PUBLISHED TO
A few weeks ago my aging pitbull Hazel got in a tussle with a
groundhog. Unfortunately she tore her ACL and needed TPLO surgery. So I
found myself in Tyler Park with a lawn chair as Hazel took very short
walks while she recuperated.
As we all know, we are in the middle of a pandemic. I was wearing a mask because I was in a public place and thought it wise to follow the guidance of our nation’s top scientists.
Wearing a mask in social settings reduces the chances of the transmission of the virus to others and offers some limited protection as well to the wearer. The mask cost me a dollar and the minor inconvenience of wearing one seemed worth it if it would reduce the chances of a fellow American getting sick.
After a short walk, Hazel decided to sit down in the middle of a shady parking lot.
So I unfurled my lawn chair and looked forward to some rest for us both. It was a beautiful sunny day. But suddenly, someone walked over to me from his work truck and loudly asked why I was wearing a mask. I told him because I didn’t want to make him sick. He then laughed at me and said he couldn’t believe I bought into all that government nonsense.
Covid-19 was just like the flu. People die from diseases all the time. What was more important was that I was losing my freedom. I looked imploringly at Hazel to get up and rescue me, but since she didn’t understand these long sentences, she stayed happy, resting on the cool pavement. I was not free to move.
I tried to be reasonable. I said this pandemic was vastly different from the flu. There not only is no vaccine, but the death rate from Covid-19 was so much higher. In the 2018-2019 flu season, 34,000 Americans died. Already over 120,000 Americans have died and the number keeps growing. In the face of such a crisis, I chose to do my part as a caring citizen to practice social distancing and simply wear a mask.
He again talked about freedom and quickly the conversation descended into politics. He said I was probably one of those people who believe in utopia. I said that it made sense to me to use my knowledge and experience to try to improve the world we live in for ourselves and others. He said he was very religious and thought the virus was sent by God to hurt evil people. I looked imploringly at Hazel, again to no avail.
He then asked me what Democrats had ever done that was good. I asked him if he got his $1,200 stimulus check. He said, okay, that’s one thing. I then said do you like having healthcare? Medicare was a Democratic idea and Republicans are working hard to take Obamacare away from millions of workers. Democrats are not trying to break up unions which work for higher wages for workers. Democrats want to raise the minimum wage so that workers can have a living wage.
I spoke about the growing income inequality that has ballooned since the Reagan era. Republicans still want more tax cuts for the rich. What has trickled down? He said there was a world conspiracy afoot and that soon slavery would be coming to our shores.
Thankfully, Hazel wisely wanted to get back into our air-conditioned van. As we left, he still urged me to vote Republican. For the life of me, I still don’t know why.
As we all know, we are in the middle of a pandemic. I was wearing a mask because I was in a public place and thought it wise to follow the guidance of our nation’s top scientists.
Wearing a mask in social settings reduces the chances of the transmission of the virus to others and offers some limited protection as well to the wearer. The mask cost me a dollar and the minor inconvenience of wearing one seemed worth it if it would reduce the chances of a fellow American getting sick.
After a short walk, Hazel decided to sit down in the middle of a shady parking lot.
So I unfurled my lawn chair and looked forward to some rest for us both. It was a beautiful sunny day. But suddenly, someone walked over to me from his work truck and loudly asked why I was wearing a mask. I told him because I didn’t want to make him sick. He then laughed at me and said he couldn’t believe I bought into all that government nonsense.
Covid-19 was just like the flu. People die from diseases all the time. What was more important was that I was losing my freedom. I looked imploringly at Hazel to get up and rescue me, but since she didn’t understand these long sentences, she stayed happy, resting on the cool pavement. I was not free to move.
I tried to be reasonable. I said this pandemic was vastly different from the flu. There not only is no vaccine, but the death rate from Covid-19 was so much higher. In the 2018-2019 flu season, 34,000 Americans died. Already over 120,000 Americans have died and the number keeps growing. In the face of such a crisis, I chose to do my part as a caring citizen to practice social distancing and simply wear a mask.
He again talked about freedom and quickly the conversation descended into politics. He said I was probably one of those people who believe in utopia. I said that it made sense to me to use my knowledge and experience to try to improve the world we live in for ourselves and others. He said he was very religious and thought the virus was sent by God to hurt evil people. I looked imploringly at Hazel, again to no avail.
He then asked me what Democrats had ever done that was good. I asked him if he got his $1,200 stimulus check. He said, okay, that’s one thing. I then said do you like having healthcare? Medicare was a Democratic idea and Republicans are working hard to take Obamacare away from millions of workers. Democrats are not trying to break up unions which work for higher wages for workers. Democrats want to raise the minimum wage so that workers can have a living wage.
I spoke about the growing income inequality that has ballooned since the Reagan era. Republicans still want more tax cuts for the rich. What has trickled down? He said there was a world conspiracy afoot and that soon slavery would be coming to our shores.
Thankfully, Hazel wisely wanted to get back into our air-conditioned van. As we left, he still urged me to vote Republican. For the life of me, I still don’t know why.
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