South Dakota right now is one of the states who is seeing an enormous surge in not only people testing positive for Covid-19, but also having to be hospitalized and dying. This is due in part to Republican Governor Kristi Noem’s refusal to follow CDC guidelines not encourage mask wearing and social distancing, and encouraging massive crowded events like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. On Twitter this past Saturday, South Dakota registered ER nurse, Jodi Doering, shared some of her experiences with Covid-19 patients she’s tried to help. Some, desperately ill and dying, continue to insist that they don’t have the virus and the pandemic is a hoax.
The ones who stick out are those who still don’t believe the virus is real. The ones that scream at you for a magic medicine and that Joe Biden is going to ruin the USA. All while gasping for breath on 100% Vapotherm. They tell you there must be some other reason why they are sick. They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that ‘stuff’ because they don’t have COVID because it’s not real. Yes that really happens.
The following video is of an interview she gave to CNN this morning. What she relates is mind-boggling, sad, and frustrating.
Sigh, the stupidity of people never fails to amaze me. It’s never going to end, and it’s frustrating and annoying. I sometimes really wonder if there will how some of the people that work in the hospitals trying to save lives feel when they see things like this. It’s disgusting, and not to mention very sad 😢
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It’s frustrating, sad, disgusting, and dangerous Michel.
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My brother-in-law and his family live in Iowa, another state where the governor deliberately downplays (and even obstructs) basic CDC guidelines. My BIL’s wife (who has a compromised immune system) just tested positive and he and one of his sons are showing symptoms, yet their daughter is still required to go to school where she can merrily spread it to her classmates. He’s a Pastor and just shut down his church, to the great indignation of most of his members and criticism by fellow-pastors in the area…it’s crazy out there!
I live in Michigan where stricter stay-at-home orders are set to go into effect on Wednesday, and my stomach is tied up in knots over tomorrow’s board meeting of whether to cancel in-person services for the duration of the order. It seems like a no-brainer to me when our numbers are skyrocketing, but so many people are convinced it’s a “hoax” or “no big deal” or “I’m just so over this whole thing.” I’m hoping that logic and love of neighbor prevails.
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I’m so sorry about your family. I hope they’re okay. I heard about the new restrictions from Governor Whitmore. It doesn’t help when she’s undercut by Trump’s advisor, Scott Atlas. I understand the difficulty, especially for religious leaders, but I agree. This is a no-brainer.
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Bliddy hell, it’s even worse than here. At least our country is pretending to be in lockdown. )It isn’t really, everyone’s carrying on as normal except pubs beauty salons and hairdressers 🙄
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What’s so unbelievable is that even on their deathbeds, these people continue to deny. For God’s sake! They’d rather insist it must be lung cancer! Arrgghh!
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Trump reminds me of this poem (though it might be a bit OTT 😀
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
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Absolutely perfect!
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Also my hubby, (who as you know is a hospital worker) says that the hoaxer/anti-mask brigade, tend to get together in groups to do their protest thing, and consequently catch Covid 19. If they believe it or not is irrelevant, this is Mother Nature cleaning out the gene pool. Sorry if this offends, do delete, but can’t help agreeing with him!
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Of course I won’t delete your comment, and given my anger and frustration, I’m inclined to agree. The only problem is that these ignorant lemmings are taking us over the cliff with them.
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This is good, because I don’t have the words to express how I feel about this.
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Percy Shelley was good with words. 😊
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🥰
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This makes me stomach turn into all kinds of knots. The audacity of people to think they know better than experts because they heard something on Fox News…it is deeply concerning.
The difference between fact and opinion has unbelievably been forced into a grey blurry mess, where people feel that they are entitled to “use their God given brain” to “piece together” things for themselves and disregard experts completely. I kid you not, my cousin is one of those lunatics that truly thinks that her word and “feeling” is what is “true.” Oh and that all “sources” are “notoriously left leaning.”
Excuse me but WTF?! It infuriates me that people could be so stupid, and are contributing to the devastating loss, but not taking ownership of it.
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I share your frustration Samantha, and I’m truly sorry your cousin is one who doesn’t believe in science and common sense. What drives me crazy about the deniers and “My body, my choice” people is that they’re putting OUR lives in danger and ignoring our rights to stay safe and healthy.
