It is hard to believe, but it has been one year of the coronavirus. In my first post on the topic, 3/15/20, called simply "The Coronavirus," I discussed the numbers. As I have done in virtually every post or email announcement ever since. On 3/15/20 I wrote that there were over 3000 cases and 61 deaths in the USA. Now, we have had 30,042,814 cases and 546,556 deaths, with 22,107,924 recovered cases. Los Angeles County has had 1,210,351 cases and 22,488 deaths. New York City has had 775,226 cases and 30,164 deaths. By state, the number of cases and deaths are as follows: California, 3,623,088 and 55,781; Texas, 2,731,560 and 46,779; Florida, 1,978,353 and 32,334; and New York 1,780,211 and 49,189. Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey have all had over 23,000 deaths.
The number of new unemployment claims for the week ending March 6, fell to 712,000. Still way too high compared to the year before the onset of the pandemic. By 500,000. On the good news front, states are starting to reopen. Obviously, some businesses have been permanently lost. Los Angeles County will be allowing indoor dining again as of this coming Monday, but only at 25% capacity. In speaking with the owner's daughter at one of the restaurants I frequent, she said their capacity is 36 people, so 25% means they can only seat 9 people inside. That will not make a difference for them, especially if they have to pay for clear plastic dividers between tables, and/or improve the restaurant's ventilation system.
The City of the Angels thought it was a good idea to require grocery stores and pharmacies to pay "hero pay," of an additional five dollars an hour. That prompted Kroger (which operates Ralph's and Food 4 Less), to announce the closure of 3 stores. The company says they already pay $18 per hour, which comes to an effective rate of $24 per hour when health care and pension benefits are factored in. They also say they have encouraged their employees to get vaccinated, offering a $100 incentive to do so. But the government always knows better than private businesses.
Speaking of the government knowing what's best, some Democrat legislators in California have proposed legislation that would ban certain toy stores and clothing stores from having separate sections for "boys" and "girls." It would also apply to online sales; and there would be a $1000 fine for violations. When I wrote the post called "My Ex-Wife" (posted on July 20,2014), I said this: "...regardless of which side of the gay marriage debate you are on, nobody is thinking through to where this may ultimately lead." But now we do know, as the party that claims to "follow the science" does not believe that there are two sexes.
Apparently, the Democrats in Congress are concerned that all the other nonsense they are doing in order to solidify their permanent control of the government is insufficient. Things such as permitting an unlimited number of people (future Democrats) to enter the country illegally. The latest proposal, pushed by Squad member Ayanna Pressley, would have lowered the voting age to 16. Before you tell me that is just an extreme member of Congress pushing that - wrong! When it came to a vote (as an Amendment to H.R. 1) the measure did fail 125 to 302. However, the Democratic caucus voted 125 to 93 in favor of the Amendment. That is a significant majority (over 57%) of the Democratic caucus. Pressley: "A sixteen year-old in 2021 possesses a wisdom and maturity that comes from 2021 challenges, 2021 hardships and 2021 threats." What hardships did 16 year-olds face during the two Great Wars? And wisdom? That comes with age, hopefully. Clearly, Pressley is not of sufficient age to have obtained that wisdom. But here's a question - if her polling showed that the vast majority of 16 year-olds intended to become Republicans, would she still believe that they possessed "wisdom and maturity?"
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife both lack wisdom. Notwithstanding the fact that shootings are up 75% in February, 2021 compared to February, 2020, de Blasio and his wife have pushed to defund the police. But his wife has the perfect solution. "...we're asking New Yorkers to show up for their neighbors and intervene when witnessing hateful violence or harassment." I am curious - are unarmed citizens being asked to challenge very likely armed perpetrators? Is Mrs. de Blasio saying she prefers vigilantism over a police force? And is she prepared to personally confront violence as well?
