So...I started a shit storm yesterday. I replied to a rather irrational tweet (below) from an otherwise intelligent & skilled medical professional whom I respect. That doesn& #39;t mean that I blindly agree with everything this individual says or believes.
I personally think the comment is rather hyperbolic and comes from emotion rather than reason.
My original point, which should have been clear given that there were follow-ups to clarify, was that healthcare workers either know, or should have known, the risks inherent to...
My original point, which should have been clear given that there were follow-ups to clarify, was that healthcare workers either know, or should have known, the risks inherent to...
...the profession. Most do and accept them. However, there have been a number of tweets, many from healthcare workers, expressing their fear of contracting the coronavirus, which I completely understand as I spent years on the "front lines" being exposed to many pathogens...
...some of which may very well kill you. Still, I, and so many others in the field, did our jobs with care, skill, and compassion. Healthcare workers today should continue to do so, as they have been doing.
They have every right to be concerned, and, to complain about...
They have every right to be concerned, and, to complain about...
...shortages of PPE and other essential meds & supplies that they need to treat patients and protect them as well as themselves.
This is unprecedented for the U.S. The closest analogy that immediately comes to mind is the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, which drew the U.S....
This is unprecedented for the U.S. The closest analogy that immediately comes to mind is the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, which drew the U.S....
...into WWII. Even that is quite different than what we are experiencing today with the coronavirus. At least we immediately knew who we were fighting and had the tools and general plans with which to fight. Still, the U.S. was caught off-guard and underprepared.
It took time to prime and ramp up the "war machine". In that respect, combatting CoVID-19 really isn& #39;t so different. We, the entire world, were caught off-guard and underprepared. Unfortunately, it takes time to prime and ramp up the medical/scientific "war machine", too...
...more time than anyone would like. Everyone needs to understand this fact of life. The reality is that we should have, and could have, been better prepared. I don& #39;t think anyone would dispute this. Even @POTUS and members of the task force have explicitly stated this.
That said, it is highly irrational to place the sole blame for any of this on any one person. Each president inherits both the pros and the cons of those who have come before. Let& #39;s not forget that the administrations of Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton each had eight (8) years...
...in which to better prepare our nation for a given crisis. Each administration failed to optimally prepare (to whatever that degree is) our nation. The same can be said of other countries. Let& #39;s also not forget that China did not tell the world earlier than it should have...
...and, they did not fully, truthfully disclose what they knew or when they knew it. This was made worse by the initial downplaying by the W.H.O.
Regardless, there is plenty of blame to go around. Again, it is highly irrational and, wholey unfair,...
Regardless, there is plenty of blame to go around. Again, it is highly irrational and, wholey unfair,...
...to assign blame to any one person. There will be time, once we get through this, to assess the response and evaluate what we did right, what we did wrong, and if anyone was truly, egregiously guilty of malfeasance.
Hopefully, our leaders, at all levels of government, will...
Hopefully, our leaders, at all levels of government, will...
...have, once and forever, learned that we cannot simply dismiss or delay such needed preparations. History has long taught us that these things can, and do, happen. Accurately predicting them well in advance is another matter but, we should still have viable plans for dealing...
...with every aspect of a given crisis, at least to the degree that we can know and/foresee them. Not an easy task.
All this having been said, I meant absolutely no disrespect to healthcare workers. My original comments were either misunderstood, misinterpreted or, those...
All this having been said, I meant absolutely no disrespect to healthcare workers. My original comments were either misunderstood, misinterpreted or, those...
...who were so indignant didn& #39;t actually read them in their entirety. Context matters. Perhaps I could have worded my comments better and, for that failure, I humbly and sincerely apologize. However, I stand behind the essence of those original comments. Some of those taking...
... issue with them made no rational attempt to understand. They reacted emotionally, perhaps because they erroneously assumed that I am a huge supporter of @POTUS. (I& #39;m not. I have a number of issues with him but, I don& #39;t irrationally hate the man.) Perhaps some of these...
...are just angry and, in their misunderstanding/misinterpretation, chose to vent their frustrations. It& #39;s part of human nature.
So, I do apologize if the additional comments didn& #39;t clarify it better. Hopefully, this thread has. If not...well...we are at an impasse, and,...
So, I do apologize if the additional comments didn& #39;t clarify it better. Hopefully, this thread has. If not...well...we are at an impasse, and,...
...that is terribly unfortunate.
Be safe, be healthy, and be happy.
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Be safe, be healthy, and be happy.