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Exactly! It’s as simple as enforcing wearing a seat belt while driving. Why are masks any different, other than ahem others making it into a political issue rather than the health and safety one it is..
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Wearing a seatbelt while driving, not drinking and driving, wearing shoes in a store or restaurant, turning your cell phone off in a movie theater…
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I have some blogging friends who still support Trump, and everything he stands for. The word ‘Socialism’ comes up a lot, which makes me sad. I have yet to meet an American who was a Socialist, and more importantly, have never met one who really knows what actual Socialism means in any context outside of America. Kim, there is no hope for those people. They will live out their lives in ignorance.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I live in the US and I’m a Democratic Socialist. As someone with a degree in public administration, I fully understand and embrace a socialist economy. Just thought I would introduce myself. 😉
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Thanks for the introduction. Democratic Socialism is a very long way from European Socialism. In truth, Lenin was a Socialist, and most political parties calling themselves ‘Socialist’ since then never really ‘got it’.
Best wishes to you, Pete.
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Thanks for commenting Mackey. I enjoy your book reviews!
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I honestly feel like this has become a cult…the Cult of Trump. Seriously, how different is he than cult leaders like Jim Jones or David Koresh?
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shakes head It’s so frustrating and unbelievable that some people can still not believe it’s real and that it’s all a hoax. Sadly, while a vaccine for Covid may be on the horizon, there’s still no cure for stupid.
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They’re literally on their death beds and they still can’t admit it. It’s truly unbelievable.
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I have been screaming for a wall on the
east, south, and west borders of Minnesota for several years now. MN would have to pay for it, Iowa, Wisconsin, and the 2 Dakotas would pay for it just like Mexico paid for trumps wall.
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I’m hoping this doesn’t turn into a ramble, but just as people who are focused solely on their rights, are willingly stomping on ours, the Republican governors/Trump acolytes who are so eager to put their constituents lives in danger, are also jeopardizing the bordering states.I think your wall is an excellent idea. Actually, given the way the U.S. has bungled the pandemic so badly, I wouldn’t blame Mexico if they took over Trump’s wall and Canada built one as well.
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So incredibly stupid! Actually, thjs is criminal and she should be charged
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She absolutely should be charged. This whole thing has become like a badge of honor to those in the Cult of Trump.
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Until the people at the top step up, people like her can say and do what they want. it is criminal. If I lived in South Dakota, I would get out of town.
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I swear Carla, I know everyone has a choice, but these so-called leaders from Trump on down, should be held criminally liable.
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I agree Kim. They are killing people indirectly.
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I lived for a time in South Dakota back in the ’90s, what’s happening over there right now does not surprise me.
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I saw the interview this morning. It’s incredibly sad. And it’s frustrating. And it is SCARY. My next door neighbor–I like her, she’s smart, professional, reasonable–believed that Covid would disappear after the election. My hairstylist believed it was a “strenuous” flu, that people were “blowing up into a pandemic”. I don’t know. It is so bizarre.
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Not to be cruel, but the only word I can think of is delusional. They’ve invested everything into Trump and this idea that the pandemic is a hoax, or overblown, that their minds just can’t accept reality.
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It’s SO sad, although not surprised.. It would be to horrifying to them to think that they could have prevented it.
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What a waste.
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It would be one thing if the irresponsibility of people was confined to them, but innocent people are dying because of these ignorant attitudes. Why do doctors and nurses have to sacrifice their health for those people who continue to stick their heads in the sand?
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This is exactly my problem Pete. This isn’t a case of “My body, my choice,” because of the danger their exposing others to.
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I just can’t believe that this is happening in America!
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I know other countries are struggling with this as well, but the U.S. really seems to have taken this selfish idiocy to a new level.
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“We’re doomed.” -C3PO
I keep thinking that people will start to learn, and then I see that I am wrong.
And with many of these people still in power in the Senate and even new nutcases in the House, I really worry for the future.
How can we educate and improve the situation with people like this able to influence others?
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I’m going with C3PO on this.
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😦
Back to posting lesson plans…
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So sad.
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It’s infuriating watching and listening to the furor from the right over increased restrictions in states where cases are spiking right now because if people had followed the guidelines of wearing masks and social distancing, we most likely wouldn’t be where we are.
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I know!!
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These deniers are an absolute menace.
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That they are.
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