Folks have been sending me links to websites that track public figures who (a) came out against vaccinations and/or masks, (b) came down with COVID and, in too many cases, (c) died from it. The sites I've seen in this category all seem to have a jubilant "got what they deserved" celebratory air about them which makes me real uncomfy. Cheering on the pain and death of others is not something I enjoy and I sure hope I never do.
But yeah, once in a while, someone I think has done terrible things dies and I can smile at the notion that they won't be doing those terrible things anymore. Schadenfreude does bring out the worst in us.
Yesterday when I dropped by a nearby eatery to pick up a "to go" order, there was some sort of mask-related psychodrama winding down. One loud guy was screaming and cussing and threatening because they wouldn't serve people like him with an exposed face. I didn't catch enough of it to fully understand but the cussing guy sure reminded me of folks I sometimes encounter who just love to scream and spread hatred and if masks hadn't been his reason, it would have been something else. Maybe.
But there are people opposed to vaxxing and masking who aren't fanatics or screamers or even operatives who feel empowered by leading a crusade against what Liberals or "woke people" or political opponents are advocating. They're just people who are wrong, possibly because they don't have good doctors or don't trust the ones they have. Or they've been grossly misinformed.
Or maybe they're like a guy I knew back in school who took a bizarre pride in never changing his mind about anything. He thought that was a trait indicating dedication and forcefulness and character. I thought it was a way to stay on the wrong side of an issue forever. I wish there was a way these people could back off on the positions they've taken…a way they could cover their faces and save face at the same time.