Every day, children as young as three years old wear masks. For hours at a time. Teenagers, who are famous for being oppositional, confrontational and irrational, wear masks and wipe down school desks to ward off Covid-19.
Why is it, then, that national leaders from the president to his advisors, senators, former governors, even Supreme Court nominees, can't see the value in wearing a mask and social distancing?
Why, indeed.
The media universe is full of people, including me, who say that they hope the president recovers, and that they're praying for him and the other leaders who have tested positive for the virus to return to their jobs quickly.
But we shouldn't have to be doing this. We as a nation should not have to worry about grown adults who have ignored, ridiculed, and undermined every scientific and medical argument and all of the evidence we have about this virus that points crystal clearly in one direction: Wear a mask. Stay six feet apart from other people. Respect the virus. Be safe and smart.
In other words, if you're going to play in traffic, eventually the odds say you're going to get hit.
It's unconscionable for the President of the United States to mock those of us who see the danger, and want him to be a role model for the country. There is no shame in wearing a mask or doing other things that keep you distanced from the virus unless, as is clear from his behavior, you either want the virus to stop infecting people and making you look bad for not doing more to mitigate its spread, or you see yourself as weak by succumbing to common sense.
And the manner in which these government officials and advisors caught the virus is just as irresponsible. The president held large campaign rallies in Minnesota and New Jersey where attendees went unmasked, and the president's entourage was completely mask-free during the debate last Tuesday when the president might have spread the disease even more. Perhaps his overactive performance was a result of his not feeling well.
Even Chris Christie finds new ways to lose our trust and respect. Here is a man who I believed respected science, when in fact he was also unmasked when prepping the president for the debate. Now Christie is going to have to quarantine in his chair alone on the beach with his family. Finally, that photograph makes sense.
There really is no other way to look at this administration's response to the virus than anything other than an abject failure. Over 207,000 Americans have died of it. My sense is that the president is terrified that he's contracted it. The more the fever rises and the symptoms escalate, the greater the sense of panic. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a bad case, and those around him say that he's still not back to his physically normal self. This thing kills overweight men. And there's no cure.
At least he has his government-funded health care to help him with what will now be a pre-existing condition. Remember, when he gets better, he and his administration will resume trying to take that away from others.
Perhaps this will finally lead those who actually believe the president when he says that the virus will miraculously go away to take it more seriously. Meanwhile, the second wave of the virus is beginning to gain some momentum. Two NFL games have been postponed because of outbreaks. Many state cases are beginning to rise. More people will begin to be inside with others as the weather cools. At the very least, all governors must issue orders for all citizens to wear a mask. It's not a violation of your rights. It's what will keep you alive so you can exercise them.
