I’m following Trump’s handling of the growing Corona-virus, CoVid-19, pandemic. The virus is not Trump’s fault. Oddly, it provides him a unique opportunity to be a national hero, if he acts swiftly and effectively to protect Americans from this lethal disease. Not surprisingly, he has chosen to go in the opposite direction, turning the virus into a political rather than public health issue. He has converted CoVID-19 into a weapon with which he can attack Democrats, Liberals, and any other group that opposes him. This is extremely dangerous, politically and physically for millions of Americans.
Now we have two deadly viruses to combat: CoVID-19 and the malignant spreading of misinformation. Misinformation is a virulent lie that acts like a virus. It burrows into the minds of susceptible people where it slowly eats away at reason and civility. Misinformation leaves a puss filled hole in a person’s reality which leaves them thinking they are victims of some dark conspiracy that is out to get them. Eventually this paranoid fever erupts into rage and violence against innocent people that they have been trained to hate.
For years now, a radically reactionary minority has been using this malignancy against the majority of tolerant, forward looking Americans. They have been turning us into “The Enemy.” An enemy that must be subdued by any way possible; violence if need be.
The blackout of Covid-19 information, from reputable medical and scientific sources is dangerous in two ways. The most obvious is the absence of instructions on how to prepare and act, should you or a loved-one gets ill. Without quick access to reputable information we are left vulnerable to quackery and further harm.
The less obvious but, in my opinion more dangerous, is the current campaign of misinformation, politicizing CoVID-19 and using it to cement Trump more firmly in power. Similar to the real virus, the lack of accurate medical and scientific information leaves the public space open to provocateurs’ fearmongering through the spreading of misinformation; rumors, conspiracy theories, baseless accusations, and lies.
Most Americans are reasonable people and don’t trust anything that Trump or his Administration say about Covid-19 or anything else of importance. This is a naturally developed immunity brought about by the continuous exposure to deception. Unfortunately, not everyone has this defense, leaving them hungry for information and vulnerable to lies and hokum. In this environment, it is easy to mislead people and promote beliefs against their own welfare.
For example, Trump supporters. They listen to Trump, Fox News and the rest of that nihilist choir, accepting the idea that CoVID-19 is a Corona-virus and, since common colds are Corona-viruses, CoVID-19 is like a common cold. It’s not.
They aren’t told about the two deadliest diseases to emerge in modern history and occurring in the last 17 years. SARs and MERs had death rates of 30% and 90%, respectively ,and both were Corona-viruses.
Trump is turning this medical crisis into an opportunity to increase his power by promoting more division, stoking anger and hatred towards Democrats, the Left and other freedom loving Americans. This creates the impression that our society is crumbling and permitting Trump to declare a national emergency. putting troops in the streets, postponing elections indefinitely with the excuse that gathering in polling stations will spread contagion. A contagion that Trump and his followers intentionally ignored, creating a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Up until recently, I had thought that Trump would create a fake emergency to legitimize the use of the troops to maintain public order, cancel voting, and trample on habeas corpus and other rights. CoVID-19 fell from the sky right into Trump’s lap. It is the perfect opportunity to destroy the last vestiges of Freedom, Rule of Law and the Government For and By the People.
Information is power. Denying the American people information about Covid-19, data that they have paid for through taxes, is stealing our safety, power and the right to make decisions for ourselves. This pattern leaves us blind and vulnerable to other crises we need to face right now.
Blocking honest information about the CoVID-19 is criminal and puts us all at greater risk.