The real conspiracy behind the coronavirus is capitalism.
Despite the increase of COVID cases due to the Omicron variant, Biden has consistently bragged about job creation and lessening unemployment. His tone-deaf pats on the back to himself completely ignore the realities that many Americans still face, but if any good came from this pandemic at all, it would be the awakening many had to the importance of worker rights issues across the political spectrum.
Workers refusing to work (or at least refusing to work in-person) during a pandemic are the real heroes. They are doing what is necessary to encourage action from the government. They are asserting their value as human beings as opposed to cogs in the corporate machine.
Self-preservation comes before enriching corporations which would sooner replace workers. Furthermore, suggesting that “worker shortages” are only a result of refusal to work is dishonest. Workers were among the over 800,000 COVID deaths and over 8,000,000 long COVID victims.
Despite this, the government and corporations want us to rush into “normal” without fixing the problems that existed during this “normal.”
For instance, the gross inequalities between elites and the rest of us became apparent during the pandemic. Until very recently, the government failed to provide prepaid COVID tests so that we could resume our lives without spreading the virus. Furthermore, they made travel more difficult for non-elite mixed nationality families. They even used COVID-related travel restrictions to abuse the rights at the Mexican border which included Haitian asylum seekers.
On the other hand, many celebrities and elites rarely changed their lifestyles because they could easily access COVID tests among other resources. Former President Barack Obama even bragged about his extravagant birthday party with a host of celebrities while others were encouraged to stay home and watch celebrities enjoying their lavish lives. This hypocrisy was a huge “let them eat cake” moment.
The government failing to provide consistent COVID-19 assistance is disgusting.
I am vaccinated, support vaccination for others, and usually wear my masks in indoor public spaces; however, I sympathize somewhat with the loud anti-mandate minority. This is despite my lack of sympathy for political leaders and media personalities who are vaccinated but simultaneously spread anti-vax propaganda for popularity and ratings.
There were moments when I should have worn a mask or socially distanced but did not. I have to be honest. It is annoying, and I wish more liberals or leftists admitted this without solely blaming the ongoing pandemic on common people who consider themselves anti-mandate. Especially, when the government as a whole (Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike) should be held accountable.
I became estranged from my immediate family just before March when the pandemic swooped into the United States, and this left me essentially homeless. I have temporary housing at my university where I am also employed, but I still lack permanent housing. Also, “social distancing” truly lived up to its name. The pandemic strained some of my closest relationships. I missed the warm tight hugs and tender smiles from family and friends. I missed being on campus and waving to my peers as I headed to class. This pandemic has been hard on me, and I know it has been difficult for many others. Attempts to rebrand social distancing to “physical distancing” flopped. Eventually, few people would do any type of real distancing.
Previously, I would have blamed anti-maskers and other citizens for simply not complying to mask recommendations, but they, too, deserve compassion and patience. Some of their concerns may seem ludicrous, but I notice that many boiled down to mental health concerns.
Depressive episodes and suicidal ideation increased among Americans during the pandemic. Humans are social animals, so the expected change in lifestyle was drastic for many people, but the government did not create an environment that made these changes tolerable.
The Biden administration should have provided consistent monthly aid instead of a measly $1400 check for an entire year. Many leaders, e.g., Vice President Kamala Harris while she was a senator, proposed monthly COVID relief checks early in the pandemic, but we have since heard nothing of this proposal. We were expected just to stay at home while our families and small businesses suffered not only due to the virus, but the lack of consistent financial assistance. Sure, it may be a costly investment, but I’m pretty sure that the deaths and long covid victims were more costly. Lives have been lost or negatively changed; however, the government consistently prioritized corporate interests.
During the pandemic, the government expected us to act purely on compassion for our fellow Americans, yet they had no compassion for average Americans. We were expected to pour from empty cups when the government gave only crumbs.
Not catching COVID and having free vaccines seems to be a strong enough incentive but let us be real: anti-vax influencers have successfully stirred public distrust in the vaccine, many liberals and leftists have demonized those who are vaccine skeptics, and some scientists and health leaders were not upfront about their conflicts of interests.
It is very clear to me that the rush to vaccinate the population is not about genuine compassion for the American people. If it were, the government would give regular people time to fully comprehend the virus and the vaccine. While many anti-vaxxers may entertain a multitude of conspiracy theories, e.g., suggesting the vaccine contains a microchip (which would be pretty badass honestly), the reality seems much grimmer than their theories. This push for vaccination is purely motivated by capital.
This does not mean that we should not get vaccinated by the way. Vaccines do save lives, but the capitalist society in which they were produced kills. If there was compassion, the administration would have given monthly COVID relief checks, extended the eviction moratorium indefinitely, passed universal healthcare, increased the minimum wage to a living wage (especially for underpaid “essential workers”), and provided long-term aid for small businesses to survive. Furthermore, they would have increased taxes on the ultra-wealthy elites who became disgustingly wealthier during the pandemic while everyone else suffered financially, socially, and mentally.
The refusal to do any of these is an insidious form of violence against workers. To maintain capitalism, they need us to quickly return to our jobs (whether we vaccinate or not). This means forcing workers back into large corporations that exploit underpaid labor to enrich the higher-ups. Meanwhile, red states like mine, Missouri, cut off federal COVID-related unemployment benefits with the hopes of increasing the workforce. This did not work in their favor.
I must also clarify that government aid is not a “free handout” contrary to what some bootlickers claim. It is owed to us as long as the government expects us to do our patriotic duties, e.g., vaccinating, social distancing, and acknowledging other public health recommendations. The government cannot consistently make demands of the people without doing something meaningful in return.
But even if it were a free handout, who cares? The government shamelessly gave free handouts to multiple corporations and mega-churches throughout the pandemic. Why should it be any different from the common people who the government should primarily serve?
The lack of compassion in our government, media, and American culture makes the pandemic less bearable.
Many want to resume their lives without living in fear of the virus. That does not mean they are ready to return to worker exploitation nor does it mean they want to catch COVID and die. Many are uneducated or misinformed about the vaccine or virus. That does not mean they are stupid or less than anyone else. Many want to travel to their families and hug their friends, but that does not mean they want to spread disease to loved ones.
We deserve a government that can find nuanced solutions based on compassion for the common people. Not one that is so obsessed with capital at the expense of dehumanizing us.
