Sunday Morning Post (V2, #8): Feeling Anxious

My mind is going in more than one direction at once this week.  I’m feeling anxious about a number of different things and the fact that I can’t sort out of my feelings into a printed word isn’t helping my anxiety.  So, this week we’ll touch on a few things on my mind and offer a balm at the end.

The local newspaper is covering the plight of an undocumented couple originally from south of the border who’s two-year-old son is being treated for cancer at the local children’s hospital.  The current regime in Washington has ordered them to leave, which would presumably take the child away from the treatment that is saving his life.  The parents believe that the child will die if they have to return to Mexico.  They appealed the government’s decision, and that appeal has been denied.

So where is the American sense of compassion which I grew up with?  Allegedly 82% of Evangelical Christians support the President and with that, presumably his policies.   If they don’t agree with everything, he does then they should speak up!  Why am I not hearing a loud chorus of indignation against the President?  Oh, but we’re afraid that he’ll hurt our feelings on Twitter.

Hypocrisy makes me queasy.   There’s enough hypocrisy in this situation to make me violently ill.

Now the Corona virus has dominated the headlines over the last few weeks.  Wall Street has heard the stories and are acting like it could be the end of the world.  The stock market had their worst week since 2008 when we were seeing the beginning of the worst recession in American history.  I can’t say that I am terribly impressed by the government’s response to all this. 

Officials in the various government health agencies have been erring on the side of caution, warning people that the crisis may become the pandemic we have been warned will happen.  This is what government officials are supposed to do:  prepare the populous in a realistic manner that can be comforting and reassuring at the same time. The President was not pleased to hear this, and interpreted their words of caution as a sign of disloyalty to him. After all, the news of the growing number of cases is hurting the stock market, which potentially could harm the economy and, by extension of political logic*, his chances to get re-elected this year.

The President responded with what I believe is really a non-response.  His remarks have been aimed over the heads of the people who could potentially contract the virus and die (e.g. us) and intended for his loved ones (e.g., Wall Street).  He has sought to be reassuring that his administration is ready for any crisis which could happen.

Consider me not reassured.

To that end he has appointed Vice President Pence with the task of heading up a government response to the any dangers.  Pence’s previous success was largely a non-success at suppressing AIDS in his home state of Indiana.  In short: we’re toast!

I have long thought that a great many of us would be killed in a nuclear apocalypse triggered by this President’s believe that his machismo image was being questioned.  Now we have the Coronavirus as another possibility for massive loss of life.  I’m torn between which would be the better consequence: a very bright light and instant disintegration, or a long slog through a severe upper respiratory infection that could last for weeks.

Somehow nuclear apocalypse sounds like a more humane way to make our final exit.

Apologies to all for being so down beat (or depressing and annoying, take your pick).   

Now the balm.

I have long heard this song and never knew who did it or what they were singing.  Multiple ear infections in my youth have left me with a hearing that cannot always make out what is being said or sung.   I looked up the lyrics and found the words “They come to build a wall between us/We know they won’t win,” soothing.

Ah, that’s better.

*Not to be confused with real logic.

(Thank you for reading.  Now go forth, eat, drink, for tomorrow is Monday!)