Just gotta say…of all the images floating around from the January 6th debacle in at the U.S. Capitol, the one that brought up the most visceral response for me was…
Sickening. The symbols and icons parading around with these zombies were not lost on the Jewish community, either. Take a look at this, from Jewish Weekly… https://www.jweekly.com/2021/01/07/hate-on-display-a-guide-to-the-symbols-and-signs-on-display-at-the-capitol-insurrection/. They describe apparel and signage from Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis, among others. Hate was in rare form during this event, and I continue to assert that hate is the creed binding these folks together. Hate is the dog-whistle that brings them out, and hate is the language that has been spoken by the Head Cheeto and his GOP minions. THIS is the message that evokes such emotionalism and fear in traditionally marginalized citizens, and why the appropriate response is often silence. This is the messaging beneath the lack of response to the ongoing pandemic, and this is the messaging that has been apparent on so many occasions previously, from slavery to the Holocaust to Tuskegee to refusals to expand Medicaid. This is why people in marginalized communities are dying from COVID at rates disproportional to the general population. Yes, white people are dying, and any death is tragic when it seems unnecessary, or at least preventable. We have to acknowledge, however, that Black and Brown people are dying at greater rates, as they do consistently every day. That is unacceptable, and does not equate to valuing one life above another, based on skin color. So. The pandemic response has been mishandled at practically every level. Saying that Black and Brown communities have disparate impact within that poor response is just an underscore. That’s all. Underscoring a negative statement does not eradicate the original assertion, people – just points out it’s really even more worser and that is just being pointed out. Let’s not go to the “All Lives Matter” crap here, please – we already know that. Just consider the underscore a reminder. We obviously need one.
The Sound Hole 