The Death Is Real

 

This past Thursday morning, my father died of Covid-19.

Now, he would not want me to politicize his death. In fact, he went out of his way to make sure people didn't make a fuss about him. But for me, now, the Novel Coronavirus is not some philosophical or academic debate anymore.

It's real. It's personal.

It's analogous to what might have happened back during the Vietnam War, when some Hawk having strong feelings about the war suddenly sees his brother or his son come back from Vietnam in a body bag.

It can be a seismic shift.

So you were in favor of the war, huh? How do ya feel now?

Now, I didn't like Trump before. I was already on a quest to beat Trumpism. Now I'm on a rampage.

So let me simply say, for any who might still be doubting, the concerns about the virus are real. There is real death and real consequences for people spreading the disease around. And that's not me politicizing my father's death so much as me politicizing ALL the deaths which have occurred so far thanks to idiots not taking Covid-19 seriously.

229,190 as of Thursday, October 29th.

Plus my father, bringing it to 229,191. And 231,427 as of today.

I know those deaths are out there, and I know they're real, from more than merely the numbers being reported. I know it because when he was taken to St. Luke's, the place was packed. There were no rooms for him, no hospice beds available. West Allis Memorial was called to see if they had any room to take him. They did not.

So I don't have to imagine how bad it is for everyone else out there. I already know.

Why are masks important? This is why. Why is social distancing important? This is why. Why is taking this seriously important? This is why. Real. World. Death.

Meanwhile, the Trumpism that led to this and many other tragedies goes on, crazier than ever. At a recent Trump rally, people were literally chanting, "Fire Fauci! Fire Fauci!" Vehicles, including a Biden Bus, are being run off the road by Trump thugs. The people at the Trump rallies have been cheering this, not decrying it as exactly the same sort of looting and terrorism they attack the Left for.

So, now there's one more day until the election. One more day of this Trumpist bullshit.

If I take one piece of solace, it's this:

My dad voted for Biden by absentee ballot just before he died.

Trumpism may have claimed my dad. It didn't claim his vote.

Eric

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