“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be “cured” against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”
~ C.S. Lewis
I see little difference between “Omnipotent moral busybodies” and “moral busybodies with the Mandate of Heaven”, or to quote another noted philosopher:
“There’s nothing worse than a monster who thinks he’s right with God.”
~ Malcolm Reynolds
According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, only about 17% of adult children in the United States care for their elderly parents “at some point during their lives”.
Think about that: of every 100 people you meet at the restaurant, the grocery store, or the park, 17 of them are taking care of, will take care of, or have taken care of, their elderly parents.
The other 83% of the people you meet at the hardware store, the church, or the beach are letting Grandma be taken care of by home health aides, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, or hospitals.
For the elderly living at their own homes, and being taken care of by home health aides — if they aren’t self-isolating and protecting themselves … that’s on them, not me.
For those elderly in some kind of facility — the government is mandating some kind of protection for these folks … again, that’s on someone else, not me.
To stand in a parking lot, a beach, a boat-ramp, or a restaurant and scream that a random stranger whom you’ve never met and will likely not ever meet again is endangering your grandmother by not wearing a mask is not only a lie, rude, and a misdemeanor Breach of the Peace, but it is also tyranny.
If you’re one of the 17 who are taking care of your elderly patient (we’ll ignore the part of that 17% who “will take care of in the future” and the part that “took care of in the past” and just assume that all 17 have an elderly parent at home), gods bless you, and if you’re that worried — stay home.
If you’re one of the 83 that are relying on Decubitus Acres Nursing Home, or God’s Waiting Room Assisted Living Centre to took care of Grandma — the State government has rules to protect them.
It is tyranny to demand that I change my ways and habits to provide “protection” to independent people who should be taking care of that themselves, or to provide “protection” to people whom the government is already going overboard to protect.
And if you want to scream at me, and spit, you’re about to have a quick lesson in the reality of droplet protection provided by your floral silk mask using OC droplets for the demonstration.
Given that OC droplets are considerably bigger than the droplets your mask is allegedly protecting your from, you’re liable to be somewhat disappointed in your mask.
Matter-of-fact, it should even be a lesson to learn from.
Just saying.
Do not bloody shriek at me.
LawDog
| the State government has rules to protect them.
…assuming the State doesn't want to kill them off as potential voters for the Wrong Party, as we've seen in NY…
Well said, and definitely on point. What they do not understand is that they 'may' get the 'point' literally if they keep it up and start getting up in our faces.
But wait, aren't THEY wearing one of those +3 Miracle Masks of Protection? (Roll 7 or higher on d4 for save)
Taking care of my mother during her last few years was a blessing. I did everything I could to bolster her dignity, and allow her freedom from the ravages of age. It taught me much, but more than anything, it taught me the loneliness of aging is worse than any ailment.
To isolate loved ones in a nursing home is unconscionable. To mandate such a thing is the work of the devil.
My kind live long enough to pass into senile dementia long before anything actually kills them. By the time my kind end up in a nursing home, it *really* doesn't matter to them who's looking after them….
We lost mom last Christmas Eve and she was living with us till the last week of her life. That is the way I was taught and what I promised dad before he died.
Yesterday the missus an I were commenting about how glad we were that she missed all this Wuhan V hysteria and the chance to die of it. The idea that I could not be with her during her last days would have driven me nuts and I would have been in the evening news and CNN.
The abuse of power brought with this effing Kung Flu should be making people raise the black flag.
I wish Mami were still around, fussing at us & generally living LIFE on her terms. It’s been 12 years. But she didn’t die alone and forgotten, as her father had: we were there with her. I thank God for that blessing.
I can’t say what would happen if someone verbally assaulted me in such a manner as you’ve described… publicly…
STAY SAFE, LAWDOG!
Ulises from CA
I have yet to be assaulted, though I have been denied service and treated as a leper for failing to wear an anti-breathing device. That business, one I used to frequent, will have to do without my money when this is over.
We yanked Mom out of her Independent Living apartment back in March, just before they locked the residents into their apartments. She's been staying with us, but missing all her stuff. Meanwhile, Sister moved into a great big house, just so Mom can move in with her. So next week, Mom will finally get reunited with all her stuff at Sister's place.
Other than being her chef, chauffeur and social secretary, I am not actually taking care of my 95-year-old mom. She's sharper than most 60-somethings (me included) and very much healthier than my sister. The two plan to keep a weather eye on each other, while I still serve as Mom's chauffeur when Sister's working.
Frankly, we're more concerned that one or more of her kids will predecease her. She can easily go over 100, as more than one member of her family has done.
