Any tool is a weapon if you hold it right. – Ani DiFranco

Words are my tools and this is my weapon.  I am outraged.  And I really believe you should be, too.

The latest U.S. statistics from the CDC (as of Monday, March 30):

Total deaths: 2,405

Total cases: 140,904

The most optimistic numbers project that between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans will die.  Friends. Family. Coworkers. The cashier at the grocery story.  Our lives have been forever changed.  We might survive, but we will lose someone.  Or something.

Due to a failure to respond cohesively on a national level to a fucking pandemic, states are now competing with each other for vital resources from the private sector.  Governors that don’t pander to Trump are denied phone calls, funds, ventilators – you name it.  Each evening, those of us that watch the nightly press briefings watch Trump abuse and berate journalists that dare to ask him questions based on facts and previous statements Trump has made about the pandemic.  One of tonight’s victims was Jim Acosta.

Trump wants praise and adulation while Americans are dying. Let that sink in for a minute.

Do you know what it is like to see someone on a ventilator?  I saw my grandma, mom, and dad on life support.  When my mom was hospitalized at the ICU in Jackson Memorial, the doctor’s eased her off sedatives long enough for me to have a final conversation with her – which was not a conversation because she was intubated.  I saw the fear in her eyes.  The pain.  And I at least was able to be there and hold her hand.

All of the critically ill COVID-19 patients are alone.  No family is present.  Patients aren’t even able to experience a doctor’s warmth because of the necessary PPE that protects the medical professionals.  As someone who has experienced a loved one’s ICU hospitalization, I can’t even imagine the psychological toll that is taking place on these heroes.

Trump shows up in front of the nation every night with no words of comfort.  He demonstrates a complete lack of comprehension for the pain and suffering.  It is clear that he is unfit to lead us in this crisis.  Just look at this track record (which is included at the end of this post).

If you aren’t upset, you don’t have a fucking pulse.  Seriously.  I am pissed off with all of the young voters who think voting doesn’t fucking matter.  I’m upset with everyone who thought Hilary was somehow the greater evil and voted for someone that made them feel morally good.

How do you feel about that vote now?

I am outraged by the audacity of some folks to promote this unsettling moment in history as time for personal growth and development.  This pretty much sums up my feelings on that topic:

I understand that there are many hours in quarantine, but this isn’t a personal retreat.  By all means, spend time with loved ones.  In the coming days, we have no way of knowing how life will unfold.  However, the thing that grinds my gears is this idea that now is the time to cocoon in a world of art and skill building.

If we aren’t worried about our friends and loved ones, we are spending vast amounts of time searching for non-perishable supplies, washing our hands, worrying about our finances, and/or schooling children.  If you have time to work on your vision board, may I suggest that you check your privilege.

• If our country doesn’t implode by November, please vote for someone that doesn’t suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
• If you are having a hard time going for walks, showering, or staying away from the news, I get it.
• Give yourself permission to feel your feelings.  Don’t cover it up.  I am dismayed, angry, and disoriented.

No matter who you are or what you believe, please know that I care about you and your humanity.  That is why I am outraged.

Donald Trump’s statements on coronavirus (Source: factcheck.org):

Jan. 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” — Trump in a CNBC interview.

Jan. 30: “We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five — and those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for us … that I can assure you.” — Trump in a speech in Michigan.

Feb. 10: “Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though. We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” — Trump at the White House. (See our item “Will the New Coronavirus ‘Go Away’ in April?“)

Feb. 14: “There’s a theory that, in April, when it gets warm — historically, that has been able to kill the virus.  So we don’t know yet; we’re not sure yet. But that’s around the corner.” — Trump in speaking to National Border Patrol Council members.

Feb. 23: “We have it very much under control in this country.” — Trump in speaking to reporters.

Feb. 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!” — Trump in a tweet.

Feb. 26: “So we’re at the low level. As they get better, we take them off the list, so that we’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck.” — Trump at a White House briefing.

Feb. 26: “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” — Trump at a press conference.

Feb. 26: “I think every aspect of our society should be prepared. I don’t think it’s going to come to that, especially with the fact that we’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.” — Trump at a press conference, when asked if “U.S. schools should be preparing for a coronavirus spreading.”

Feb. 27: “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — Trump at a White House meeting with African American leaders.

Feb. 29: “And I’ve gotten to know these professionals. They’re incredible. And everything is under control. I mean, they’re very, very cool. They’ve done it, and they’ve done it well. Everything is really under control.” — Trump in a speech at the CPAC conference outside Washington, D.C.

March 4: “[W]e have a very small number of people in this country [infected]. We have a big country. The biggest impact we had was when we took the 40-plus people [from a cruise ship]. … We brought them back. We immediately quarantined them. But you add that to the numbers. But if you don’t add that to the numbers, we’re talking about very small numbers in the United States.” — Trump at a White House meeting with airline CEOs.

March 4: “Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number.” — Trump in an interview on Fox News, referring to the percentage of diagnosed COVID-19 patients worldwide who had died, as reported by the World Health Organization. (See our item “Trump and the Coronavirus Death Rate.”)

March 7: “No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it.” — Trump, when asked by reporters if he was concerned about the arrival of the coronavirus in the Washington, D.C., area.

March 9: “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!” — Trump in a tweet.

March 10: “And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” — Trump after meeting with Republican senators.