During my years as an attorney, I had a series of cases venued in Camden, New Jersey. I could describe Camden at some length. Briefly, this never-affluent city had, by the late 1990s, been depopulating and crumbling for decades. Much of the city’s dominant building type: tiny, two-story row houses, were either abandoned or flattened into piles of bricks and left that way for years. While Camden had smaller dwellings than the largely six-story, burned out South Bronx had during the late 1970s-early 1980s, Camden remained apocalyptic for years after the Bronx was rebuilt. Until recently, Camden’s poverty, murder and crime rates rivaled those anywhere in the US.
For a few years I shared my driveway with the van of an older couple who were 'van-a-bonds', had lived in the van (really an old plumbers truck) for about 15 years. They had learned that no matter where they parked (always 'illegally' but all over Portland Oregon, in fields, odd locations) they could stay for 3 weeks, and always in the 4th week they would have moved on already, avoiding a complaint. I learned a lot from this couple. One story the woman, named Kate, told me was a time when her mother was looking for a new job. The only job available was for the power company, to be the person that went and disconnected the power if the bill was not paid. What Kate said stays with me; she said to her mother, you don't want to be THAT PERSON. She added, 'never feel so desperate that you are willing to be the cop, the enforcer, for someone else's agenda.' I am lucky to have been around that couple, and I think often of what Kate said.
Great analogy Mark! I do think at least 35 percent of us did walk outside the bounds of the crosswalk. And, in fact, may never EVER again walk within the crosswalk.
It is appalling and amazing that these evil bastards not only were permitted to inflict this horrific damage on society - especially the children - but far from being punished are being feted and praised still.
Every single thing these fools did was wrong. Everything they told us was a lie. Instead of a Just Society punishing these clowns, THEY grabbed control and censored those of us who called them out in real time for their errors and sins.
They are STILL at it. I did an interview with Dr. Paul Elias Alexander about his time working in the Trump Administration. The interview was BANNED from YouTube for "spreading COVID misinformation." That was in November 2022. Madness. Never ending madness.
My "big shot" downtown Chicago internist "expert" "tops in his field" that implored me to get the shot and that is was the only solution, man, he really pissed me off, I was cool though on the visit...as I'm sure for me not getting the shot, for some reason outside of healthcare, my health, taking care of me as a patient, pissed him off/his demeanor...that was 2+ years ago...haven't been back. My 10 year old got it, I had her stick a swab in her nose, and then I stuck it in mine. Tested/had "covid" or whatever for a week, a little taste loss for a bit longer, then done, natural immunity in tact. I respect any Amish person way more than the credentialed internist expert, I mean fake expert. So, complete reshuffling of those I respect for me. Would need a complete most sincere mea culpa from that (damn) doctor....if he is ever to earn MY trust again. Mark, per usual, thanks for the eloquence w the words.
In a way, I think it’s a good thing that society was tossed reality out the window so quickly. It allowed us to see people’s agendas for what they really were. I never took academic “experts” seriously; they depend on federal funding, so they’re always going to be paid government shills. Public health was a different story; in years past, I considered them mostly harmless, if ineffectual. Today I know better. Even the “harmless” bureaucrats can wreck society when given too much power and influence. Like you, I will remember all their names and faces. Sadly, we will never know the true number of people whose lives were ruined or tragically ended for the sake of political expediency.
The medical arm of the industrial complex was exposed and is now solidified and can’t be trusted except for brave few and that to me is/was most frightening part. People may be skeptical of politicians but they listen to their doctors who were “lock step” without proper research or critical thinking.
I just watched an interview with Dr. Michael Yeadon. He moved back to his native England and now lives in one of those "15-minute" or "smart cities." Per Dr. Yeadon, he can only drive his car into and back from town 100 times in a 12-month period. Cameras on road-side posts are picking up a sensor on car license plates and are counting his authorized car trips. He didn't say what will happen once he goes past 100 trips, but I'm sure some authority figure is going to slap him on the wrist or issue him a fine. When we get to digital currency, they'll just automatically take the fine out of "his" account.
So these people/organizations are acquiring even more control. They no longer need a cop on the street corner to enforce their edicts.
While in US Army bootcamp in 1970--most drill instructors fresh back from Vietnam---warned us quietly to make sure we have a plan B and to NOT ever go over there. They told us clearly that the USG is out to kill us for their own private financial gains. I've never trusted any governmental agency in the last 53 years. I am totally unvaxxed.
I have only one critique, that being this line: “scientifically-illiterate, opportunistic governors and mayors”. While this is correct, it has a glaring omission. There was one guy who allowed, even encouraged the mayors and governors to be “opportunistic”.
We hear a lot about how it was the states and localities who were responsible for lockdowns but this avoids mentioning the prime driver behind lockdowns and Coronafascism in general. There would have only been brief lockdowns in blue states and none in red states but for one person doing two key things:
1. The CARES Act signed by then President Trump sent massive amounts of funding to the states to promote mitigation measures and to pay people to stay home. Without this funding, no states could have afforded to be “opportunistic”, at least for very long.
