While it would seem to be true that nobody ever lost money underestimating the attention span of the American public, it would seem that in this age of media overload and digital vertigo, the news in the morning can be forgotten by the time that dinner is served.
We certainly see that with respect to The Travesty Called Trump where even as his most outrageous – and undoubtedly unlawful – behavior is being chronicled by the January 6th Committee (while the somnolent U.S. Department of Justice continues to hibernate) more and more Americans seem to have forgotten the pure and absolute horror of an insurrection that came thisclose to succeeding.
And it is this combination of willful ignorance, intentional amnesia and digitally dulled sensitivity that helps to explain the behavior of the American public as we go into the third year of the COVID pandemic. We see masks being discarding, vaccinations being less compulsory and a general feeling that America is “tired of COVID”.
But of course, COVID is not “tired of America” just yet. The latest data show that during the first two years of COVID over 998,727 Americans have died from this disease. During this past week there has been a daily average of over 300 Americans dying. And yet these gruesome statistics have brought about a sense of caution fatigue and a willful embrace of inescapable inevitability when it comes to COVID.
Consider that over the past two years approximately 92,000 Americans died in automobile accidents. A sad statistic to be sure. But if one million Americans had died in car accidents it would be considered a national emergency – an outrage and rightfully so – because measures can be taken to save lives – seat belts, airbags, speed limits, etc.
Yet somehow, someway, the American public is okay with one million COVID deaths, with the promise of more deaths to come in the case of best results. Consider the level of denial that must be spreading across this land for over 300 COVID deaths a day to be acceptable. Again, using the automobile analogy – currently an average of 102 Americans die in automobile accidents every day. If that number somehow tripled to 300 Americans a day, there would a national emergency given all of the safety measures that are already in place and observed by Americans voluntarily – seatbelts, for example – and involuntarily – airbags for example.
There are safety measures that Americans can take regarding COVID voluntarily – vaccinations, masks, for example – and involuntarily – lockdowns, for example. Yet the resistance to low impact, low effort safety measures like vaccinations and masks are still resisted by so many Americans, and prematurely discarded that the risk of another wave seems almost inevitable.
Nevertheless, it comes down to the fact that Americans have become so numb to death during this pandemic that COVID no longer inspires sufficient fear or caution.
We can hope that COVID is fading away, but it is sad that we can do so much more than hope – but as a collective nation we do not.
Point of View 
My brother, you are chronicling the fact that this nation constitutes a classic example of ‘the blind leading the blind’. We all remember what happened to Jerusalem at the hands of these Gentiles, do we not? Then we can expect the same thing to happen to modern day Egypt that happened to ancient Egypt…. A series of plagues that brought Egypt to its knees. Why? Because its ruler uttered these famous last words…. “Who is Yahweh that I should listen to his voice?” This haughty nation along with its bedfellows are already suffering similar plagues, if you haven’t notice… Pollution of the water, air, soil and food to the extent that we have to filter our water and air. The soil is stripped of its natural growing power, hence the extensive use of chemical fertilizers. Our foods have been altered by genetic manipulation, as well as the human genome, via the experimental mRNA vaxx being imposed on the unwary. According to this nations funeral homes, they are doing a landslide business. The avalanche of deaths ‘by natural causes’ will be astounding and the people will be puzzled. Why? TPTB have announced their intent to reduce the population of the world ‘to save the earth’. The youth of this land has come to hate the ‘delusions’ they have been fed from infancy and actively tear down the ‘idols’ of their ancestors – the monuments and statues of erected to immortalize the invaders, enslavers and murderers that founded this nation. The ‘remnant’ of the middle class are actively seeking ways to tear down this nations. Witness the January 6th effort to kill the members of Congress. Now, the ‘curses’ of Yah have been lifted from our people and imposed upon our enemies. (Deut 30) Have you noticed the internal chaos and bloodshed, yes, the ‘curse’ has caused ‘every man’s hand to be turned against his brother’. Russia and Ukraine are brothers in every sense of the word, yet are busy slaughtering one another while the world holds its collective breath. Oh, yes, my brother. We are being treated to a ‘ring side seat’ of the destruction of this wicked system of things despite their frantic effort to maintain control, they will fail. I read somewhere, ‘it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of Almighty’. I also read somewhere, ‘kiss the Son, lest he become angry’. Well, too late, for he is full of ‘wrath’, ‘fire and brimstone’ and it is being expressed before our very eyes. We are living in the midst of ‘the great tribulation’ that will never be seen again. Fasten your seatbelt, for there are many ‘plagues’ ahead and few will survive them. (Matt 24:21, 22) The wise will seek ‘the elect’. Shalom dear brother…
Wes Barnard aka Yosef
“Enlightenment is a destructive process. It has nothing to do with becoming better or being happier. Enlightenment is the crumbling away of untruth. It’s seeing through the facade of pretence. It’s the complete eradication of everything we imagined to be true.”
~Adyashanti
Wallace,
This is best rebuttal to the American indulgence in “we’re tired of it Otis” Please turn this excellent piece into a NYTimes Letter to the Editor. Send it to Bill Maher and others with a wide audience to point out the danger of belittling people who choose to continue wearing masks. It’s dangerous, and arrogant to make fun of people whose backgrounds and devastating losses you do not know. Thank you. Glorine
Thank you!
Wallace, your dissertations continue to inspire and enlighten your readers who are fortunate enough to become a part of your narratives. I agree with the previous response, get it to The NY Times.
Thanks …much appreciated