People are getting antsy now that they have been in lock down for nearly 6-8 weeks. But in the US its not like the Chinese lock down. People are encouraged to stay at home but they can still go out to do essential businesses like to pick up groceries, medications etc. Of course it's very restricted compared to pre-COVID. But now people seem to want to get out. There have been demonstration and protests in certain cities in certain states. Most violating social distancing policy that has been in effect.
I have seen some of the protests online and on TV. I have also looked at the signs and posters they have bee holding. "Live free or die", "freedom is essential', 'reopen economy', 'fear is the real virus', 'If ballots don't free us bullets will', my body my right to work', 'America land of the free'.... and on and on and on...I don't know if it's true but they say that the conservatives are predominantly driving these protests. But you can see quite a lot echo what the President says so perhaps it's accurate.
America is a weird place. When you look at America from the outside, it looks like a shiny new toy that you wish to own. But then again when you arrive here, it's not quite the same. I find that there are is such dichotomy here. On the one side, there is such an emphasis on freedom, liberties and the right to do this and that but at the sometime it's enjoyed by a few. There is progressiveness and yet there is an overwhelming desire for the past, traditions and how one must stick to what and how it was once. There are social liberties but not for all, or not desired by some states. There seem to be a great sense of suspicion of the federal government despite the fact they have been elected by the people. There is an array of conspiracy theories, that are sowed and believed by a good proportion of people. And I don't know who they are, which party they belong to or where they come from. But I see that about America. And to me it's an irony.
During this time of the pandemic, it's something that has been in the forefront, at least to me. Perhaps because I am not from here and I have lived here for only a certain period of time. I have also lived and worked in a few other countries both developed and developing. So I have may vantage points to see America that most average American seem to lack...some haven't even travelled outside their own state they live in let alone the country!
Whichever the way I look, it's baffling. The same people, who don't support abortion, are seen with signs "my body, my right to work". But when it comes to a woman choosing to have a baby or not (even in the case of rape) her body is not her right...but suddenly now it's your body and its your right?! Selfishness?! People are saying their freedoms are being violated....?! I am confused....I always assume the greatest freedom we have is to live and breathe. But yet in this country there are quite the number of people who support death sentence in a heart beat....so you violate someone else freedom willingly and yet can't wait at home because you may get sick or even die if you go out...or worse you might get someone else killed? I find its pretty selfish. Also it's stunning that there are miles and miles of vehicles lined up to pick up food from food pantries and yet they boast to be the wealthiest and the greatest country on earth. I also heard that when the emergency declaration first went out, that the biggest sold out items were guns and ammunition!? They can't buy food but can buy guns?! Or who are these people? I just wonder for myself.
There seem to be quite a bit of mistrust in institutions and establishments in this country and I don't know why? And yet they quote the constitution or the Bible but yet there is mistrust and a great need to take matters in to your own control....People seem to invoke "God' so frequently and yet don't forgive, yet don't want to surrender their will to that of God. At one point (because we went through Easter) people flocking to churches, or even pastors encouraging mass gathering and holding such in the middle of the pandemic...I always believed God was wherever you were...or perhaps not. I didn't know that one had to go to a church to pray to God or to confess...also after all if you believe it's Gods will then wouldn't it be safe to assume that God wanted this? That perhaps there is a reason why we have this pandemic...we don't know because we are mere mortals but its part of the big design isn't it? It begs the questions.
I have been watching these events unfold with great interests...partly it's amusing and partly I feel sad that we humans who have the inordinate capacity to change and see so stuck, seem so lacking in intelligence and even of faith.
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