There was an interesting Op-Ed piece in the 3/8/21 Wall Street Journal by a parent of a student at the private Riverdale Country School in The Bronx, New York. The writer tells us that at the first assembly of the school year, the school took a pass on performing their usual customs of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing America the Beautiful. Instead, the head of the school announced a new theme for the year - "allyship." For those not sufficiently "woke," allyship is a means of practicing "social justice" on behalf of oppressed and marginalized groups. It is aligned with "anti-racist." The head of the school advised that "it is essential that parents/caregivers and educators acknowledge racial differences (as opposed to a 'colorblind' stance)." Is Martin Luther King turning in his grave yet? Recommended reading includes Robin DiAngelo's "White Fragility." While, admittedly, I have not read the book, Ms. DiAngelo apparently divides the world into white people and everybody else. Personally, I'm with Dennis Prager, who, quoting Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, says there are only two groups of people in the world - the decent and the indecent. As kids we said good guys and bad guys. But then again, back then our parents and teachers taught us well.
In the same Op-Ed we are told that students ages 5 through 11 were instructed to "check each other's words and actions." The writer's wife spent the first five years of her life in the former Soviet Union. As a child, she too was taught "to keep tabs on friends and family." At one point, his now wife turned in her own father for alleged "crimes against the state." All of it is, quite frankly, scary. And sick. I am inclined to agree with two friends who refer to the Democratic Party as evil. It is evil to teach children that skin color is more important than character and behavior. It is evil to tell children to report on fellow students who may not use the accepted "woke" vernacular. The writer also tells us of an article in the City Journal discussing a public school in Cupertino, California. In that school, children in the third grade were told to "rank themselves according to their 'power and privilege.'" Sick.
As a Jew I understand all too well how group identification has been used throughout history to persecute us and even slaughter us. I am a proud Jew. But I still want others to judge me for me. For who I am. But I know that is not always going to happen. And, as a Republican and a conservative, I know that I am not judged for me. My affiliation with the Republican Party has, as I discussed in prior posts, has cost me decades long friendships. Others stopped being friends with me because it was guilt by association. My individual traits and character were of no significance to them. I was no different from all the negative ideas they held about Donald Trump and Republicans; just as I am no different from whatever negative views neo-Nazis hold about Jews.
Higher up in academia is news of a study done by Eric Kaufmann, a professor of politics at the University of London. In an Op-Ed in the 3/1/2021 Wall Street Journal, he discusses the attitudes at universities in the US, Canada and Britain. Kaufmann reports that in the US and Canada left-wing academics outnumber those on the right "by a ratio of 14 to 1." He also reports that "Some 75% of American and British conservative academics in social sciences and humanities say their departments offer a hostile climate for their beliefs." And 40% of American academics "indicated in a survey this (past) summer that they would not hire a known Trump supporter for a job." If 40% are willing to actually admit to that bias, I cannot help but wonder how many more are too afraid to openly admit to it.
Concluding with an additional article on education, there was yet another Op-Ed in the 3/2/21 Journal authored by 6 former Secretaries of Education. They wrote: "Following years of polarization and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the world's oldest constitutional democracy is in grave danger. We stand at a crossroads, called to protect this democracy and to work toward unity." They continue: "A key part of our task is to reinvigorate teaching and learning of American history and civics in our nation's schools." I know that when I was in high school I was able to name the President, Vice-President, and all the major cabinet secretaries (if not all the cabinet secretaries). I could easily name the 3 branches of government, and discuss how proposed legislation came to be laws. Yet, in a Pew Research poll from 2010, 41% of Americans were unable to name the Vice President. And in a 2016 poll, a mere 25% of Americans were able to name all 3 branches of government.
My father's high school diploma was quite detailed. It actually listed each subject he took, and the number of units completed by my Dad. Included in the list were the subjects of "Civics" and "Government." Imagine that. If there is any hope of holding this country together, we need to go back to teaching the basics, instead of all the nonsense (left-wing propaganda) being taught today.
