I wasn’t going to blog today. I’m in the middle of the final editorial read-through of A Magical Portent and didn’t want to take the time away. But I took a break a short time ago to put dinner on to cook. Because it’s raining, I turned on the news while I worked. A commercial came on that had me wanting to pound someone’s head against the wall. It was a perfect example of the spin we are seeing more and more of, putting the blame on the average citizen if our local restaurants and small businesses close instead of where the blame belongs–with the local and state governments.
Oh, it was a bit more subtle than that, but the message was clear. If we don’t support these small businesses they will close permenantly. Well here’s something revolutionary to consider. They wouldn’t be in danger of closing if they could 1) open and 2) do so with reasonable limitations (or none).
Here’s the ad.
Since the lockdown began, my family’s made a committed effort of ordering from local restaurants every week or two. We shop locally. We do our best to help the local businesses but there is only so much that can be done if they can’t open for business as usual. These shops can’t keep running at a loss, something that’s happening because they can’t cater to their usual number of customers.
Don’t lay a blame game on me because I’m not doing my part. Put the blame where it belongs: with those governmental entities who won’t let them do business.
At least Texas isn’t as bad as many parts of the country. Bars are being allowed to amend their filings with the TABC. As long as they sell more food than booze, with the new licensing, they can reopen. That’s the good news. The bad news is most can’t open to more than 50% capacity.
Churches still can’t open in most of the state but, damn, we can have football games and let’s not forget the “protest marches”. Those are all just fine.
The time isn’t just coming, but it’s here, when folks will say enough is enough. We are tied of being told what we can’t do. We are starting to ask why there are still certain items that you can’t find in stores or, if you can, only on rare occasions.
I get why certain cleaning items are still out of stock. But what the hell is it with creamed corn? You can’t tell me there’s been a months’ long run on it but not on other forms of corn. Yeast is still hard to come by. Orange juice with pulp in it.
C”mon, guys, that’s more than just Covid. That is a supply chain problem. But this many months in, we should be working out ways around it.
But don’t pull a Cuomo or de Blasio on me. Don’t tell me this is my fault because I’m not doing my part to keep businesses open and the virus at bay. This is exactly what many of us said from the very beginning. The longer the lockdown goes on, the more it will negatively impact the economy and our collective mental health.
Yeah, this is a rant.
Yes, I know Covid is real. But so is the flu and so is West Nile Virus (funny, it’s not racist to call it West Nile but it is to call it Wuhan flu).
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. I’m tired of the restrictions. I’m tired of people thinking I’m not mature enough to take responsibility for my own actions and taking what steps I deep necessary to protect myself and the rest of my family. I’m tired of watching this country turn into something out of Orwell’s 1984.
2020 can’t end soon enough.
Featured Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
I’m down to just hoping it does end with the year.
I want the normal insanity of Black Friday. So maybe stores really can recoup enough losses to stay in business.
I hear you. I have a feeling we’ll see a lot of the problems end after the election. There’s too much obvious attempted manipulation going on.
Isn’t it interesting that interfering with the rioting thugs in Portland, OR and other places is a violation of the 1st Amendment, but interfering with religious services isn’t considered a 1st Amendment violation? The 1st Amendment reads”
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
So the amendment addresses four areas in order of importance: first is Religion, second is Speech, third is the Press, and last is PEACEABLE assembly/redress of grievances.
Thus churches should not be restricted more than any other assembly or organization but these NON-PEACEABLE, VIOLENT assemblies should be restricted severely
I totally agree. Of course, I have a few thoughts about church leaders who have been more than willing to go along with the ban on in-person services.
I’ve seen no shortage of creamed corn here, for what it’s worth.
Yeast is back, but the selection is limited.
Local store’s (regional chain) Product Manager said a couple months ago they figured things would not truly stabilize (stabilize, which might NOT be return to previous normal) for at LEAST a year. Interconnections will mean things will be in variable flux and some won’t make immediate sense.
Our store manager has said much the same thing. the shortages here have been odd to say the least. If there’s yeast on the shelves, it is only one or two packets. I haven’t seen a jar of yeast since all this happened. Cream corn, even the house brand, was competely gone until last week. Then there were maybe a dozen cans of a major brand. They were gone again a few days later. Certain types of pasta and brands of sauce but not all. Meats are no longer in short supply or being rationed. Butter is still not in as great a supply as before but at least it is back on the shelves. But “healthy” food. Plenty of it.