Trump’s inaction has directly led to the death of two of my mentors and suffering and death for several other people in my life. I know kids in physical therapy due to prolonged intubation. So much death and suffering.
His tanking economy killed off numerous likely job prospects for me this spring. The job market vanished. Long efforts in improving my economic situation vanished, and I’m one of the lucky ones to have a good, stable job in a tough field. Many of my friends are out of work and struggling to stay afloat. So much economic suffering.
My parents have largely been living isolated, even from their church community, because mask-wearing become a political issue. People are living and dying alone.
Everything is division. The old man that walks everywhere in my little town went from a quirky old man to a racist MAGA hat-wearer. Or rather, he was revealed. On a bigger scale, personal relationships are being destroyed because EVERYTHING, reality itself, is now a political statement.
A significant part of the blame for all of this is on the president. He knew and failed to act. We all knew and he actively worked against us. He continues to work against us (we the people, not democrats or republicans) and stoke division.
Tom Herman makes me a little sad for a few hours on maybe 5 or 6 Saturdays each fall. Life is better when football is fun, but it’s just a game.