Just when you think that acts of stupidity can’t really dip down any lower, well, some people exceed our expectations. Somehow, illness and pandemic bring out the very best in some and then for others, there should be a collective inquiry, “Explain to us all, what are you thinking?”
First to professional athletes, traveling across the country and around the world – presumably by airplane, which we know are virtual incubators of virus and yet think that they’ll be able to control COVID through sheer willpower. Or, they’ve done their own exhaustive research and find that there are alternatives. I point to Aaron Rodgers and Kyrie Irving as outstanding examples of what not to do during massive outbreaks of infectious disease. Because they truly have the courage of their convictions, they’ve been concealing their vaccination status from their teams, fans, and the world. That little detail must be in the interests of general health and safety. Their teams and their leagues, if those folks really had any shred of integrity, would have removed them from all further games and events, send them home, and stop paying them until an actual medical professional certifies their status. Tennis star Novak Djokovic, currently trapped in isolation in Australia, claims that he had COVID a month ago, he’s over it and thus poses no threat to anyone. It’s the famous “Been There, Done That” defense. It hasn’t gained a lot of traction. Finally, I should point out the curious Exit Dance of Antonio Brown, who in a well-thought-out departure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bounced around on the sidelines as he was taking off his clothes and throwing them into the crowd, later explained that his ankle injury flared up again and he couldn’t continue. That makes perfect sense. There is no more compelling argument for injury than an outlandish dance routine.
This interesting news item, in case you missed it. A bank robber in Delaware illegally withdrew, as in bank robbery, an undisclosed amount of cash. Then, in a real flash of genius, realized that this was his bank, so why not just put the money into his account – done and done. He was of course arrested using the ATM to try depositing hundreds or thousands into his account. Lesson learned – take the money out of state, use several different banks, and for heaven sake don’t use your own debit card. I’m not an expert here, but I have read enough crime novels to know that one should spend a few bucks and charter a plane to the Cayman Islands and put your ill-gotten gains into an offshore account. The bank won’t have your name on file.
Several more congress people (all Republicans) have divulged, on the anniversary of the attack on Capital Hill, that there is no “evidence of violence”. Have they watched the tapes and the news reels? Some are even suggesting that this was a tour group gone slightly amok. Yes, that would explain the Confederate flags, scaling the Capital walls. Don’t tour groups more typically just use the stairs? Said Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. (yes, in case you were thinking, “that name’s familiar”, the same one under Federal investigation for sex trafficking of underage persons), they “were masquerading as Trump supports when in fact they were the violent terrorist group, Antifa.” That would make sense, because the far right does not have violent terrorist groups. One of the protesters, and I love this and absolutely couldn’t make this up, was tracked down because he was wearing his work ID tag. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the darling of the far, far, far right – in fact she’s so far right that she’s fallen off the edge (because, contrary to science, the Earth is flat), suggested that the protesters were advocating “overthrowing tyrants”, and thus their actions were supported by the Constitution. OK, the tyrant reference may be from the Declaration of Independence, but all those documents were written a long time ago, so it’s easy to get them mixed up. Former President Donald Trump, who by his own admission is totally innocent of any involvement in the Capital attack, coincidently, and mind you the two events are completely unrelated, held a rally the morning of the election certification, urging his supporters “to be strong” and take action. (And, to answer your question, he’s the one that has paid, literally, hundreds and hundreds of dollars in income taxes over the last twenty years.)
There is sometimes an overlap between stupidity and negligence. This past week, it was reported that a rowhouse in Philadelphia tragically burned, killing a dozen people. The cause, according to lately revealed information, is quite possibly a five-year-old playing with a cigarette lighter near a Christmas tree. While I hate to point fingers blame a five-year old, but were there no adults in the immediate vicinity to take away the aforementioned lighter from the child, or, and here’s a frivolous suggestion, to put the lighter away in a secure place while the holiday celebrations are going on? It is tragic that we read, time and time again, of small children – from infants to toddlers – falling into swimming pools, falling out of four-story windows, playing in the driveway and wandering into the street. News flash – small children need to be CONSTANTLY, and I do mean CONSTANTLY supervised, watched over, and if need be, snatched from harm’s way by the adults that created them or their designees.
The leaders of the ‘Oath Keepers”, including founder Elmer Rhodes, are being brought into the legal system on charges of sedition as well as leading an insurrection. This is in addition to looking quite preposterous, which heretofore isn’t really a crime but definitely should be. They claim to be “protecting the Constitution” by resisting everything it contains, include elections and peaceful transfers of power. One truly wonders what “oaths” they’re trying to keep – maybe some to former President Trump, to whom the Constitution is loose collection of suggestions and options. rather than rules of law. We’ll let the courts sort that out.
And finally, of course, is the news about Prince Andrew. Really? A member of the Royal Family, people probably under the most scrutiny on the planet, getting involved with underage women and a man that trafficked in them. Who would have thought that hanging out with Jeffrey Epstein would prove problematic? It was on his private island, after all. Who would have dreamed that it would get out somehow? Did he learn nothing from watching the press following and hounding Princess Diana? Buckingham Palace has stepped up, as one would hope, and stripped His No-Longer-Highness of, well, everything, taking away all of his medals, probably his uniforms too, his titles, and patronages. More than likely, his charities weren’t calling him for a photo shoot anyway. Presumably, he’ll take a hit in income too, and this places him right behind Princess Anne’s show horse, “Sparkplug”, in the line of succession.
Yes, indeed. The news constantly provides us with lots of opportunities to shake our heads and seriously doubt that humans have evolved as far as previously thought. Yet one more time into the “breach of stupidity”, as we could now safely say is the new “human condition.” One more time, I’m thinking . . . . . . . .no.”
I'm Thinking...No! 