What Have We Become?

I often ask myself this question when I read about things such as the following. 

Middle school and high school students vandalize their schools, record the vandalism, and then post the videos on TikTok. This apparently is the latest fun activity for students.

Fist fights among parents and coaches at youth football games in New Mexico sent one player to the hospital.

Arguments, shouting and threats have become commonplace at school board meetings by parents opposed to mask mandates designed to keep their children safe while in school.

Nurses, who should know better, are refusing to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Many have been fired for their refusal.

The September 18 rally in Washington, DC, in support of the group of thugs and domestic terrorists that attempted to overthrow the US government because it did not like the results of the 2020 presidential election, was a bust. Only a couple hundred people showed up. But the fact that people are gathering in support of those who wanted to hang the vice-president of the United States and the speaker of the House, should concern all of us. Some 600 people have been charged to date. However, the ringleader of this attempted insurrection, the former orange-skinned president, has never been charged with anything.

We, as a nation, have become nasty, selfish, hateful and afraid. We are afraid of those from other countries. We are afraid of those who follow any religion other than our brand of Christianity. We are afraid of facts and science. We distrust the educated among us. We would rather get our information from uninformed talk show hosts than from experienced and knowledgeable scientists. We distrust the government. We distrust anybody whose beliefs do not align with ours.

We have closed our minds to the truth and to anything that doesn't align with what we believe. We no longer are able to have rational, calm discussions, about politics, about science, about the pandemic, about climate change.

Lacking any rational rebuttal based on facts -- real facts, not those from "my friend's third cousins' grandfathers' uncle" -- we resort to name-calling and threats.

Republican members of Congress -- who of course got vaccinated against the coronavirus before most other Americans -- refuse to actually lead by example and encourage people to be vaccinated. They refuse to condemn the antics of the governors of Florida and Texas who impose penalties on school districts that want to require their students to wear masks. And the ultra-crazy members of Congress march in protest over mask mandates within the US Capitol.

Welcome to America 2021.