May You Live In Interesting Times, Part Deux

I'll do anything that doesn't require me to do something

Sacrifice(n.): Something other poor dumb bastards do to ensure that YOUR life remains easy and secure.

• Jack Cluth, Wednesday 7.28.21

Like a beacon reaching out
To you and yours from me and mine
Be more kind, my friends
Try to be more kind

In a world that has decided
That it's going to lose its mind
Be more kind, my friends
Try to be more kind

• Frank Turner, “Be More Kind”

If you read yesterday’s essay, you might have come away with the impression the I’m angry with the unvaccinated who walk smugly among us.

Good. At least my point didn’t get lost in the tangle of words, emotion, and generalized pontificating that took place. I am- and remain- piqued that we’re facing a “fourth wave” now because of the ignorant, arrogant, and selfish yobs who believe their brainpower exceeds that of doctors and scientists.

Yeah, sure. Whatever. I don’t care what sheepskins hang on your mahogany walls. I have the combined intellectual firepower of Facebook, YouTube, Tucker Carlson, Fox News Channel, the GOP, and Russian state television behind me. Go to Hell. Go directly to Hell. Do not pass “GO.” Do not collect $200.

Throughout the pandemic, those of us on the Left have been cautioned not to disrespect those who’ve chosen to walk a different path when it comes to vaccines. “They have the right to their opinions.” “It’s a free country.” “We can’t force them to do anything.”

All of those wonderful things are true…and in extraordinary times like these, they’re worth about as much as the pile of dog crap waiting for me in my backyard. But, unfortunately, the market price for their obtuseness, self-importance, and self-worship currently equates to the value of the steaming pile of #$!& my dog, Magnus, left for me.

American history is replete with examples of citizens recognizing that the needs of the many override the narrow interests of the few. The American Revolution, the Civil War, World War II, and 9/11 are but a few examples of crises that required the nation to pull together and work as one. America would not be what it is today without the collective unified efforts required to make it through those and other crises.

Members of the Greatest Generation could’ve said, “Screw it; why should we care what Hitler’s doing in Europe? How does that impact me? I’m not going to enlist so they can send me to a foreign land I can’t even find on a map, where I might die. Besides, Hitler’s just looking out for the little guy…right??”

They could have taken the selfish way out…but they didn’t. Collectively, the Greatest Generation recognized the threat that Europe faced. They understood that if they didn’t stop the Third Reich in Europe, Nazism might spread across the globe. Because of the collective selflessness and sacrifice of the Greatest Generation, Europe and most of the rest of the world are today relatively free.

America has been presented with the opportunity to create a modern-day “Greatest Generation.” It wouldn’t have taken going to war in a literal sense. The only requirement would have been recognizing and accepting that getting vaccinated is the only way to defeat COVID-19.

If Americans had uniformly understood and accepted their responsibility, this pandemic could’ve already been well on its way to being over, at least here in the United States. Had 80-90% of the population accepted the responsibility to get vaccinated, COVID-19 would’ve soon run out of hosts. Before long, American doctors and scientists could’ve turned their attention to fighting the pandemic in other parts of the world.

Instead, we’ve seen too many Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson acolytes refusing to be vaccinated- “I AIN’T PUTTING NO CHEMICALS INTO MY BODY!!”

Of course, they’re probably screaming this as they take a drag off a cigarette, chew on a hot dog, and wash it down with a Coors Light.

No chemicals, indeed…. ”MY BODY’S A &*^%$#@ TEMPLE!!!” ‘MURICA!!!”

I did my ranting yesterday. So today, I wish to propose a straightforward solution. It’s a set of steps that will recognize a citizen’s right to be unvaccinated…AND society’s right to protect itself. So with that in mind, here’s my solution. Hopefully, we’ll manage to save a few lives along the way.

1) Doing anything in a public setting (more than six people, indoors or out) will require a citizen to produce a proof-of-vaccine card. This means virtually anything outside of remaining in one’s home- even something as routine and important as grocery shopping- will require iron-clad proof of vaccination. No exceptions, except as shown below in item #3.

2) Falsifying a vaccine card will be considered a federal felony punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison without hope of parole.

3) Religious exemptions will not be allowed. However, those who are too medically fragile or will receive no medical benefit from a vaccine may receive an exemption card once their circumstances have been verified by three reputable physicians, at least one of whom specializes in communicable diseases.

4) Those granted medical exemption cards must have them renewed every six (6) months. In addition, as unvaccinated citizens, they must strictly adhere to all applicable CDC guidelines regarding masking, social distancing, and other requirements deemed necessary and appropriate.

5) Employers must require that all employees in customer-facing jobs be vaccinated. All customers in such circumstances must also be vaccinated. All applicable CDC guidelines must be strictly adhered to.

6) Unvaccinated Americans who ignore CDC guidelines and whose actions can be traced to the death or infection of others may be held criminally/civilly liable for their actions. Depending on the severity of the resulting infections, such actions may result in prison sentences up to and including life imprisonment. Additionally, certain egregious instances of willfully irresponsible behavior may result in an unvaccinated person receiving the death penalty.

7) The laws, rules, and regulations can, should, and will be changed as the circumstances of the pandemic change. However, all Americans must understand and accept that the prime directive is the mitigation and eventual cessation of COVID-19 transmission. If they refuse to recognize and/or accept their role in this endeavor, they must understand they will owe a debt to society.

I don’t pretend to have all of the answers, and I won’t argue that my ideas will plug all of the holes in the metaphorical dike. Nevertheless, this is a conversation that vaccinated Americans must have.

We can no longer sit idly by as the irresponsible and self-absorbed among us figuratively thrust their middle fingers at the rest of us. Those who refuse to do the right thing need to be marginalized turned into pariahs. If we hope to survive and see our loved ones make it through this pandemic, we must brand the unvaccinated with a metaphorical scarlet letter.

Millions of us have done the right thing for the right reasons. There’s no reason for us to take a back seat to those who traffic in ignorance, propaganda, and fear-mongering. I want to live. I want my friends, family, and loved ones to live. If it takes pushing the willfully unvaccinated to the margins of society to protect those of us who’ve done the right thing, I’m all for it.

I say this knowing that there are members of my own family who’ve refused to be vaccinated. They still have time to do the right thing, but if they refuse, they’ll learn that decisions have consequences. They’ll need to face theirs just like anyone else.

Or they, and anyone else who’s yet to be vaccinated, could accept that it’s time to do the responsible thing for themselves and their community.

Be a hero.

Do the right thing.

Get vaccinated.