular ignorance or that they’re simply being crusty old contrarians, but I have little sympathy for the “but muh rights” crowd complaining about being oppressed because they cannot irresponsibility spread a virus in stores and restaurants whenever they want.
As for lockdowns, nobody WANTS them. They should be a last resort. They are economically unviable for everyone, especially in a country with politicians that don’t want to loosen the purse strings and give a little of our own money back to help us weather the storm while we quarantine.
Here’s the thing though. I realize people need to go out and earn a living. On the flip side, my safety comes first. Even if my favorite restaurant is open, I will not be dining in during a pandemic. Servers might not want to hear this, but I think people eating at restaurants are just plain crazy.
This is why we need temporary stipends during the pandemic. It’s amazing how quick we can come up with billions for wars, but when people need help it’s time to queue the partisan bickering. Meanwhile the waitress relying on tips for her livelihood only has two options, and both are grim. If the establishment is open, go to work and serve the people being the least safe during a pandemic, or not go to work and starve. But I digress.
The problem is the very same people calling lockdowns fascism are the ones not doing ANYTHING to help prevent lockdowns. Do you want to avoid another lockdown? Wear a mask (properly), social distance, disinfect your hands, etc.
In Japan, they have miraculously avoided lockdowns while managing to have one of the lower infection rates in the developed world. They did declare a state of emergency, but it did not include any restrictions of individuals or business. Unless we learn the Japanese have some sort of immunity the rest of us don’t, we can only assume it’s related to a more cohesive culture of personal responsibility.
Wait a second. Didn’t some other group once label themselves the party of personal responsibility? Ha, so much for that moniker.
The bottom line here is simple. If you’re one of the people who think lockdowns are unfair, I hope you are taking all of the necessary precautions to keep yourself and the rest of the populace you encounter safe. Don’t be an ass.
File:Shibuya (49476143743).jpg. (2020, October 9). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 15:09, December 29, 2020 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Shibuya_(49476143743).jpg&oldid=484598502.