Coronavirus, Chapter 2

The contrast between Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was stark, wrote Gil Eyal, who has studied the nature of expertise. At a few recent briefings, he noted, "It became clear that the President and the nation's foremost public health expert were battling, however politely, over who the American people should trust. While the scales may be tipping in Fauci's favor at the moment, the battle is far from won." 

Michael D'Antonio noted that "somehow Fauci seems to have won President Trump's confidence even as he has corrected him in real time. In this way the doctor has served both the President and the country while maintaining his own credibility. Neither a toady nor an attention-seeker, he has put himself in the position to tell everyone the truth, even when it's hard to hear." 

This is a frightening time for our country, and the entire planet.  This virus, which seemingly started in Wuhan, China, is a silent, invisible killer; a virus which could potentially wipeout up to 30% of the global population.  Maybe, but maybe not. 

(Side note: The actual virus that causes Covid-19 is known as "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2. "This name was chosen because the virus is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003," explains the World Health Organization. "While related, the two viruses are different.")

It’s simply too soon to tell.  Personally, I know my days are already numbered, as are those of some family members.  But having to go we ahead of my time, and it such an excruciating manner, kept away from family and friends at the very end… that’s horrible dying all alone.

Think about that for just a moment.  You’re in isolation in the ICU unit of your local hospital, likely on a respirator, clinging to life, and only 1, maybe 2 heavily covered nurses or nursing assistants or doctors are there doing your final countdown, watching the minutes, seconds ticking away.  Your family and friends are likely in the Waiting Room, or pacing around the parking lot outside, awaiting word on your prognosis, some sort of outcome where you can leave this life more on your terms and in your time.

We’ve known for years now, but it’s become painfully obvious more recently, that Donald Trump was born with not only a few screws loose upstairs, but without the vital empathy and compassion genes.  He lacks the moral, human ability to feel genuinely bad or even sad for his fellow human beings.  Not possible for him to shed a tear, feel genuine, real remorse or other human feelings.  He sees those things as a sign of weakness, rather than what they really are:           Strength.

He takes zero responsibility for his actions and behaviors and rather, blames his predecessor, President Barack Obama, for the shortage of medical supplies, the global pandemic, and basically everything else that’s “wrong with our great country.”   

Yup, pass the buck, because well, I’m just that great. 

Beware of leaders who speak only in superlatives. 

YES, I’m talking about Donald Trump.  

My only error was calling him a leader.