PART-TIME PRO-LIFE — The Weekly Opine

In the foreground is the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. After World War II, America’s participation in wars has been predicated on lies. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Rampant hypocrisy

Many Republicans and conservatives carry pro-life and pro-war mantles concurrently, calling out sanctity of life at conception then shedding fervent protection of life upon birth. This truth is sealed by the hypocrisy of GOPers war fetish (their mascot should be a tank instead of an elephant). Confliction is also apparent during the pandemic, as the Republican playbook of hateful disregard for low income Americans of all races, as well as soon-to-be desperate, formerly middle-class folks of all races, is on full display.

Hawkish congressional Republicans (and hoodwinked Democrats) did not think twice when lies about weapons of mass destruction sent American teenagers and young adults into the Iraq War, knowing many would die needlessly. Then, as now, the sanctity of life gave way to re-election rhetoric and photo ops.

To my knowledge, no legislator who authorized the Iraq War has ever apologized to families of the 4,572 American troops killed, or the 31,952 wounded. The United Nations estimates 151,000 Iraqi civilians were killed from 2003-2006. And Brown University’s Cost of War Project estimates the Iraq War cost U.S. taxpayers more than $2 trillion.

Now, a decade after U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq, COVID-19 shines a glaring spotlight on the GOP’s pro-life fakery. Possibly, not since the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, have we witnessed such stonyhearted indifference regarding school children lives. After Sandy Hook, as we do after every gun violence tragedy, America said a big, collective “thoughts and prayers” and moved on without the resolve to protect our children.

Rather than pass substantive gun control laws, Americans chickened out in the face of big money lobbying courtesy of the National Rifle Association. The lives of children were deemed not so precious after all.

Now, Trump and his failing Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos pressure an overwhelmed America to open schools, despite dire warnings and empirical data that say otherwise. It is not hyperbole to say that Trump and DeVos are literally sentencing some kids, their parents and/or grandparents to death.

After Avon High School in Indiana opened its doors, it took only a few days for two staff members and one student to test positive for coronavirus. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Schools in a daze

Back in May and June, when virus cases trended lower, many schools announced in-person classes. With proper protocols, it made sense. But times change, in this case in a matter of weeks. You wonder if academic leaders consulted teachers and parents when coronavirus cases surged. Did they ignore what they heard from teachers and parents? It feels like school administrators insulated themselves, surrounded by go-along-with-the-program staff who offered few objections, even as the sky began to fall.

Impassioned pleas from teacher unions, some parents, and some students, against in-person learning this fall, became a mighty roar in recent weeks. Surprise, surprise, a size-able portion of teachers want nothing to do with classroom instruction during an out of control pandemic. Parents want their kids protected and students want to be safe.

DeVos, same as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, is an incompetent figurehead (this is true of most of the Trump administration). As pressure mounts in many states not to reopen schools, DeVos better prepare a ‘walk-it-back’ statement. Some schools that just reopened have already been hit by positive coronavirus cases and some will surely revert to remote learning.

Take Avon High School in Central Indiana. Avon Community Schools was the first district in the entire state to shut schools down last March, which suggests this district takes matters seriously. Avon just started the new school year last week with in-person learning. Already, two staff members and one student tested positive.

Across several Georgia school districts, 260 staff tested positive or have been exposed to someone who is positive.

In Illinois, Naperville Central and Naperville North high schools planned a hybrid opening. Now the start of classes has been pushed back a week and will be exclusively remote learning for at least the first six weeks.

Chicago Public Schools just reversed, declaring 100% remote this fall with no hybrid until at least November 1. Mayor Lori Lightfoot denies it but the teachers union threat to strike, if the school year did not begin with only remote learning, forced the mayor’s hand. As did a survey of thousands of parents, the majority of whom said they would not send their kids to in-person classes.

Out East, Trump, among the slowest of learners, learned nothing from his disastrous reopening of the economy too soon. He is pushing to repeat his huge miscalculation while risking the lives of teachers, students, school staff and parents. Look for more schools and institutions to reverse course and stick with remote learning this fall.

