How?! in Book Seven: Reconstruction 2020

So, I wasn’t going to write today. I figured… I’m working from home… I’ve got puppy and video games. I have to get ready to go visit my parents. I’ll have plenty of things to occupy my time. I don’t need to write here today.

Funny how life finds a way.

First phone call of the day?
Domestic Violence Victim who has already been begging us to drop the No Contact Order (despite her abuse being so violent as to make her bleed from her lip, tear out chunks of her hair, and rip her clothes) because she needs her man, they’re in love! That is what we’ve already been dealing with. Today? Much worse. This woman is sobbing, barely able to contain herself. She’s terrified and has been hearing “from everywhere” what is “about to happen” so she needs her man immediately or she’s certain that she’ll die. Either from the virus itself or she’ll kill herself because she doesn’t want to let them put her in lock down!

Okay. What? That’s… what?!

Fast forward to the lunch hour. Emergency Dispatch from all Department Heads.
The sharing, spreading, and amplification of Conspiracy Theory has reached a boiling point to the level that we’re expressly BEGGING our government employees to engage anyone/everyone you hear spreading unconfirmed wild rumors. There is a Government Directive out there expressly asking Government Employees to stop sharing conspiracy theory and to shut that shit down when you hear it. And what are the three most popular conspiracies currently believed by enough of the County to make such a directive required?

This weekend, the National Guard will be called up to enforce a nationwide quarantine.
As a part of this quarantine, military patrols will be put in place in every town in America; guns and military vehicles will be used to prevent any citizen from leaving their town/community/neighborhood/home (depending on which story you believe).
In order to affect these measures, the Government will declare martial law and revoke all people’s rights.

And this is why conspiracy and bullshit are dangerous. The same people that were saying “Donald Trump and Sean Hannity say this is no big deal. So this is all just a ploy by the Media and the One World Government and the fucking Liberals.” Those people are now saying “Donald Trump and Sean Hannity say this is something to worry about. So since the Deep State is winning, they’re going to have to deploy massive military tactics to fight back! We’re all in trouble!!!”

This is why the entire time I’ve been so desperately trying to shut that conspiracy shit down. Because once the avenues of spreading Conspiracy are established… any NEW conspiracy grips the community before the facts surrounding it can even be shared!! I now have an entire community (true, 17,000 people… would be worse with more) that firmly believes we’re about to see jackbooted government military enforcers on every street. DO YOU KNOW HOW IDIOTIC THAT IS TO THINK?!?!?! I mean… just as a PRACTICAL matter, let alone as anything else. How many Americans are there? How many military members are there? How many police are there? And you think we have the RESOURCES to place military in every American Town in any meaningful way? Seriously?! How big do you think our military IS? Do you honestly believe that our military contains anywhere CLOSE to the number of people that plan would require??

But that is the nature of fear. And the people who are MOST afraid right now are the very people that got us into this mess. The ones that said, “Trump says this is no big deal” are now terrified because their Lord President changed his tune. And it is too late. I don’t know how to help my community. When our local leaders have to be told NOT to share conspiracy theories?! When our government has to BEG so-called responsible adults to intervene when we hear conspiracy theories? When the community is already firmly held in the grip of these conspiracy theories?? With all of that… it is too late to help these people. I can reach out, I can offer comfort, I can offer ACTUAL bloody facts. But the widespread panic has already won.

And what did our President do when asked by a reporter, “What would you say to those who are afraid?” You know… an easy, softball fucking question. One in which, as a speech writer OR an improvisational performer… could be a homerun for a diplomatic “I’d say we understand that fear and respect that approach. But I’d make sure to tell them that we are working hard to make sure our citizens are taken care of. Fear can alter behavior, perception, and interactions. Don’t let it. We have always been a strong country with amazing people. As long as we take care of ourselves and take care of each other, we’ll get through this.”

EASY. But not The Donald. He attacked the reporter for even asking the question. He went straight for the reporter for asking “such a nasty question.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! No wonder his supporters are spreading conspiracy theories and are terrified. Their cult leader Godhead has demonstrated openly that he is even more unhinged, dangerous, and ill-prepared than they could allow themselves to believe.

Folks… we cannot afford to vacillate between extremes. I know that is the world we live in right now. I get it. Fully. But the truth is as follows:
THIS IS NOT THE FLU, IT IS SOMETHING TO TAKE SERIOUSLY.
THIS WILL NOT CAUSE THE GOVERNMENT TO UNLEASH THE MILITARY AGAINST ITS CITIZENS.

Take it seriously, but don’t panic. Launching yourself from “No big deal, fuck these people, I’m going to bars and clubs because it’s nothing” to “Military death squads and panic” is unhealthy, irrational, and bad for EVERYONE. Keep social distancing, keep self-quarantine if sick, try to find rational thought. That is all that is required. Because the social distancing thing? The thing so many people were rolling their eyes about and saying “but the flu!” COVID19 is more insidious than the flu. In many ways. Look it up. But as to why social distancing is the best way forward?