How should America respond to the latest COVID-19 surge?: Reid

America's initial response to COVID sowed plenty of anxiety, begging the question: Who is benefiting from this persistent message of fear? — Image credit: Getty Images

The recent increase in COVID-19 cases has again brought the virus into the spotlight, reigniting discussions about vaccines, lockdowns and mask mandates. As new variants emerge and a new vaccine rollout is imminent, the familiar debates between Democrats and Republicans have resurfaced.

Straight Arrow News contributor Jordan Reid looks back at America’s initial response to COVID-19, which generated considerable anxiety, and wonders who is gaining from the ongoing message of fear.

I am not a COVID-denier. Not at all. I believe in public health. I believe in vaccines. But I also believe in paying attention to who exactly is profiting from this never-ending cycle of fear that is shoved in our faces 24-7. Amazon? Yeah. Pharmaceutical companies? Obviously.

All I’m saying is that sometimes it’s okay to set aside your political affiliation for a second and just think for yourself about what you believe to be right and what you believe to be true. Ask questions instead of parroting talking points someone else fed you. It is okay to remember that two things, in this case, that the vulnerable should be protected, and that no one should be profiting off of our fear…they can both be true at the same time.

My parents who are in their 70s, they were on a walk in the woods out in the middle of nowhere. They were both wearing masks and they were FaceTiming me while they were walking. And then another person appeared in the far off distance on their own stroll through the leaves. And my parents spun on their heels and they left they went home, they didn’t want to be within 50 or 100 feet of another human being even while outside in the woods with everyone wearing masks.

I know a lot of people who felt that way. And it makes sense because we were terrified. The news had a constant ticker showing how many people were dying every minute. But knowing that the creation of fear is an excellent technique for control, whether you’re trying to control an individual or an entire society. The fact that many of us spent a year and a half huddled in our houses watching absolute havoc being wreaked upon our children’s development and mental states not to mention our own.

I have to wonder, you know, apart from those so often cited the elderly, the immunocompromised, who else was benefited?

I’m not saying the vulnerable shouldn’t have been protected. Of course not. I am just asking who else benefited from our country’s COVID response? Because a lot of people did. I don’t really leave the house much even today. I don’t even usually hug people not because I don’t want to but because now you never know if someone wants to hug you back. I am a different person that I was in March of 2020. And not in all positive ways. And seeing the lasting effect that the lockdowns had on me. It makes me even more anxious for the kids. We don’t have any idea what the long term ramifications on them will be.

I am not a COVID denier. Not at all. I believe in public health, I believe in vaccines. But I also believe in paying attention to who exactly is profiting from this never ending cycle of fear that is shoved in our faces. 24/7 Amazon Yeah, pharmaceutical companies, obviously.

All I’m saying is that sometimes it’s okay to set aside your political affiliation for a second. And just think for yourself about what you believe to be right and what you believe to be true. Ask questions instead of parroting talking points someone else fed you. It is okay to remember that two things, in this case that the vulnerable should be protected and that no one should be profiting off of our fear. They can both be true at the same time.