Gov. Ron DeSantis made his ignorance and frustration with face masks known when he visited Tampa for a press conference several days ago.
DeSantis was at the University of South Florida to announce funding for cyber security education. Before taking the podium to address the audience, the governor scolded a group of students behind him who were wearing face masks.
“You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis said. “I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.” It is obvious that he cares more about unborn children than living kids. Between his push against abortion and his "Don't Say Gay" bill he has been showing the world what kind of incompetent and dangerous idiot he is.
Masks are very simple objects. It is usually a cloth with two stretchy bands at two ends. You put it on your face so you can cover your mouth and nose, and it acts as a barrier to the rest of the world.
Masks have traditionally been used for centuries, for example, during the 17th‐century plagues, the 1918 influenza pandemic and, more recently, the SARS epidemic in 2003. Retrospective case‐control studies showed that mask use by the general public may have offered significant protection against SARS. So why are we still talking about it? DeSantis' wife underwent surgery for cancer recently. Why didn't the governor storm into the operating room and tell surgeons and nurses to remove masks and gloves while operating on his wife? Hypocrisy. The medical profession has been wearing masks for decades now.
Though masks alone will not completely halt the spread of a virus, recent research has shown that wearing them is the most efficient way to stop its transmission. Dr. Fauci said everyone should wear a mask in public and it “should not be a political issue. It is purely a public health issue.”
I have always considered myself an intensely political man. Joined and supported a party, rejoiced in its victories, believed that its accession to power would bring the country closer to social justice and prosperity for all. But also gave the other side the backing they needed when they won, including the benefit of the doubt. I am now engulfed in a sense of helplessness which is compounded with the failure to understand what happened, what went wrong, as if body snatchers from another planet took over and imposed on us a system of Dysfunctional Pseudo Democracy. The Left came, gave space to the Right, which gave room to the Left. Nothing changed. Disillusionment wasn't swift but I eventually reached the current state of political despair and dark cynicism. I can say with certainty that there is a preponderance of psychopaths at the top, with a clinical absence of empathy. Like creatures from a science fiction movie. Irresponsibility and total disregard for the good of the country is the norm in a game where the word bipartisan has become anathema. Obstructionism is the rule. Paralyzing the government with blackmail is the favorite sport of the elected gasbags. The word “do jour” is negated instead of negotiating. Too many times I feel we are ruled by thieves and liars. It is as if the last remaining vestiges of restraint and shame have been overcome and it is no longer necessary, on the part of the political elite, to pretend that they are anything less than what they are: power-hungry self-centered monochromatic greedy narcissistic bastards.
Their ego-cancer makes them unaware of the mounting disgust the population at large feels at the way we are ruled. It doesn't even matter at this point if the people have voted for or against any politicians they now despise.
There is very little hope for change. Not one of them gives evidence of having any desire to change this rotten system because it works so well for the real purpose of maintaining power for themselves, and the benefits that come with it. The people be damned. Keep them sick and poor. They are easier to control. The member of this caste are predators who use charm, money, manipulation, lies, intimidation, religion and fear to manipulate others and to satisfy their own selfish needs. We routinely elect barbarians who take what they want and do as they please without guilt or remorse. We should start blaming ourselves for accepting the status quo because we elect these sociopaths and pay their salaries.
Unless you have a permanent lapse of the reason you have to admit that those who represent you belong in a three-ring circus, or preferably in a loony bin.
I am exhausted by how stupid everyone is getting. More to the point: you know they didn't get up there by themselves, they don't belong up there, they don't know what to do while they are up there. They are elevated beyond their ability to function. Civility, class, style have gone by the wayside, hysteria has taken over, elected politicians resort to innuendos, sneers, manipulation, misrepresentation, greed, and unsubstantiated attacks of the opposite side just because it is the opposite side. I fear that the rules our nation so successfully followed for more than 200 years were designed for another time, a different breed of human beings.
It’s all a facade, a big fraud perpetrated against the American people, a far too real and tragic reality show. The modus operandi is to talk about God, family and guns, preferably with southern accents, while robbing us blind and destroying what little is left of our democracy.
Placing hopes and dreams in the hands of men who say they are on God’s side is never a good idea. It’s A Highway to Hell.
Pier Angelo was born in Italy, moved to England at the age of 17 and learned English at the Nelson School of English. He attended college and graduate school in Manhattan. In 2009 he founded SFGN with Norm Kent. Now he’s retired with his husband Tom and his Affenpinscher Cabbage. He still enjoys writing his column Off The Wall for SFGN.
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