Random Thoughts on the Pandemic

DISCLAIMER: Before I begin, allow me to be transparent with the reader. I am a realist leaning toward being a cynic. I don’t trust the government because those in the government have given me little reason to trust them. The system is flawed and the people in the system are flawed. And the flawed people in power are not in the least bit interested in changing the system. And I am not just referring to those “serving” in the present government. The dysfunction has been going on for decades (at least). I will discuss this distrust in an upcoming blog.

THESE ARE MY SEMI-RATIONAL, PRAGMATIC THOUGHTS

The same distrust goes for the media. They have THEIR story to tell and, facts be damned, that is the story that will be told. That is true for both the Left and the Right. Now if you trust the government or your political party and/or the press, I am concerned for you. Whatever motivates to have such trust, in my view, is not good. Perhaps you have not been paying attention. Perhaps you have drunk the Kool-Aid. (Thanks to Rev. Jones for the illustration.) Perhaps you are dense (Sorry, I couldn’t find a good word for what I am trying to express – dumb and stupid are just too rude) or naïve, which is the worst because that means you are smart enough to see the truth but refuse to believe it.

It immediately struck me as ironic that my mother’s mother (my grandmother Redding) died in 1918 of the Spanish flu pandemic and I am in the age and health group most likely to die of the Covid-19 virus. Could it be hereditary?

This is the first declared pandemic I have experienced. I think I have been through at least one other, but no one labeled it as such. Let’s face it, pandemic sounds much more exciting than the flu season.

The media coverage has been more than interesting to watch. From the beginning they seem to have intended to, and succeeded in, scaring the wadding out of the public. They have interviewed doctors and nurses and health officials, all telling horror stories. It has been the worst news possible, heartbreaking stories and one “CRISIS” after another.

First CRISIS – we wouldn’t have enough hospitals to treat the sick. So the government provided more. Which were rarely, if ever used, and are being disassembled.

Next CRISIS – there was not enough protective gear for medical staff so companies producing other products were forced to produce protective gear, masks, and sanitizer. The day was saved.

Next CRISIS – There weren’t going to be enough respirators to treat all of the sick so businesses capable of producing respirators were forced to do so. And then we discovered there were plenty of respirators to go around. Go figure.

Next CRISIS – People were making other sick. (Which was nothing new.) To solve this, the economy was shut down and social distancing was enforced. Suddenly, more people were out of work than during the Great Depression. The financially secure media people and politicians thought was a great idea. The unemployed workers and small business owners; not so much.

THEN WE REALIZED THE WORST CRISIS WAS UPON US – The government bestowed the power on itself to make personal decisions for "we the people". And I understand why. They are so much wiser, smarter, and well informed than we ignorant peons. (Take a moment to look up the definition of sarcasm.)

There is great power in creating fear. Fearful people become quite pliable, open to suggestion, and submissive to government control. I thought it odd when President Trump declared “war” on the Covid-19 Virus. I just considered it a sample of his usual overblown rhetoric. Then, as the situation unfolded, I realized what powers had been made available to the federal and state governments. Now THAT scares me. Just in their everyday attempts to govern they show themselves to be incompetent so why do we believe they will suddenly become capable because there is a crisis? The government makes a rule or suggestion and we tend to label, ridicule, mock, and even confront those who fail to follow the directions. In some states, people are encouraged to “rat out” the un-submissive. Such behavior causes me deep concern.

I will admit that I am naturally not compliant. (Read – rebellious.) Perhaps mistakenly, I believe myself to be intelligent and seasoned enough to make my own decisions concerning my health, personal safety, and behavior. I haven’t always hit the mark with my decisions, but I have been much more successful than the government. I’m pretty sure I can decide when to go out and when to stay in.

THESE ARE MY MORE CYNICAL THOUGHTS

• Have you considered that this “epidemic” is just natures way of thinning the herd? Being at the top of the list of candidates likely to die of this virus, it has occurred to me.
• China may have pulled off a great plan to screw the rest of the word – physically, emotionally, and economically.
• Wearing a mask has no effect on spreading the virus. Wearing them just makes us feel safer and more in control.
• Social distancing is a waste of time and effort.
• Being locked down will cause more deaths than it will save (WATCH THIS!) from suicide, murder, domestic violence, shortage of staff in healthcare facilities resulting in a lack of care, lack of family ability to oversee the care of loved ones, among others.
• We have discovered who are non-essential workers and with this knowledge all CEOs and many managers will be dismissed.
• Essential workers such as janitors, maintenance workers, truck drivers, delivery people, garbage collectors, healthcare workers, and many more would get substantial salary increases.
• Churches would realize they could use their income for helping others instead of building magnificent buildings.
• After the epidemic dies down we can open a whole new classification of Darwin Awards.

There are some of my thoughts on our pandemic. What are yours?

Copyright © 2020, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved

Bill McConnell is an Interim Minister, a Church Transformation consultant and a Christian Leadership Coach. He is a frequent speaker at Church Transformation events. His latest book on church transformation is DEVELOPING A SIGNIFICANT CHURCH and is available at Westbow Press. He can be contacted @ bill45053@gmail.com. Connect with him on Facebook @ William T. McConnell or on Twitter @billmc45053 or visit his Amazon Author Page @ Amazon author page