2. For most (though not all) red state governors, the natural inclination would have been to remain un-locked down (by way of example, during the SARS Cov1 pandemic, no states locked down at all - because Obama didn’t encourage or fund such a ridiculous notion.).
The huge problem for these red state governors though was that Trump undertook a significant arm-twisting campaign to implement what he demanded of them: implement masking , social distancing, and to shut down all “non-essential” businesses and organizations (including churches). Trump famously derided Governor Kemp for opening Georgia back up too soon. The president was telling everyone that the states were under a nationwide presidential emergency health declaration (Trump signed 4 such orders) and that only he could open things back up.
The GOP governors didn’t want to buck the head of the Republican Party so they did what Trump demanded of them (until a few started breaking ranks - which Trump didn’t like AT ALL and publicly said so.)
Meanwhile, the blue state governors, flush with Trump’s federal funding as well as his lockdown imprimatur, allowed them to go crazy with their totalitarianism. ‘Hey, if a Republican president says it’s okay to be totalitarian, let’s be totalitarians!’
So I’m simply reminding people that literally none of the craziness of the last 3 years would have been possible without the Trump admin making it possible. And don’t get me started on the reauthorization of the PREP Act or Operation Warp Poison - neither of which were initiatives of the States.
P.S. Because DJT was the prime mover that made Coronafascism possible, Fauci, Birx et. al. will never be indicted.
Given the global lockstep, all of the insane advice & tyranny were the feature, not the bug. What was deeply disheartening at the start was how completely & downright thoughtlessly so many complied. Which doesn’t bode well for any future plans “they” have coming up next in the depopulation agenda.
It was "the people" who let this happen. 2 weeks to flatten, etc, should have been slapped down and disregarded immediately. Every bit of it should have been mocked and rebelled against instantly. The opposite of what I thought would happen in the US and Canada occurred. Now I'm simply left feeling uneasy and constantly peeved, knowing that I'm actually surrounded by super dopey weaklings. Mark's columns cheer me up to no end.
I was a paralegal at a small law firm in Chicago. The firm hired an attorney who had gone to Michigan for his undergrad and Notre Dame for his JD. Sounds impressive, right? He couldn't negotiate himself out of a cardboard box. He ended up exiled in a large supply closet where the temps worked. That was my first lesson in labels don't mean anything. On paper he may have looked good, but in practice, meh. The next lesson was finding out one of our Presidents had a C average from an Ivy League college.
For a few years I shared my driveway with the van of an older couple who were 'van-a-bonds', had lived in the van (really an old plumbers truck) for about 15 years. They had learned that no matter where they parked (always 'illegally' but all over Portland Oregon, in fields, odd locations) they could stay for 3 weeks, and always in the 4th week they would have moved on already, avoiding a complaint. I learned a lot from this couple. One story the woman, named Kate, told me was a time when her mother was looking for a new job. The only job available was for the power company, to be the person that went and disconnected the power if the bill was not paid. What Kate said stays with me; she said to her mother, you don't want to be THAT PERSON. She added, 'never feel so desperate that you are willing to be the cop, the enforcer, for someone else's agenda.' I am lucky to have been around that couple, and I think often of what Kate said.
Great analogy Mark! I do think at least 35 percent of us did walk outside the bounds of the crosswalk. And, in fact, may never EVER again walk within the crosswalk.
Beautifully written, and compelling.
It is appalling and amazing that these evil bastards not only were permitted to inflict this horrific damage on society - especially the children - but far from being punished are being feted and praised still.
Every single thing these fools did was wrong. Everything they told us was a lie. Instead of a Just Society punishing these clowns, THEY grabbed control and censored those of us who called them out in real time for their errors and sins.
They are STILL at it. I did an interview with Dr. Paul Elias Alexander about his time working in the Trump Administration. The interview was BANNED from YouTube for "spreading COVID misinformation." That was in November 2022. Madness. Never ending madness.
How do we get Justice?
My "big shot" downtown Chicago internist "expert" "tops in his field" that implored me to get the shot and that is was the only solution, man, he really pissed me off, I was cool though on the visit...as I'm sure for me not getting the shot, for some reason outside of healthcare, my health, taking care of me as a patient, pissed him off/his demeanor...that was 2+ years ago...haven't been back. My 10 year old got it, I had her stick a swab in her nose, and then I stuck it in mine. Tested/had "covid" or whatever for a week, a little taste loss for a bit longer, then done, natural immunity in tact. I respect any Amish person way more than the credentialed internist expert, I mean fake expert. So, complete reshuffling of those I respect for me. Would need a complete most sincere mea culpa from that (damn) doctor....if he is ever to earn MY trust again. Mark, per usual, thanks for the eloquence w the words.
