covid

What People Remember the Most About Trump’s Administration is His Execrable Behavior

“Two of the biggest U.S. news events in decades, the Covid pandemic and the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, are seldom the first thing on people’s minds when it comes to their memories of the Trump administration, for example, according to an April Times/Siena survey of registered voters nationwide.

When asked to describe the one thing they remembered most from Donald J. Trump’s presidency, only 5 percent of respondents referred to Jan. 6, and only 4 percent to Covid.”

The New York Times

The COVID pandemic was a catastrophe that decimated our economy, shuttered our churches, schools and entertainment venues, infected most Americans and killed over one million of us.

Trump’s response to this tragedy was ineffectual from the beginning when he tried to dismiss the pandemic as no different from the flu. He disregarded the advice of the CDC and his own health officials, promoted quack cures like bleach and ivermectin, and generally tried to downplay the crisis for political expediency.

Post pandemic thanks to the efficacy of vaccines and the implementation of social mitigation measures COVID is now a seasonal virus like the flu, and most Americans seem to have forgotten Trump’s abysmal response to the pandemic.

The January 6 Insurrection was a failed coup and an existential threat to our democracy, and former president Donald Trump was the instigator and enabler of the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol.

The insurrectionists are languishing in jails in D.C. and most Americans have forgotten that Trump was the chief insurrectionist.

Historians will devote volumes to Trump’s mishandling of the COVID threat and to his attempt to undermine our democracy, but according to the Times poll what most Americans remember about the Trump administration are the economy and his behavior.

It’s about the economy stupid, and Trump’s behavior is execrable, but as the 2024 general election quickly approaches, we mustn’t forget Trump’s botched response to COVID or his contempt for our democracy.

America managed to survive Trump’s administration, but if he regains power, it may mean the end to our democracy.

Evangelicals Abusing Religious Exemptions to Avoid Getting Vaccinated

Many businesses have implemented vaccine mandates for their employees, but most add in language about a religious exemption to fend off lawsuits.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has recommended that employers make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees with “sincerely held religious beliefs” to comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Evangelicals who’d rather please their false orange messiah than do the right thing and get vaccinated to protect themselves and their neighbors think the religious exemption is their “get out of jail free card.” There are downloadable forms Christians can use to claim religious exemptions.

“I am against vaccines on religious grounds” isn’t a magical legal phrase that will exempt you from vaccine mandates by employers or government entities. You have to demonstrate that your beliefs are sincere, and if you are granted a religious exemption your employer may force you to wear a mask, socially distant and take frequent invasive COVID tests. Jesus on a popsicle, just get the damn vaccine.

Why should religious beliefs be held in such high regard considering the world’s major religions accept the following patently ridiculous myths as the Gospel truth:

Sacred underwear protects believers from spiritual contamination and, according to some adherents, from fire and speeding bullets.

A talking donkey scolded a prophet.

Believers can drink poison or get bit by poisonous snakes without being harmed.

Waving a chicken over your head can take away your sins.

A race of giants once roamed the earth, the result of women and fallen angels interbreeding.

In the end times, God’s chosen people will be gathered together in Jackson County, Missouri.

Putting a dirty milk glass and a plate from a roast beef sandwich in the same dishwasher can contaminate your soul.

There will be an afterlife in which exactly 144,000 people get to live eternally in Paradise.

If you have a philosophical or scientific objection against vaccines, tough shit. But if you have a religious objection, you can refuse a vaccine and put your community at risk. Does that make any sense?

Evangelicals Are a Greater Threat to Democracy Than the Pandemic

Evangelicals have a tenuous relationship empirical facts, truth, science and reality itself. Anything that conflicts with their narrow interpretation of the Bible is anathema. Their motto is: the Bible says, I believe it, don’t confuse me with facts.

Evangelicals mistrust academia, science and any other institution that threatens their fundamentalist interpretation of scripture. It’s no surprise that most evangelicals don’t believe in climate change or the efficacy of vaccines.

Evangelical anti-vaxxers are militant, some would say evangelical, in their opposition to the COVID vaccines. They try to convert everyone to their Neanderthal views on vaccines in general, and the COVID vaccines in particular.

Now that the highly contagious delta variant has become the most common variant in the United States it’s imperative that the media, educators, medical professionals and social influencers emphasis the reality that the pandemic isn’t over and that the best way to defeat it by getting vaccinated.

Brian Kaylor argues that the delta variant should be dubbed the “evangelical variant” because of their penchant for refusing to be vaccinated.

I would argue that evangelicals are the disease that is infecting Christianity, the social order and democracy itself. Evangelicalism is as much an existential threat as the pandemic.

Fight stupidity, ignorance and the religious tomfoolery and the pandemic and get vaccinated.

Swiss Evangelicals Reject COVID Certificate to Attend Worship Services

“The Swiss federal government plans to introduce a COVID-19 certificate by the summer, which would be compulsory in order to access places of worship in the country. A public consultation process is underway.

The Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA•RES) has rejected this measure, stating that “worship is an expression of our religious freedom to assemble and should not be regulated by identity checks of any kind.”

They point out in a statement that such regulation ‘would be disproportionate, as the evangelical churches have implemented other effective coronavirus protection measures from the outset.’”

CHVNRadio.Com

It’s not just American evangelicals who are anti-science, anti-government and anti-social, these vices also infect Swiss evangelicals.

Evangelicals believe that their faith in an omnipotent deity inoculates them from having to abide by COVID regulations that are put in place to protect the entire community. Their mantra is “Jesus is my Vaccine”, and not “Follow the Science” or “Do unto others …”

Swiss evangelicals have their panties in a twist over the plan of the Swiss federal government to introduce a COVID-19 certificate by the summer, which would be necessary to attend any place of worship in the country.

They are not categorically opposed to a “COVID Passport”, they feel it might be practical to reduce the risk of infection at rock concerts for example, but they feel that churches should be exempt.

Actually, evangelical churches are a hotter breeding ground for the coronavirus than a rock concert, especially if it’s an outdoor concert. Think of the rituals and practices that are common in evangelical churches: Hugging, holy kisses, laying on of hands, praising God in a loud voice, choirs singing, all excellent means of spreading the deadly virus.

I am so tired of the selfishness, intolerance, ignorance and un-Christian behavior of evangelicals, not only in America, but around the world.

Franklin Graham Infuriates Evangelicals After Telling Them to Get Vaccinated

Over the last four years evangelical leader Franklin Graham has worked tirelessly to paint a religious veneer on Donald Trump’s racist policies, harsh rhetoric and myriad crimes against democracy and the God that he worships.

Graham isn’t rewarded financially by Trump for his thankless job as a fluffer, but propping up of the racist, corrupt and incompetent short-fingered vulgarian inspires his flock to donate to his ministries. It’s all about the Benjamins and Graham will debase himself to keep himself living in the lap of luxury.

Graham has amplified Trump’s COVID misinformation and conspiracy theories. He’s lambasted Dr. Anthony Fauci for having the temerity to suggest that we should follow the science instead of relying on the counsel of anti-science buffoons like himself who said “COVID exists only because Man has turned his back on God.”

Graham finally said something about the pandemic that makes sense, or at last as much sense as you can expect from a white evangelical minister:

“I have been asked my opinion about the vaccine by the media and others. I have even been asked if Jesus were physically walking on earth now, would He be an advocate for vaccines. My answer was that based on the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, I would have to say — yes, I think Jesus Christ would advocate for people using vaccines and medicines to treat suffering and save lives…

… Vaccines have worked for polio, smallpox, measles, the flu and so many other deadly illnesses — why not for this virus? Since there are different vaccines available, my recommendation is that people do their research, talk to their doctor, and pray about it to determine which vaccine, if any, is right for them. My wife and I have both had the vaccine; and at 68 years old, I want to get as many more miles out of these old bones as possible!”

Graham’s statement is problematic, we aren’t given a choice of which of the three vaccines currently available we prefer and his implication that vaccines may not be right for some people is unscientific hogwash. But I give him credit for urging his followers to be vaccinated, especially considering that vaccine hesitancy is epidemic in the evangelical world.

Graham was crucified for urging his flock to be vaccinated, he was called everything but a child of God by outraged evangelicals. True believers who have the mindset of “Jesus is my vaccine” tore Graham a new asshole for his heretical statement.

I don’t have faith that evangelicals will ever see the light of reason, science and common sense.

If Jesus Christ, the Great Physician walked on the Earth today, he would advocate for people to listen to scientists and physicians like Dr. Fauci, and to disregard the advice of con artists like Graham.

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People Who Wear Glasses Are Three Times Less Likely to Catch COVID-19

I’ve worn glasses since elementary school and if I had a dime for every time, I was called four-eyes I would be a millionaire. Wearing glasses has been a handicap all my life, men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses and women give men who wear glasses a wide berth. I’m now a senior citizen and almost all my contemporaries wear corrective lenses, and still, nobody makes a pass at me. Hmm, maybe it wasn’t the glasses.

In the age of the global coronavirus pandemic there’s finally a silver lining for those of us who wear spectacles. According to a non-peer reviewed study published on the website medRxiv, people who wear glasses could be up to three times less likely to be infected by the coronavirus.

The virus can enter the body by people touching their eyes, nose, or mouth after coming into contact with it.

However, the study suggests people who wear glasses rub their eyes less and are therefore at less risk of contracting COVID-19.

These days I’m glad women give this four-eyed old geezer a wide berth, I don’t want to catch the virus from them. My glasses make me feel special knowing that I am three times less likely to catch COVID-19 than folks who don’t wear them.