Hoax, Conspiracy or Stupidity?

 

by Rusty Fleming

Since I’m in my mid-seventies, no one is more fed-up with this pandemic than I am. I survived a 13 month tour of duty in a combat zone and a bout with Lymphoma Cancer at the tender age of 40. The short story is I’m going to follow the lead of experts like Dr. Fauci, as opposed to self-appointed doctors like Trump, to avoid being a fatality of this maddening pandemic. 

Dr. Fauci was appointed Director of National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases in 1984. He oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika. NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies. The NIAID budget for fiscal year 2020 is an estimated $5.9 billion. Dr. Fauci has advised six Presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. 

He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives throughout the developing world. Lots of conspiracy theories of one kind or another floating around on the most unreliable source of factual information on the planet…Facebook. 

If you want to endorse your buddy’s opinion or political affiliation, Facebook is definitely go-to platform. It is probably one of the most significant contributing factors to our country’s absolute disastrous effort at combating the virus.

Yep, I sheltered in home for five week operating from this very laptop for our publication, Grand Times on Grand Lake. Unlike President Trump, I added a disposable facemask to my wardrobe some 90 days ago…not a few days ago. Bill Clinton rode the cliché of “It’s the Economy, Stupid! to win two presidential terms. 

The hoax and conspiracy theorist need to realize “It’s a deadly virus Stupid!” Reviewing the CDC guidelines might be a wiser investment of time than posing and posting questions on Facebook about whether we know anyone who has tested positive or died from the disease or discrediting experts like Dr. Fauci and our own Bruce Dart, the executive director of the Tulsa City/County Health Department. 

But just when I was about to render Facebook useless except for checking name spellings, I ran across the most meaningful post I’ve had the privilege of reading in a while. It was posted by my Facebook friend, avid golfer and Monkey Island full time resident Leta Ann Wells Carson as follows:

“This virus is Not a hoax. I don’t care if you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent because this is Not a political issue. If you have a son, daughter, nephew or niece in the medical field then you know it’s for real. My nephew (a Republican) has patients with Covid-19, Debbie Carter Royse’s daughter, Meghan, is a nurse and works with these patients, my son, Rodney, a Neuro Radiologist Doctor, works out of a hospital and all of these relatives of mine will tell you the virus is Not a Hoax!

If we don’t all start wearing masks in public then we will Never get this virus under control. 

Disagree with me and we are still friends but don’t tell me it’s your right not to wear one. How about the rights of the rest of us to Not to be exposed to your possibility of spreading a virus that can kill us???

 

I don’t like to talk politics on social media but to me this is Not politics...it is doing our part in getting this Virus out of here so we can return to normal. 

It’s summer....I can’t go to our awesome pool or out dancing because this virus is spreading like crazy. I can’t go see my mother for fear of killing her if I have the virus and don’t know it...It’s depressing. If we would all work together to get control of this virus, we could save so many lives. I so hate this Virus. We were so blessed before it hit and didn’t even realize it.”

Amen my friend….

See Ya’ Around the Pond!