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2020. Taking the time to appreciate how absolutely dramatic and crazy the year has been, I find it appropriate to offer a mini retrospective.
COVID-19
No country had handled the pandemic perfectly. Comparing infection/death rates is useless, as there are too many variables to take into consideration.A few things have become apparent to me.
One: our time-honored scientific and information distribution institutions are compromised.
Things have become so politicized that we cannot even agree on naked, factual evidence.
COVID-19 is a severe threat to only those of advanced age or suffering from pre-existing maladies.
It does not target black people over white or the poor over the rich.
Nor does it present particularly dire threat to those younger than 65.
Face masks do not guarantee absolute safety.
More people have died to lockdown-related complications over the virus itself.
And yet there are people that are willing to ignore these facts in pursuit of political agenda. How disappointing.
I was already skeptical of these institutions to begin with. I never try to appeal to authority if I can help it.
But now there exists an absolute distrust. I have to take extra measures to verify information myself.
Two: People are scared and are seeking security at the expense of practically everything.
In the early days of the pandemic, I think it was understandable and even a good thing to lock down.
No one had any idea what the hell was going on and what we were up against. Best to take a cautious approach.
I was on board for "15 Days to Slow the Spread" and "Flatten the Curve". There was a specified time horizon.
15 days turned into a month. Then it turned to the entirety of Spring. Spring bled into Summer.
We cautiously opened briefly just to clamp down even harder come Fall. Almost a year later, there are still restrictions.
It is astonishing how complacent many are with these unreasonable edicts. Fault lies not entirely on them, however.
Part of it is fear, fueled by the information-disseminating apparti that are no longer in the business of truth.
Lockdowns were worse than the virus itself, and the repercussions run deep. We'll be feeling them for the next decade.
Three: We cannot allow China to remain unaccountable for releasing this onto the globe.
Whether it was negligence, accident, happenstance, or intentional, there must be a reckoning.
Identity Politics
I must say, this is probably the most heartbreaking and shameful development of the year.What was once fringe post-modernist philosophical theory combined with Marxian ressentiment to form something truly ugly.
In the US it has entered the mainstream to divide us according to our group identities.
Be that along racial lines, gender, sexuality, or even age. It's all so retrograde...where to even begin?
The best that I can make out is this: this appears to be a secondary anti-Enlightenment movement.
It is often times purported by these groups that the 'other' cannot possibly understand their plight.
Whites do not understand the plight of blacks, men of women, cis of trans.
Thus they have no ground to speak on, and should not inform any policy-making.
This is an obvious retreat into subjectivity, the escape rope to which is objectivity and universals.
However, even objectivity and universals are under attack, with interpretivist frameworks and moral relativism existing.
Attempts at appealing to common values or reason are seen as appeals to 'white culture' or 'x-normativity'.
So, now that discourse, understanding, and the application of reason is off the table, what is left?
We're back to ancient times where might makes right. Words have failed, action must be taken.
And that's exactly what we have seen following the death of George Floyd.
People took to the streets, attacked one another, and ransacked their communities.
Disturbingly, part of the governmental establishment (Democrats) condoned this behavior and encouraged it.
Now, through full-throated support or fearful acquiescence, individuals and institutions are supporting these ideologies.
There is the hope that reason and truth will prevail.
And that most people are willing to put common values over identity. They are the majority.
The politicians that have seemingly adopted this poisonous ideology are only doing so because they are pandering.
Only the truly depraved or thoughtless embrace this philosophy that can only resolve to a tragic or contradictory terminus.
The 2020 Election
Am I disappointed in the outcome of the election? Yes, of course.Am I absolutely in despair over it? No.
Despite what my strong opinions might suggest, my life is far richer and extends further than politics.
My faith, my friends, my family, my precious books and music will see me through the tough times ahead.
Now, to the facts of the matter. The election was not stolen in the common sense.
I believe it to be irresponsible of former President Trump to suggest as much.
There was in fact plenty of instances of fraud and voter impropriety, however.
Only, it was not enough to turn the outcome of the election.
So yes, there was fraud. Was it widespread? No, not really.
But there are SEVERAL reforms to be made to our elections to ensure this does not happen again.
A strong argument could be made suggesting that it was stolen, in another sense.
The media's refusal to cover Biden's corruption abroad. Social media's suppression of the story as well.
The fact that the entire media establishment has been actively working against the administration since day one.
Why, almost NO one knows about the former Obama administration's espionage on the Trump campaign.
Because it isn't politically convenient to cover it. Just like all of President Trump's achievements.
"What achievements? President Trump was a fascist, racist, homophobic, idiot. Orange man bad."
That's the popular narrative spun, I believe. Well, here's a small list:
- The brokering of not one, not two, but THREE historic peace agreements in the Middle East.
- Record unemployment in nearly every demographic.
- A booming economy prior to COVID w/ tax relief that benefitted poor, middle, and upper class alike.
- Independence from foreign oil.
- The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, cementing Israel's status as a sovereign state.
- A strong stance against China in the face of increased geopolitical tension in the South China Sea.
- Getting NATO member countries to pay their fair share of defense.
- Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, an unfeasible plan no member country is currently honoring.
- Increased US-Mexico border security.
- Better trade agreements for the US through the USMCA.
- Record time COVID vaccine development through Operation Warpspeed.
- A successful response in getting ventilators and PPE to states through the Defense Production Act.
- The banning of critical race theory in federal institutions.
I didn't like his behavior, but his policy was solid, and that's what counts.
As for the post-election night lawsuits...all of it was perfectly legal and standard.
Yet it was blown out of proportion and spun as some sort of slight against our democracy.
And the RIOTS (no, not 'fiery but mostly peaceful protests') at the Capitol? Unacceptable.
All individuals involved should be punished appropriately. The GOP is good at condemning their own when warranted.
If you go to a riot and behave violently, you deserve whatever legal repercussions or bodily harm you reap.
Doesn't matter if you're BLM, Antifa, or a QAnon conspirator. As the popular wisdom dictates: "Fuck around, find out.".
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