Unconscionable.
As I write this I’m sure many feel as I: frustrated, furious and frightened that Trump has made it more dangerous to travel so that many, as I, cannot visit our families.
I was going to travel to New York City from Florida for Thanksgiving, aware of the quarantine time, the testing and the necessity of wearing masks to be safe. But as I watched Trump hold his rallies throughout the country, I realized that he was making travel outside of my safe community riskier and riskier for older people like me. He presided over hundreds of people who stood next to each other without masks, yelling and screaming. He has set up conditions for Covid -19 to spread across the country like wildfire. He does nothing to control its spread and he couldn’t care less. This is his herd immunity theory in operation: so what if people die?
Trump recovered from the virus at a hospital with the best, most expensive treatment and care. We have to hope that if we contract the virus there will be space at a hospital and that we can receive comparable care. More and more people are now exposed to the virus and will need hospitalization. And there is no guarantee that our care will be comparable to that enjoyed by the president and his family. Trump can afford to tell the American people, “don’t worry” and “live your lives.”
Chris Christie contracted the virus in the Rose Garden at the White House during Judge Barrett’s introduction. He wasn’t aware that he was exposing himself to the virus. Christie stated that he believed everyone had been tested and that it was safe. After catching the virus, hospitalized for a week and getting the best care, he appeared angry as he announced that everyone should wear a mask and practice social distancing to get this pandemic under control.
At his rally in Michigan, Trump addressed his followers - who had no masks, and practiced no social distancing – and condemned Governor Whitman for trying to protect people by putting in place protective measures. Trump incited his supporters at the rally who chanted, “lock her up” after members of a militia were apprehended in a plot to kidnap and kill the governor. Trump never condemned the militia; rather, he encouraged the lock-her-up chanting and promoted the idea of opening up the state and schools regardless of the risks. He has encouraged his base of supporters to disregard their state’s mandates.
Trump has made it impossible to arrive at the truth. He has distorted and misquoted what the CDC states. Republicans created a campaign video clip distorting Dr. Fauci’s position. Dr Fauci has been prohibited from speaking and openly attacked. Whenever possible, Dr. Fauci has repeated that the virus is on the rise and implied that the president is resistant to combating the virus.
Trump continues to hold rallies throughout our country, exposing huge numbers of people to the risk of contracting the virus. His refusal to contact trace has exposed everyone in this country to the virus. If I follow Trump’s advice - “don’t let the coronavirus dominate your life” - I could be next in line for the 230,000 dead.
