Oh I Understand

Part 1 of 2

I understand many things.

There are many I can't even begin to understand, and only God knows how many levels there are in between.

Here's one I'm struggling to understand.

I'm pretty sure that to a person, everyone reading this would do anything possible to protect their grandmother.
When my grandmothers were alive, I would have taken a fatal beating, a bullet, a burning or any other consequence imaginable to protect either of them. It's instinctual. It's what we do, even the most hardened soul would risk all manner of harm to protect their granny!

I venture to say that this same protective instinct likely includes a number of family members, friends and even co-workers, for most of us. As a species we are rarely inclined to endanger others for no reason, instead we’re wired to protect those who have done us no harm. I venture to say, the majority of Americans would rush to the aid of a person in distress, whether we know that person or not. We’ve all heard or witnessed a story of the stranger who risked their life to save another. I venture the majority of us have considered what we would do in a given situation. Would we risk ourselves to save a child, someone’s granny, or any other human for that matter, from a burning building? I like to think that I would but only in the actual moment will I know how selfless I truly am.

Today, one of the big debates dominating the news (if we can even still call it news), social media and private conversations nationwide, revolves around the wearing of face masks and social distancing in an effort to protect ourselves from an invisible virus that has already taken a huge number of lives within our country. As of this writing (May 21, 2020), the CDC estimates 93,806 Americans have died from Covid-19. Some will dispute the actual number of Covid-19 mortality in America, but the specific number isn’t the point. The point, and what cannot be disputed is that a huge number of Americans have lost their lives to a virus that has no known cure or vaccination, a virus to which we have no herd immunity. This is a threat of enormous proportion. Many families have lost a number of members to Covid-19 or complications of underlying conditions due to Covid-19. That’s a fact! A close friend has lost 12 family members and friend to this invisible enemy.

If our current enemy was bombing Perl Harbor, marching across Canada or Mexico with plans to invade American borders, pointing nuclear missiles at New York or San Francisco or threatening to release biological weapons against us as a country, every able-bodied American would be up in arms willing to don armor in the defense of our nation. Instead, a large portion of our population won’t even don a mask and maintain distance to protect the vulnerable among us, the grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sister, cousins, nephews, nieces, sons and daughters from the invisible invader within our borders, an invader that knows no political, religious or cultural bounds. Instead of taking the simple act of safe practices many are standing on political grounds to defend a theoretical loss of liberty. Would those grounds be as stable if we could see the bullet that is hurtling through the country claiming the lives of people we would otherwise run into a burning building to save?

People are basically decent and that's how we would like to think we behave, in a decent, civil manner. I for one would still like to believe that the number of Americans who set out in the morning to "do harm" is miniscule among the population. Yet we have come a point in time when political views have, for many, now outweigh decency and civility in our decision making and behavior. I would like to say I have not fallen into the trap of loosing my temper over this debate, but sadly it has taken its toll on us all and in one of the most brazen displays of disrespect in our history we’re arguing over whether or not we should take simple steps to protect ourselves.

A few days ago it was suggested I don’t understand the idea behind a Facebook post which encouraged those who are opposed to wearing face masks to help control the spread of Civid-19, while in a back-handed way, degrading those who do feel it’s prudent for everyone to wear them in public.

My reply? Oh, I do understand, I completely understand.

I understand that we live in a time of swiftly diminishing civil responsibility. We live in a time when, as often as not, the wants and needs of individuals are valued above the needs of our society as a whole.

I understand that we live in a time when facts and truth are constantly being over-shadowed by hyperbole, bias and all too often outright lies, in order to create a narrative which obscures facts with a cloud of rhetoric. A few internet personalities, entertainers posing as news reporters and politicians have done all they can to dispute the severity of the invisible threat we face, most often in the name of capitalism.

I understand that a growing number of people are clinging to the false hope they’re being offered because it’s easier to face than the reality of the destruction this threat may eventually cause in loss of life. They cling to the false hope that it will all go away given time, and it will, but not before taking more of us with it.

I understand that individuals are choosing the narrative of least inconvenience, the narrative that suits their personal wants and needs with little to no consideration for other members of society. I understand a growing number of people are resisting simple acts of civic responsibility, out of convenience, but under the flag of personal freedom. What of the personal freedoms of others?

I understand that many would rather forego the safety and well-being of others to suit their personal comforts, desires while promoting personal gain, others be damned. They choose their own comfort at the sacrifice of those they deem expendable solely to accommodate themselves. Yet many of these people would run into a burning building, dive from a tall bridge into unknown waters or any number of other scenarios to save a human life but refuse to experience a minor inconvenience to possible save another human life.

I understand that these people have either, not responsibly educated themselves, or choose to ignore the millions of scenarios that could lead to escorting the invisible threat into the lives of the vulnerable among us. I have seen the comments of politicians that assign far greater value to our economy than human life. I have also watched as citizens have blindly followed their lead without regard to consequences, with utter disregard for citizens some have deemed expendable. I understand the prevailing American culture has revolved around money and possessions over people for some decades now. I believe we have reached a point where we as a country should and must, finally recognize the folly of a “commerce above all else” culture.

I understand we now live in a time when information and misinformation are being hurled at us in such a rapid succession that the facts are difficult to discern from fiction. It’s difficult to discern the narrative of truth from fantasy.

I understand that the attitude of any organization is based on its leaders. I understand that the person who we should be looking to for guidance, the current President of the United States of America, is a master at confusing facts with fictitious narratives. I understand that he would have us believe there is no invisible threat, that commerce is the most important aspect of our society. I understand that he has a hard time putting together coherent sentences, he would gladly sacrifice the safety of our country to bolster the economy in order to secure reelection. I understand that this, along with myriad other reasons, exactly why he shouldn’t be reelected, but that’s a subject for another time and another plea for sensibility.