As I do most mornings after clearing out the inbox and before diving into the day’s litany of meetings and paperwork, I can the news headlines of the day, as being informed on the world around me is part of my responsibility as a citizen, as well as telling me what the weather’s going to be like, and give me an idea of what sort of things are going to get talked to death or blown out of proportion on social media the rest of the day.

What I’ve been seeing lately is not at all encouraging.

Amidst the continuing coverage of infrastructure packages and Olympics (which really shouldn’t be happening) coverage, I’m getting near-constant news of Covid spikes across the country and the world, as people, especially in certain areas (oh, hearing the tales of my friend currently trying to get out out of Mississippi where she’s currently teaching university), have basically given up considering pandemic conditions as a thing, dropping any sort of social preventative measures (not that they really picked them up) and refusing to get vaccinated, for bullshit reasons they learned by “doing the research” because they don’t trust the medical professionals as much as they do some YouTube influencer-slash-conspiracy-theorist going on about microchips and becoming magnetic because Bill Gates is working to advance the Illuminati agenda in support of the Lizard People within the Flat Earth (which isn’t as much of an exaggeration as it should be), or if not that, simply to “Own The Libs.”

It’s depressing.

Amidst stories about completely preventable viral spikes and drunk, unvaccinated idiots at Lake of the Ozarks, this morning’s big news is the latest CDC guidance recommending everyone start wearing masks inside again.

As I’ve mentioned before, above and in many other venues, this kind of thing wouldn’t be happening if Americans thought just as much about their responsibilities to their fellow citizens as they do their personal rights. Because a large segment of this country’s population made a once-in-a-century viral epidemic into a political issue (and while I appreciate the right changing their tune on vaccination, but I’m afraid it’s already “too little, too late”), which has led this whole situation go on for a year and a half now, and in that time, leading to ever-evolving new variants that seem likely to make things worse.

Personally, I never really stopped the masking indoors (I have, based on the science and my vaccination status, pared back my use outside), and it’s always encouraging when I see someone else doing the same, though there are far fewer of us every day. I really hope yesterday’s CDC advise brings the numbers back up, but I’m not confident, especially since the folks who are the most danger to themselves and others never really took precautions anyway.

Given the attitude of the American people (I speak primarily of this country, though the whole planet is involved here to varying degrees), I just know that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Per the CDC data tracker site, my local community is in better shape than some, though it’s still in that “substantial risk” category in yesterday’s updated guidance.

It’s just really frustrating that the people of this country can’t come together and take the steps necessary to get past this; can’t let go of petty political shit to deal with a thing that transcends politics. Just as we’re starting to enjoy some semblance of life again; seeing friends, playing gigs, and whatever else we’ve been missing, the irresponsible behavior of a significant minority is going to lock things down again as cases rise; rising because that significant minority won’t recognize the severity because political tribalism and a lack of basic understanding of science (both elements brought on by movements in conservative thought over the last fifty years or so) are perhaps more transmittable than the virus.

This is why we can’t have nice things.