In a way, I think it’s a good thing that society was tossed reality out the window so quickly. It allowed us to see people’s agendas for what they really were. I never took academic “experts” seriously; they depend on federal funding, so they’re always going to be paid government shills. Public health was a different story; in years past, I considered them mostly harmless, if ineffectual. Today I know better. Even the “harmless” bureaucrats can wreck society when given too much power and influence. Like you, I will remember all their names and faces. Sadly, we will never know the true number of people whose lives were ruined or tragically ended for the sake of political expediency.
The medical arm of the industrial complex was exposed and is now solidified and can’t be trusted except for brave few and that to me is/was most frightening part. People may be skeptical of politicians but they listen to their doctors who were “lock step” without proper research or critical thinking.
I just watched an interview with Dr. Michael Yeadon. He moved back to his native England and now lives in one of those "15-minute" or "smart cities." Per Dr. Yeadon, he can only drive his car into and back from town 100 times in a 12-month period. Cameras on road-side posts are picking up a sensor on car license plates and are counting his authorized car trips. He didn't say what will happen once he goes past 100 trips, but I'm sure some authority figure is going to slap him on the wrist or issue him a fine. When we get to digital currency, they'll just automatically take the fine out of "his" account.
So these people/organizations are acquiring even more control. They no longer need a cop on the street corner to enforce their edicts.
While in US Army bootcamp in 1970--most drill instructors fresh back from Vietnam---warned us quietly to make sure we have a plan B and to NOT ever go over there. They told us clearly that the USG is out to kill us for their own private financial gains. I've never trusted any governmental agency in the last 53 years. I am totally unvaxxed.
Another great one to add to my list of your favorite quotes, “...full of self-importance but devoid of actual importance.”
Great characterization of all our betters during this fiasco.
Thanks for writing Mark!
unfortunately thinking the top down government intentions were more nefarious than just incompetence… no excuses for the 🤡murderers 🤡
This is an insightful take. Thanks Mark.
I have only one critique, that being this line: “scientifically-illiterate, opportunistic governors and mayors”. While this is correct, it has a glaring omission. There was one guy who allowed, even encouraged the mayors and governors to be “opportunistic”.
We hear a lot about how it was the states and localities who were responsible for lockdowns but this avoids mentioning the prime driver behind lockdowns and Coronafascism in general. There would have only been brief lockdowns in blue states and none in red states but for one person doing two key things:
1. The CARES Act signed by then President Trump sent massive amounts of funding to the states to promote mitigation measures and to pay people to stay home. Without this funding, no states could have afforded to be “opportunistic”, at least for very long.
2. For most (though not all) red state governors, the natural inclination would have been to remain un-locked down (by way of example, during the SARS Cov1 pandemic, no states locked down at all - because Obama didn’t encourage or fund such a ridiculous notion.).
The huge problem for these red state governors though was that Trump undertook a significant arm-twisting campaign to implement what he demanded of them: implement masking , social distancing, and to shut down all “non-essential” businesses and organizations (including churches). Trump famously derided Governor Kemp for opening Georgia back up too soon. The president was telling everyone that the states were under a nationwide presidential emergency health declaration (Trump signed 4 such orders) and that only he could open things back up.
The GOP governors didn’t want to buck the head of the Republican Party so they did what Trump demanded of them (until a few started breaking ranks - which Trump didn’t like AT ALL and publicly said so.)
Meanwhile, the blue state governors, flush with Trump’s federal funding as well as his lockdown imprimatur, allowed them to go crazy with their totalitarianism. ‘Hey, if a Republican president says it’s okay to be totalitarian, let’s be totalitarians!’
So I’m simply reminding people that literally none of the craziness of the last 3 years would have been possible without the Trump admin making it possible. And don’t get me started on the reauthorization of the PREP Act or Operation Warp Poison - neither of which were initiatives of the States.
P.S. Because DJT was the prime mover that made Coronafascism possible, Fauci, Birx et. al. will never be indicted.
Given the global lockstep, all of the insane advice & tyranny were the feature, not the bug. What was deeply disheartening at the start was how completely & downright thoughtlessly so many complied. Which doesn’t bode well for any future plans “they” have coming up next in the depopulation agenda.
The cop was, no doubt, a hall monitor in elementary school.
It was "the people" who let this happen. 2 weeks to flatten, etc, should have been slapped down and disregarded immediately. Every bit of it should have been mocked and rebelled against instantly. The opposite of what I thought would happen in the US and Canada occurred. Now I'm simply left feeling uneasy and constantly peeved, knowing that I'm actually surrounded by super dopey weaklings. Mark's columns cheer me up to no end.
I was a paralegal at a small law firm in Chicago. The firm hired an attorney who had gone to Michigan for his undergrad and Notre Dame for his JD. Sounds impressive, right? He couldn't negotiate himself out of a cardboard box. He ended up exiled in a large supply closet where the temps worked. That was my first lesson in labels don't mean anything. On paper he may have looked good, but in practice, meh. The next lesson was finding out one of our Presidents had a C average from an Ivy League college.