Holy Sh*t - Notes on 2020
A lot has been said regarding the turbulent times we’re living in—and here’s more.
I’m sorry, but I guess it was just my time.
So, yes, I’m going to talk about COVID. I’m going to talk about the president. And I’m going to talk about things I don’t agree with. I’m not the most informed individual, politically speaking. And I don’t claim to be. Please consider this. Especially if you find yourself getting unhappy with my opinions.
You may be wondering why now, in July, that I’m suddenly addressing the oversight and inefficiency of the executive branch and a handful of US governors in the face of COVID-19, and the subsequent social unrest that lives alongside it.
Well, I guess it’s because I haven’t been pissed off enough until now. I’ve written unflattering things about people I care about on here before, so I guess it’s only right that I allocate grievances toward the White House, Senate, and other national institutions that claim to possess the cerebral tools to pull this country out of the dumpster fire of my lifetime. Albeit much harsher, less charitable grievances.
I was watching the news this morning, and the president was discussing record highs for the stock market. For the current quarter, Dow Jones is up the highest ever in over 20 years, per President Trump. He went on to sound off similar records for the Nasdaq and S&P. With millions of people still applying for unemployment benefits a week, how can this be? His single hygienic piece of advice: “Wash your hands.” Great. Thanks. I’d love to wash my hands of your presidency, however with national customs being what they are, we will get treated to similar boastful press conferences for another six months. I mention six months because even if he gets voted out of office we’ll still hear his big mouth until the following January.
In addition to fantastical stock market records, the president mentioned domestic manufacturing processes after the recent trade deal will show incredible economic growth. It’s “talent,” he said, not luck, for how our country still manages to optimize economic opportunity in spite of all of the lay-offs and furloughs.
When asked directly about the future of COVID in the United States, President Trump mentioned that he maintains hope that the virus will eventually go away. It’s great to have hope, but the spikes of cases make it tough. And certainly, his fabricated financial forecasting doesn’t help. Ditto to his refusal to wear a mask himself. John Oliver had a great point of late—why the fuck doesn’t the Trump administration see the value in putting their own personal stamp on the face masks? Make America Great Again is their thing, right? So why the fuck aren’t there MAGA masks everywhere? Get all the Repubs on board! Yet no, another opportunity gone trying to align polarized opinions on COVID. You would think national health concerns would be a bipartisan thing by now.
I just don’t get it anymore. People downplay this virus like it’s seasonal allergies, and have the nerve to say shit like “well, it’s really such a small percentage of the population.” But I guess as long as our national numbers stay under a million, those same people will undermine the deaths and the strife. The lack of humanity I’ve seen in people since the beginning of the year is appalling.
And now states are either going back to square one in terms of restrictions or taking some steps back. Cases are going up everywhere. Unemployment claims still being made at an alarming rate. At least Dow Jones is having a fantastic quarter, right? Best since the Clinton Administration.
This country is a nightmare.
Any opposition to the protests related to BLM, and any resistance to reform laws, programs, and social institutions is our country’s way of saying we like things the way they are, thank you very much. Our country hates change. It digs its heels at the idea of change.
Unfortunately, change is what we need a lot of. Up until I hit my twenties, I really felt that the country was on a continuous social upswing, that we were becoming less racist, less biased, more tolerant. But wow wasn’t that stupid. Just a real stupid train of thoughts and assumptions I’d been harboring. The layers of reform required is overwhelming here, and to see real improvement will take a long time. The US necessitates political leaders with the know-how to create mandates and reform that seek to make us less divisive, more unified. That is what we want, don’t we? Unity? And unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of these types of leaders right now. I feel that there are some, but not enough. And the ones that get the most attention are the least fit to be in control.
At the risk of being redundant, some parting summarized points.
Wear that goddamn mask when you go out in public. You have nothing to lose. For the people who have any problem with that, please stay away from me.
This country is densely populated with selfish, racially biased people who hate you.
President Donald J. Trump made a nice point about having hope that COVID-19 will go away, yet has no overriding agendum of his own to impart regarding minimizing the spread.