A former workmate of mine said he voted for Trump because Trump is pro-life. But Trump has done nothing of substance to prevent nearly 160,000 Americans from dying of COVID-19. In fact, his purposeful inaction, wrong-headed decisions, and serial lying caused this nightmare.

Trump is literally murdering Americans. Don’t those who die of COVID-19 count in the pro-life argument?

Too many media keep blowing opportunities to ask Trump hardball questions. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Media questions

Many reporters struggle to ask relevant questions during Trump’s coronavirus task force updates. They fall under the spell of his daily distractions (e.g. postpone the election) and waste precious opportunities to hold him accountable. Because I am in a benevolent mood as I approach my birthday, here are, free of charge, questions the media should ask Trump:

You’ve said coronavirus is a hoax, yet 160,000 Americans are dead. Is it still a hoax?
On what date did you decide it is no longer a hoax? What changed your mind?
If coronavirus is now not a hoax, what have you done to stop the spread?
Your friend Herman Cain died from COVID-19. Did you urge doctors to prescribe hydroxychloroquine? If not, why not?

Media, please stop getting sucked into Trump’s echo chamber and start asking meaningful questions. Forget tippy toeing to protect ratings. You did that in 2016 and look where we are now.

Big Ten headquarters says fall football may not happen (it shouldn’t). The Indianapolis 500 reversed its stance on fans (smart move). (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Scholar athletes

When the pandemic arrived, the presumption was college athletes lost leverage in their push to be compensated for use of their name, likeness and image. Now, it appears the opposite may be true. Athletes can see universities need the infusion of cash provided by football and basketball. Players have the upper hand and should insist no pay, no play. And they should insist no play until spring, or whenever America’s runaway coronavirus cases subside substantially. Or better yet, when a vaccine is available.

Pac-12 college footballers just threw down the gauntlet. No longer willing to ignore the fact college coaches get paid million-dollar salaries (off the backs of athletes), Pac-12 athletes threaten to boycott. Their demands are a safer environment than what is currently proposed; they demand Black Lives Matter issues of racism and fairness be addressed immediately; and they demand a slice of the revenue they generate.

In Chicago, a state representative is asking the same of the Big Ten Conference. Given the Big Ten’s new commissioner is Black, this could be a breakthrough moment.

Earlier this summer, six of 14 Big Ten schools shut down team workouts and quarantined players after several tested positive. Yet, the Big Ten plans to start football season on September 3, with games played only among conference schools. Facing reality, Commissioner Kevin Warren admits football in the fall may not happen. Amen, because college football should be punted to at least springtime.

Moving on, this week’s announcement there will not be fans at the Indy 500 is great news. Indiana’s virus cases are steadily increasing and, frankly, even if they were decreasing it made no sense to gather 75,000 people at the racetrack and risk a coronavirus outbreak.

Indianapolis’ WRTV reported that IU Health – the healthcare partner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – “blindsided” track owner Roger Penske by publicly urging the race to run without fans. IU Health says the risk goes beyond the venue and includes house viewing parties, gatherings at bars, ticketless fans walking around outside the track, tailgating, etc. Without a vaccine next year’s race may also have to run sans fans.

Citizens should do their part by wearing a mask. You are not pro-life if you refuse to wear a mask. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

All roads lead to…

As with everything coronavirus-related, all roads lead to the incompetence and willful, readiness to fail exhibited by Trump (and anyone who refuses to wear a mask).

Right now, a generation of students falls significantly behind. Universities that bring students to campus may scramble and send them back home again. Employees are forced to work remotely while others are forced to work in unsafe environments. Restaurants and other retail businesses are on the brink of closing or have closed. People cannot pay rent and/or struggle to feed their family. Fans are not allowed at most sports events. There will likely be no college football this fall.

Because of Trump, the American experience is permanently degraded. (Trump, Trump he’s not our man, vote him out so Biden can…fix this mess!)