The Almighty Base Has Different Priorities

Not that long ago during a TV appearance, Dr. Drew Pinsky told everyone the COVID-19 virus wasn't any big deal. In fact he was so unimpressed with the bug and it's ability to spread he described the public's growing anxiety as, "press induced panic."

Pinsky has since apologized and admitted he was wrong. Not everyone got the memo though and in a cacaphonous ode to the savage, profane, and truth impaired politics of Donald Trump some of his Almighty Base have taken to the streets, not to mention, gone off their collective nut.

Although it can be argued many of these clods have never been what you'd describe as rational to begin with it is apparent huge numbers of them consider any sort of government regulation during the pandemic as an affront to their way of life. This is evidenced by a growing number of protests against business closings, social distancing, and any sort of mandate to wear medical face masks when in public.

Since more than a few have convinced themselves anyone to the left of Trump is part of a grand conspiracy it isn't surprising many are still convinced Pinsky's first assessment of the virus is the truth. Think not? During an Ohio protest Friday one these goofs confronted a local TV reporter while shouting, "You know that company you work for is lying to the American people and you know what you're doing is wrong at the end of the day." The demonstrator then demanded the reporter take off her face mask, screeching at her, "you're terrifying the general public," and, as the reporter backed away, "You have no right to social distancing in public!"

During another Ohio demonstration, this one at the home of the state's head of public health, Amy Acton, one sign read, "Dr. Over-re-Acton, Hairstylists Are Essential." Indeed, it would seem even as the body count mounts some have different priorities.

Others have willingly exposed the purity and depth of their right wing feelings. You know, like the woman in Illinois who carried a sign which read, "Arbeit Macht Frei, J.B." Arbeit Macht Frei is a German phrase which translates into, "Work Sets You Free." Pretty clever, eh? That's right baby. Open up our businesses and jobs. Maybe yes, maybe it's something else. The same phrase was on a sign over the main gate of the WWII death camp, Auschwitz. The J.B. stuck on the end of the woman's placard is a reference to Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker, who is Jewish.

Last Thursday a park ranger in Austin, Texas approached a crowd knocking back a few cold ones on a pier at a local lake. His aim was to get them off it and onto open ground nearby where they could socially distance themselves. One of the, "screw the virus crowd," pushed him off the pier, into the water.

The rube who did it, Brandon Hicks was charged with, among some other things, attempted assault on a law enforcement official and could face anywhere from 180 days to a couple of years in the joint. Hicks' lawyer issued a statement saying his client had the, "utmost respect," for police officers and would tell his side of the story in court. Witnesses who were there told the press the park ranger wasn't aggressive, but rather polite and respectful toward them.

Then there was Stillwater, OK mayor, Will Joyce. He reopened the town's businesses last week with the caveat everyone had to wear face masks. Within hours he rescinded his mask order because his office had received multiple calls from retailers saying their clerks had been verbally abused and physically threatened.by patrons who refused to wear masks.

Finally there was the tragedy in Flint, MI. On Friday a security guard at a Dollar General Store was shot and killed after he refused to allow a woman and daughter into the place because the daughter didn't have a mask. Calvin Munerlyn was murdered about twenty minutes after the initial confrontation by the woman's adult son because his mom had been, "disrespected." Ramonyea Bishop went to the store to redeem his mother's honor accompanied by his stepfather who initiated a second heated exchange. The mother, Sharmel Teague has been arrested, but Ramonyea and his dad, Larry are still on the run. Calvin Munerlyn was the 43 year old father of six.

Yes, as one Twitter wag put it, the motto on the yellow Gadsden flag shouldn't be, "Don't Tread on Me," but rather, "Don't Inconvenience Me." Or, perhaps Patrick Henry should have said, "Give me hairstylists, or give me death." Hey, why not? Evidently in the age of Trump, even during a deadly plague, getting your hair done is essential to life, liberty, and the pursuit of whatever it is these wankers call happiness.

As of this moment 71,148 Americans have died of COVID-19. Thanks, in part to the fascists in the streets, there is no end in sight.



sic vita est


5-5-20