I went on a FaceTime rant yesterday about people (I used a rather more descriptive word) who are threatening public health officials who are just trying to keep us safe by creating rules and regulations to get us through the pandemic. (You can see it below.)
This prompted a bunch of email.
One MNB reader wrote:
KC, thank you, thank you, thank you! Public servants are working hard trying to do their best to serve the people of their city, county, state or country. In many cases they are not paid as well if they worked in the private sector. The Washington Post did an article on the EMS workers in New York City their starting pay is $35,000 and top off at $48,000, not very good pay for New York City. At some point we have to start to recognize we need to pay people who are invisible to us on a daily basis but do incredible work for us and keep our society going.
Agreed.
From another reader:
Good for you Kevin for calling out these people!
And from another:
KC, I shared your FaceTime post today. I almost always enjoy your message and thoughts but It’s the first time I’ve shared them. It is a message that needs to be seen by people far outside of your normal fan group and I was very happy to see your anger and passion on the subject. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in just the way you did.
MNB reader Chris Grathwohl wrote:
Couldn’t agree more. It is sad that people believe that anyone with a different opinion or idea is so wrong that they must threaten and debase them.
In my own state of Ohio, the highest ranking health official, who steered the state to a flattened curve with her aggressive approach to covid, stepped down under public pressure.
Many decided that she was too conservative, that businesses should have been opened sooner or never closed at all. Fact is, she probably saved lives, may of some of the very people who forced her out.
The current state of America, where there are two ways - “my way and wrong way” - scares me.
And from another reader:
Kevin – I couldn’t agree more with your “outrage” against the “assholes” concerning the actions taken against public health officials that have caused these people to resign, retire or quit their jobs. I get absolutely livid when I hear people complain that their “rights” are being violated when someone mandates that masks be worn or social distancing should take place to protect the well being of our general population. Arrogant, selfish fools need to understand that unless we pull together and make some sacrifices that Covid 19 will continue to wreck havoc across our great country. You were
“spot on” with your comments. Lets hope that your message is heard and that everyone understands that some sacrifice is required by all to defeat this terrible disease.
And one more:
Well said.
I am stunned by the people who grumble about their rights and scoff at the recommendations of our health departments and healthcare workers.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but when it's life and death, your opinion should be based on something. We pay a lot of money collectively and individually to have access to science-based, fact-based healthcare in this country, but for some reason the response to this particular problem is up to everyone's opinion, but the opinion is not based on any information. The Covid-doubters I know (a flight attendant, an engineer, and a DPW worker) would never drive across a bridge whose design was altered based on the opinions of doctors and public health officials. But the three think their own input should override the solutions painstakingly built by the healthcare and public health community.
By the way, you could have inserted, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."
It would've been logical to do so.
Here's the original commentary:
