I Have Stopped Caring

 I have stopped caring. 

That's right. I have stopped caring about people too obtuse or too brainwashed or too selfish tor too stubborn to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. 

I refuse to feel sorry for them. I am out of sympathy for the willfully ignorant or those too devoted to their cult or their evangelical beliefs to take the simple, safe step of getting vaccinated against the covid virus.

The Delta variant is racing through this country’s unvaccinated population, which is close to 50 percent of Americans. Some 95 percent or more of those hospitalized or dying from Covid-19 now are unvaccinated. ICU beds are nearly nonexistent in some areas. Medical personnel who are forced to care for these people are at the breaking point once again. Now there’s talk about shipping infected people to states, including my state of New Mexico, which have available ICU beds.

Under normal circumstances, I would welcome the opportunity for my state to help those in need, regardless of where they live. But I am out of sympathy for those who, despite scientific evidence proving that the vaccines are safe and effective, refuse to be vaccinated and who refuse to wear masks. 

And not only do these people refuse to do whatever they can to protect themselves and those with whom they come in contact, but too many are actively protesting against reinstatement of mask mandates and vaccination orders. The US military must be vaccinated against the coronavirus, as must all employees of United Airlines and other businesses. Nurses at a Houston hospital -- who should know better the dangers of this virus -- were fired for refusing to be vaccinated. 

Evangelicals claim they don't need to be vaccinated because God will protect them. God has already sent vaccines to protect them. What more do they want?

'My body My choice' proclaim the protesters' signs. Funny how they don't feel that way when it comes to women's reproductive choices, which these same protesters want regulated by the government. 

It astounds me that parents are willing to risk the lives of their children -- many of which are too young to be vaccinated -- by opposing school mask mandates. Aren't parents supposed to do whatever is necessary to protect their children?

I told my daughter just a few days ago that she needs to get vaccinated and insist that anybody who comes into contact with her newborn son be fully vaccinated.

At this point into year two of the pandemic, I don't wish people ill. I don't hope they contract the virus and get sick or die. But I also don't care. If they make a stupid decision and pay the price, so be it. But I do worry about those who are unable to be vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons. I do worry about the very young and the old who are at greater risk. I do worry about medical personnel who risk their lives to care for people who don't care about themselves or about others.

I have a lot of sympathy for the innocent victims, be they children or animals or the elderly who are unable to protect themselves. 

But I am fresh out of sympathy for those who refuse to follow simple steps to protect themselves and those around them.

As the saying goes, "Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes."