"These are people who didn’t and don’t want to die. They simply thought there was no way they would.
To them, COVID was a virus of the big city and those who live there, of old people, or persons with multiple pre-existing conditions (of which they didn’t believe their cholesterol-lined arteries and COPD qualified as examples).
It was only killing the weak.
And they were strong — cowboy strong, to be precise, or at least Sturgis motorcycle ridin’ strong.
High on a delusional mix of rugged individualism, toxic masculine bravado, pseudoscientific faith in vitamin supplements, and a belief that God would pull them through, they were convinced they were safe.
Only others were at risk — the less good people.
The ones who don’t do CrossFit, or go to a megachurch, or better still, a CrossFit in a megachurch.
The ones who don’t settle for the
“power of positive thinking,” like FOX host Jesse Watters, who insisted that’s all he would need should he become infected.
The ones who place their faith in science rather than a Bible study group.
And for people like that? Who cares? To the right, those people don’t count.
Indifference to the suffering of others is why Trump’s minions wouldn’t mask. They didn’t care that they might infect people, despite being asymptomatic.
When you would tell them repeatedly that wearing a mask was less for the wearer than for others, they shrugged. If other folks are at risk, they should stay home and let the rest of us get back to the gym, the hairdresser, concerts, movies, and tailgate parties before the big game. I mean, this giant foam finger isn’t gonna wave itself.
Their freedom to do as they pleased was more important than other people’s lives.
Suicidal people don’t act or think that way. Homicidal people do."