The only time we've been accosted by the "how dare you" posse was when she was recovering from wreaking her car. She needed to hold onto the shopping cart to keep her broken kneecap and ankle steady, while I ran around gathering stuff. A couple made a smart crack about "making that poor old lady push that heavy cart," luckily out of Mom's hearing. I looked at them and said, "How about you just try to get that cart away from her? I'm not that brave." While they gaped, I dashed off to catch up with the juggernaut that was Mom and her shopping cart.
I'm seriously considering using a fabric pen to write on her cloth mask: Get Outta My Way, I'm Busy Here! She doesn't go out much, by choice, but when she does, she has things to do and places to be and no one is getting in her way. Mom's a pip.
Same for those taking care of sick spouses or kids. These 'home healthcare unprofessionals' (a term used by some supposedly-professional home healthcare professional within the hearing of one of these people who take care of their loved ones) sacrifice their lives for their families.
Yes, it's mostly the old ones, the grandmas and parents that are being taken care of. But too many spouses, too many kids, too many relatives dumped onto the shoulders of a caring relative.
And they, these saviours, get crap from way too many woke/scolds.
And now we have parents thrust into the roles of teachers (who are still being paid to not teach) without any pay, without any real support from the professional education community. Actually, from what I've seen, the professional education community is doing it's very best to not help the new homeschoolers.
So. Well, I don't normally put political slogans on my car or yard, but my lovely wife just bought me a Trump 2020 face mask. Can't wait for the shops in my little corner of excessive socialism to have to deal with either letting me wear my new facemask or have me take it off or deny me service. Muhahahahahahaha.
And now, too many places are 'rationing' care among COVID-19 patients. Those who are chosen t be "sent home to die" are the elderly and those with chronic health conditions. Hitler's Germany, anyone?
No, Obama's reworking of Medicare, with thanks to Hilary. Socialism at it's best, folks.
Having taken six weeks of infectious disease protection protocols under medical supervision, and also having seen what epidemics sweeping a country can do more than once, I have to say, mask and glove, people.
However, don't jump me about it, either way, in public-or private, if you want to remain in one piece.
I recently wore a new pendant which happened to have the word 'Allah' written on it in Arabic. I got jumped for wearing it without being Moslem. Ah, what? And how might this utter stranger know what my religion is? I rarely remember any Arabic unless I'm very angry….but I said (translated), "'Abd Shams is my grandfather, and the offspring of a pig may not speak to me." Amazing how effective a few well-placed words can be.
I was also told that I had to change my cat's name (Black Silk) because it was racist-with much the same results in English this time.
It is amazing the things people dare in honor of diversity.
And then there were the soldiers during WW I who got up on their high horses about being told what to do, and refused to wear their gas masks…..
If the gas used during World War 1 killed less than 1 out of every 1000 in the age range for soldiers (26 to 30) in that conflict, it would have been regarded as useless and not deployed.
And soldiers wouldn't have had to "get up on their high horse" because gas masks wouldn't have been issued.
I was caretaker for my wife for five tears. Changed her, spoon fed her, and loved her.
At the end she recognized me for a few minutes and said " I love you,Skip".
"We will use gas on the Allies!"
"Ok!"
"500 of them will never even notice it!"
"Wait, what?"
"Maybe as many as 700!"
"Are you serious?"
"Of the remaining three hundred or so, most will have mild to moderate symptoms!"
"That's it?"
"One might die!"
""We're going to gas this Allied battalion, and half of them will never notice it, while the rest will have 'mild to moderate' symptoms, and one 'might' die."
"Jawhol!"
"Which sodding side are you on again?"
Ah, yes. That great philosopher, Captain Malcolm Reynolds.
"Mercy is the mark of a great man." [stabs Atherton]
"Guess I'm just a good man." [stabs Atherton again]
"Well, I'm all right." [throws sword to the side]
Sam
Right now I'm somewhere between Jayne Cobb and Amos Burton in terms of being 'good'.
“And then there were the soldiers during WW I who got up on their high horses about being told what to do, and refused to wear their gas masks…..”
I think you’re conflating the Christmas the 1914 Christmas Truce with poison gas attacks.
I hear you Lawdog… guess I'm firmly in the 17% since I helped take care of several grandparents, and while my parents are still self sufficient, Dad just finished his 77th lap around the sun two weeks ago, and Mom finished her 74th lap in June.
They need some help these days, and thankfully, all of us kids split the load and things get done. We do this because those are our parents…
We do these things because, simply put, they are the right things to do. It is sad that so many have lost the moral compass that points this fact out for them.