It is not the corona virus itself, but a refusal to believe it is not part of a conspiracy to control lives, as expressed in a comment from another fellow blogger: “The covid 19 scam-demic is the elite’s pathetic attempt to foist TC [totalitarisn control] under the guise of a medical emergency.” (Sha’tara aka ‘Burning Woman’)
Thankfully nothing like what is described below could happen this side of the Atlantic. I cannot imagine what it must be like to live in a nation that has lost its way to the extent that this recent post from fellow blogger Jill Denison illustrates.
Frank Parker's author site 
I’ve read Jill’s post and I’m afraid to say that whilst the behaviour her friend described is extreme, we have many in this country who believe in their ‘right’ to use their freedom to put others’ lives at risk, and to threaten those who take sensible precautions. Only yesterday there was a protest march in London against lockdowns and vaccinations. I can only assume that there are so many stupid people like this that we have the inept, incompetent government that they have elected for us. I just hope that things can start returning to normal in the States post-Trump, and that without him our leadership will have a better role model to copy. But he has been successful in one thing – dividing his country by hatred – and I fear it will be a long, slow road.
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Yes, my statement that it couldn’t happen this side of the Atlantic was made in hope rather than certainty. There are selfish idiots everywhere. It’s just that over there, since Trump, they seem to have gained, if not the upper hand, then far more self-confidence than in the past.
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Absolutely right, Frank. I think they have emboldened the similar-minded here, too, sadly. Today’s news that Johnson is backing down on the tier system to appease his own backbenchers shows it at the highest level: they should be setting an example, but are incapable of seeing beyond self-interest.
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I don’t even need a handcart to go to hell in, because I’m already there.
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Thanks for sharing Jill’s important blog post,. I just left a long comment there. Not sure how we address and begin to heal the deep-seated fears and feelings underlying so much of the intensity and ignorance and disrespect and danger here in the USA…
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Thanks for sharing Jill’s post, Frank. It’s no joy to see my adopted country at war with itself 😦
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Thank you so much for sharing this, Frank. We are, indeed, a nation that has lost its way and is headed down a perilous path to … ??? … who-knows-where.
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Frank, I was going to say don’t be so certain it can’t happen there, but you agreed with Clive that it could. We never thought it could happen to us, but we now know this nativist populism is part of a worldwide trend.
Democracy is fragile, we’ve learned, and we must be ever on the alert and willing as citizens to protect it.
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I have long been grateful that we took the weapons from our citizen’s hands so the violence can’t explode the way it does in America. It hasn’t stopped the stupid and uncaring from voicing their opinions that no-one need take measures in the care of others during a pandemic like this. But, at least it’s stopped the killing.
Hugs
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An appalling tale – shocking. But it obviously can, and has, happened this side of the Pond, Frank. We have witnessed much stupidity and selfishness over Covid – distressing scenes in London, people spitting, and more. But the wider issue, I believe, is that we are no longer able to disagree. There is no tolerance for another point of view. There is so much polarisation today – the hatred on both sides of the Brexit debate, for example; the partisan nature of Scottish independence; some of the stuff circulated by fringe Labour supporters during the General Election. You don’t need to be on Twitter for long to see the vitriol and extreme language. Trump is just part of a wider problem.
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