It feels as if the world has gone crazy. The right-wingers are really exerting their muscle – buoyed up by Trump, Brexit and a stream of lies and misinformation from the internet.
The coronavirus has become a political football. It is no longer a medical condition; it is a symbol of political belief.
The internet is firing out a stream of lies and incitements. The 5G hoax is still circulating. It has all become tied in with anti-vaxxers, science deniers, flat earthers and all those people who believe the conspiracy theories.
The political spin is confusing people.
The matter is simple. A virus has jumped from bats, to pangolins and on to humans. It is one of a string of viruses (MERS, SARS, EBOLA, Swine Flu, Bird Flu) that have done the same. We are getting these pandemics because we are opening up hunting in remote regions. We are bringing these poor animals back to be sold and slaughtered in ‘wet’ markets (particularly in Asia). We are coming into contact with viruses we have not encountered before.
It is nothing to do with 5G or Chinese government germ warfare.
There is no immunity in the population because we have not encountered the virus before!
The virus kills 1-2% of those infected. It is presently killing 4% globally – 5% in the UK and 7.9% in the USA. If we work on the basis that, left unchecked, it will kill 1% (mainly the old, obese or those with underlying problems such as asthma and diabetes) that means that if no measures are taken we are looking at deaths in the USA (population 331 million) of 3,310,000 people. In the UK it would lead to the deaths of 600,000 people.
20% of those contracting Covid-19 require hospital treatment.
Now, those people protesting the anti-covid restrictions, who say it infringes their rights and civil liberties should consider – are these huge numbers of deaths acceptable? Are you happy killing off your grandparents and the sick?
Are you happy with the medical services being totally overwhelmed and people being buried in mass graves (as we have already seen in New York).
I can understand people being worried sick because their livelihood has gone; they cannot pay the bills, will lose their house and can’t feed their kids. I can see why they want normality – but this isn’t a normal situation.
In the UK (as across Europe) the virus is on the rise – 1715 new cases but just one death.
In the USA – a further 36,939 new cases and 374 deaths.
In Brazil 0 16158 new cases and 566 deaths.
For those going around with your banners – Masks are muzzles – or – New Normal + New Fascism – perhaps you should think of the dire number of deaths you could be unleashing and perhaps you should go and talk to the family of one of the victims and see if they agree with you?
This virus kills. We are lucky is doesn’t kill more. Some virus would wipe out 90+%
This is where governments need to step in to look after those whose livelihoods are gone – but these people don’t like government, do they?
The far-right is also trying to put the spin on the Black Lives Matter movement. They want riots and violence and they are trying to incite it. Not only have they got people in the midst of the peaceful demonstrations deliberately causing damage and violence, they have open incitement.
I was amazed to see the convoy of far-right Trump supporters drive through the demonstrators in Portland shooting demonstrators with paintballs and spraying them with dye. They were deliberately trying to incite them to violence. Where were the police?? If someone shot me with a paintball I’d want them in court!
Today I wasn’t in a good mood. I don’t like what is happening to the world – divided, hate-filled and violent. I don’t like the selfishness and greed. I don’t like the environmental damage and cruelty. I walked up my hill. It was much warmer. I looked at nature. I then went for a meal outside with friends and had a nice natter. We had a pint or two and put the world right. I came home and played some Davy Graham. I read a bit of Human Kind (a very positive book) and started work on my Roy Harper book.
My book – ‘Farther from the Sun’ is not completed and published (both paperback and digital both available on Amazon). I’m feeling alright!
Things were good in my life.