Observations and random thoughts.
By WILLIAM LEDFORD
It’s official. Things are gonna get worse before they get better. Masks help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The virus will eventually vanish. These are the latest statements from our fearless leader. He has finally changed his narrative maybe because the virus didn’t vanish when warm weather arrived and Joe Biden called him out. After nearly 145,000 (and counting) deaths it’s absolutely not a “hoax”. Masks aren’t a personal choice, or shouldn’t be. How long will his new narrative last? Only time will tell. And…done! It’s already over. He’s back to his usual stuff.
As of this writing we are nearing a milestone, 150,000 deaths related to Covid-19. There are many more that may have been caused by the virus but haven’t been “officially” attributed to the virus. To put that number in perspective, the coronavirus has killed more Americans than have died in combat in WW I, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. I have long given up on the idea that our POTUS will come out and vocally assure the nation that he is with us. Maybe if we all hung out at the golf course but…we can’t…social distancing. And he and his people don’t wear masks.
I thought that anti-vaxxers were the only people that dug into their pockets and said, “I ain’t got no cents.” Now we’ve got the anti-maskers. While the anti-vaxxers only harm themselves and their children, the anti-maskers endanger us all and I’m kinda starting to take it personally. To use a tired saying, “many others are also.”
A side note. As Trump and his surrogate, Secretary of Education pushed the reopening of schools across the country by saying that “kids can’t transmit the virus” with absolutely no proof or basis. And, Barron Trump, The Donald’s youngest, will not be returning to school because of the virus. Do as I say, not as I do.
The Washington football team has been hit again not long after dumping their racist name. They have another scandal that came to light. A sexual harassment scandal. Seems the good ol’ boys in the organization never grew up and still think that they can say stupid high school stuff to the female employees. It’s not cute anymore boys. Probably never was.
News flash! That’s the name of the Washington Football Team for the 2020 season, if there is a 2020 season. What name you might ask? I would say, The Washington Football Team. Yep.
It appears that the POTUS has decided that the “unseen enemy” we are fighting against was much too bigly and threw in the towel. We no longer have a “wartime President”. Now he’s a “law and order” President. He sent federal officers from Homeland Security and other agencies to Portland, Oregon to “protect” Federal installations. These guys wear no identifying insignia or uniforms and have been grabbing protestors off the street, throwing them into unmarked vehicles, driving them away and then releasing them. A very curious “snatch and grab” operation. He’s decided to send feds to Albuquerque because “violent crime” is out of hand here. I’ve lived here since 1978. We’ve always had gangsters offing each other, no biggie, simply avoid downtown or West Central at night and you’re safe from the crossfire. Don’t need no HS or ICE cops here. The homies police themselves.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, junior Representative from NY, lit up fellow Representative Ted Yoho on the floor of the House of Representatives after he screamed at her, stuck his finger in her face, called her a vile insulting name and then offered a cringingly weak semi-apology. He then went to the male playbook for dealing with sexist behavior by mentioning that he’s married and has daughters. Before the dust settled the GOP men had put their wagons in a circle with Yoho (I love that name, Yoho and a bottle of rum!) in the middle. Pathetic, simply pathetic.
Mike Pompeo, USSOS, appeared on TV and declared that TikTok users were in danger of having their data stolen by China. Maybe. I remember that TikTok users burned the Trump Campaign rally in Tulsa by requesting tickets online. So many requests that they flooded the servers. Trump crowed about the millions of requests. The rally happened and surprise! It wasn’t the sold-out spectacle that he expected because TikTok users had pranked the campaign. Trump’s campaign manager was subsequently fired. TikTok is now Public Enemy Number 1.
Get the picture? These things going on are all distractions from the Administration failing miserably. You should do as I do, ignore those distractions and pay attention to the real stuff. Vote! These days it really could mean life or death.
Ledford is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians currently residing in Albuquerque, N.M.
