COVID-19 Rant

RCMerchant · May 09, 2020, 07:45:38 PM

^ Well, were all worried about making ends meet. But If I was those folks who reopen too soon and folks start dropping like flies, and loose ALL business, I would worry.
As far as that video goes- most of the folks who stand outside with guns are not going into it that deep. For most- it's all 'us or them' paranoia.

pacman000 · May 10, 2020, 06:49:45 AM

The video does go into more depth than most people do, but it's still an accurate representation of their fears. It's not hard for someone to see that their landlord can't let them out of rent because he owes the bank; it's not hard to see the bank can't let the landlord off because they owe their depositors.
Everyone is connected; remove enough people for too long & everything collapses.

To say the protestors are merely basing their complaints on us vs. them fear mongering is inaccurate stereotyping. It shows a lack of understanding or caring. There is an us vs. them mentality, but why did it develop? People are being put in a position where they could loose everything they've worked their whole lives to build.

What is worse? A 10% chance of death or a 90% chance of ruin with no obvious means of recovery? I cannot answer that, but I can see that even the shut downs cause harm, & I can say the protestors have a right to speak without being dismissed as idiots.

https://www.keranews.org/post/were-bottom-rung-ladder-covid-19s-impact-john-wiley-prices-district

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/04/21/behind-protests-two-americas-one-unemployed-and-one-gets-paychecks-column/5167453002/

RCMerchant · May 10, 2020, 08:30:54 AM

^ I agree- they deserve to be heard. But why with guns? If a bunch of blacks protested in Lansing with guns, you know the s**t would hit the fan.

Rev. Powell · May 10, 2020, 08:58:16 AM

Quote from: RCMerchant on May 10, 2020, 08:30:54 AM
^ I agree- they deserve to be heard. But why with guns? If a bunch of blacks protested in Lansing with guns, you know the s**t would hit the fan.

The guns make them look less like serious protestors and more like troublemaking rabble-rousers looking for an excuse to make trouble and flex their weaponry.

There are serious points to that can be made, but some of these people can be frightening in ways they don't intend, ways that make their message backfire.

Even going out to the protests without wearing masks, agitating for the right to get a haircut, suggests they don't understand the issue and think it's all fake.

Legitimate dissent is fine, but many of these people are going about it the wrong way.

RCMerchant · May 10, 2020, 10:13:42 AM

Oh, look! It's Travis Bickle!

^

pacman000 · May 10, 2020, 10:20:20 AM

I agree; a protest shouldn't have folks toting guns.

RCMerchant · May 10, 2020, 10:30:23 AM

Both sides of the political spectrum are out of work and may loss everything. Both are also dying.
If things reopen too soon, more folks will die, businesses will close up again, and it will start all over. And then we will be back where we were on day one.

zelmo73 · May 10, 2020, 12:55:37 PM

Quote from: RCMerchant on May 10, 2020, 10:30:23 AM
Both sides of the political spectrum are out of work and may loss everything. Both are also dying.
If things reopen too soon, more folks will die, businesses will close up again, and it will start all over. And then we will be back where we were on day one.

And yet, If things don't reopen soon, more folks will die, more businesses will close up permanently, and it will continue to get worse. And then we will be worse off than where we were on day one. Pacman said it perfectly, "Everyone is connected; remove enough people for too long & everything collapses."

I know that COVID-19 is a scary thing, but losing the economy scares me a hell of a lot worse than a virus with a 99% survivability rate. You'd have to be a complete fool not to be able to do the math on this one.

Allhallowsday · May 10, 2020, 03:54:57 PM

^ Apparently death by COVID-19 is inscrutable. Here in the Tri-state area, death has been significant and unexpected, including children, young adults in perfect health, and persons of all ages and all races. My sister-in-law has lost two brothers to COVID-19.

pacman000 · May 10, 2020, 04:06:26 PM

There are no words to describe death, but inscrutable comes close. I never understand it; it just leaves a hole. I'm sorry for your family's loss; I'm sorry for every family's loss.

Truth is, I don't know what to make of all this. It's too weird & sad & beyond me.

Alex · May 10, 2020, 04:13:50 PM

There is also the risk of long term effects with this virus. No one knows exactly if there are any or what they may be. Children while apparently resistant to Covid-19 itself seem to at risk from death from some side effects. Unfortunately it is going to take time to figure everything out. Hopefully one of the various vaccines that has went to trial will have positive results and give us a route back to normalicy.

indianasmith · May 10, 2020, 06:54:56 PM

I get wanting to re-open the economy; we're going to have to do it at some point, probably sooner rather than later.
BUT - if we don't do it right, and take heavy precautions, the 80,000 Americans who have died already will be a drop in the bucket.
And these idiots screaming that they refuse to wear a mask, or get the vaccine when it becomes available - they are essentially broadcasting to the world that they not only don't care whether they get sick, live, or die - they also care about no one else!

They infuriate me.

Leah · May 10, 2020, 07:19:42 PM

Those people will not take responsibility if it comes back to bite them.

RCMerchant · May 10, 2020, 10:48:29 PM

Quote from: zelmo73 on May 10, 2020, 12:55:37 PM
Quote from: RCMerchant on May 10, 2020, 10:30:23 AM
Both sides of the political spectrum are out of work and may loss everything. Both are also dying.
If things reopen too soon, more folks will die, businesses will close up again, and it will start all over. And then we will be back where we were on day one.

And yet, If things don't reopen soon, more folks will die,

Explain this one to me, please.

Allhallowsday · May 11, 2020, 05:32:12 PM

Quote from: pacman000 on May 10, 2020, 04:06:26 PM
... I'm sorry for your family's loss; ...

Thanks for your kind words, but I never met either man, nor am I close with this sister-in-law. However, it is someone I know a long time and her family. In NJ, I don't know anything except my own experience; we're still on lockdown. It is a terrible deadly illness.