Mutually Exclusive

I have figured out what our problem is:  our problem is that we all hate each other.

Not in the bad way, of course.  We just mainly disgust each other with our selfish ways.

Let me correct that. We are disgusted with YOUR selfish ways.  Our ways are logical, loving, and driven by science .

That's why we haven't been able to "defeat" COVID-19.  We haven't been able to come together six feet away and use hand sanitizer.

You will noticed I didn't use the four letter "M" word: Mask.  I am so tired of hearing about masks. I wear one when I'm out because I don't want to be accused of causing somebody to be admitted into the hospital because I didn't know I was sick because I didn't have any symptoms.  Plus, I want to get into stores.

I also stand 6 feet behind people.  I also use hand sanitizer but I haven't lately because the ten gallon drum of hand sanitizer I got at Costco has been recalled.

So don't blame me for any spikes in Georgia.  I figure I fall in the same category as protestors against social injustice. COVID-19 won't mess with me.

The problem is everybody should be on the same page, but we are not. 

I was joking when I said we all hate each other.  The problem is we all have separate interests and we are all committed to our interests.  And the interests are mutually exclusive.

Back in my insurance days, we used to deny benefits if a procedure was mutually exclusive to another procedure.  For example,a  doctor cannot charge for an arm amputation and arm fracture repair. It has to be one or the other.

In non-medical terms, you can't flip a coin and have it land as heads and tails. It is one or the other.

A lot of our controversies in the period of great distress are like this. For example, here in Cobb County, our public schools will all be virtual this fall.

Everybody agrees children are not at great risk of contracting COVID-19 and dying. (By everyone, I mean doctors who don't believe the devil is running around and raping people.)  However, it is not known if children can contract COVID-19 and be non-symptomatic. Therefore, they could give it to adults. You can follow the chain from there.

However, everyone also agrees that keeping children away from school is harmful to children.

The superintendent of schools originally said parents could decide if they wanted to send their children to the physical school building or do virtual learning. 

This caused a great uproar from those that think your little Billy (are there any little boys named Billy anymore?) is a walking virus carrier and will gladly infect everyone in the school, which in turn would infect everyone in the county.

They have a point. Even in best of days, kids are petri dishes.  A lot of my memory of elementary schools involves classmates and their spontaneous vomiting.  You can see why people who work in education are a little wary of Billy especially if you throw in the snotty nose and the non-covered coughs.

Little Billy has an option: sit in front a computer and have virtual learning.

The superintendent decided to do virtual learning with no other options given to parents.

He had to weigh two options: the health of the county versus the future development of children.  Those are mutually exclusive right now.  You can't have both.  He chose the health of the county.

But make no mistake, children will be impacted. We don't know how bad.

Let me add this:  I'm glad I don't have to make these decisions. I don't want to be responsible for a dramatic uptick in COVID- 19 cases.  I also don't want to be responsible for a lost generation of children.

It is the same with masks.

Americans are a group of diverse individualistic people.  The Pilgrims came here because they didn't like being told what to do and how to act. We are people that don't like to be told what to do.  It is baked into our DNA.  I hate to break it to everyone but following orders and mandates from the dopey governors with no question is mutually exclusive to Americans.   Especially when you hear masks are great one day and then they are bad on the other.  They prevent you from getting COVID-19, no wait, they prevent you from giving anyone COVID-19.  Just shut up and wear the mask.

Just shut up doesn't work well with a part of the population.

It also does not help that the various state mandates are arbitrary and capricious. It picks winners and losers.  In Nevada, the winner was Caesar's Palace and the loser was a church. On top of that, the enforcement of the mandates are arbitrary and capricious as well.  It is okay to protest, that is your right under the Constitution because that right does not go away due to a novel virus.  Apparently going to choir practice is your right under the Constitution but it goes away because of the virus.

So until we can figure out a win-win for everybody, I'm afraid we'll still be at each other throats. Masked. Six feet away.