How This Is Happening

I keep seeing people ask, “How is the happening?”

Which “this”? People objecting to science. People objecting to math. People ignoring facts, logic, and rational thought.

All of these things have led to hundred of thousands of Americans dying of Covid-19.

Why?

One part is religion. At some point science was dubbed a “belief system”, which is an absurd, irrational claim. Science works whether you believe in it or not. It that wasn’t true, nobody would be in a seat or lying in bed. They would be floating around if they “chose” not to believe in gravity.

Another part is that at some point malevolent, toxic masculinity became synonymous with strength. There is only weakness in bullying and violence. The adjoining part of this is white male supremacy. This is a core belief and value system that allows people to actually believe they are so superior that no rules apply to them, no harm can come to them, and that includes this deadly virus. These men actually believe they are impervious.

Eleven thousand of these men went to Washington D.C. to throw an epic snit about the election results, and achieved nothing but beating up photographers. They probably went home and some have probably killed their own families with the virus.

They just don’t know it yet.

This all happened because people lacked the courage to call it out as it was happening. This all happened because Republicans voted for craven men like Mitch McConnell and Ron Johnson to be in the Senate. This will continue long after this horrific year if people do not stand up and say,

“This is wrong. Stop.”

We have to do it at the ballot box. We have to do it by deleting Facebook. We have to do it by blocking propaganda outlets every single time we see it.

We have to volunteer to help campaigns in historically red states, and donate to the campaigns. We have to walk the talk.

Additionally, we have to have the courage to disengage from all of the hateful malevolent people polluting our country. Yes, it’s hard. We have to step up and walk the talk. I know we don’t want to look back the way Nazi Germany did and wonder why we didn’t do more.

There’s no cure for people consumed by greed, violence, and hate.

Stop talking to them and don’t give them one cent.

This is happening because Americans let it.

We are also stepping up to stop it.

It will take more work, and far more than one election.

So, if you are disheartened? Good. That means you aren’t a psychopath. Decent Americans who believe our democracy is worthwhile have a rough road ahead, but if we have courage — we can live up to the promise of our ideals.