It'll be interesting to see what our social landscape looks like once we hit the far side of the epidemic curve.
Sweeping social change often only happens as a reaction by those in power who are directly affected by a world changing event.
Sweeping social change often only happens as a reaction by those in power who are directly affected by a world changing event.
The New Deal was a reaction to the entire country, including affluent whites, being hit by a major economic depression.
Now compare that to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. No, it wasn't as large in scope, which is kind of my point. It was disproportionately hitting gay men.
Now compare that to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. No, it wasn't as large in scope, which is kind of my point. It was disproportionately hitting gay men.
And the country's response was to do nothing.
It's easy to blame Reagan for the lack of government response, but it was far more reaching at that.
It was white, cishet society at large.
It's easy to blame Reagan for the lack of government response, but it was far more reaching at that.
It was white, cishet society at large.
Anyone who grew up in the 80s is going to remember the sheer number of dead gay jokes, or the Gay Plague that were bouncing around. I had high school teachers who made them.
The people in power weren't affected, so nothing was done until it started hitting them, too.
The people in power weren't affected, so nothing was done until it started hitting them, too.
But this one is going to be interesting. One way or another it's going to hit all of us, including those in power.
And if it gets as bad as epidemiologists think it's going to get I suspect we're going to see a lot of changes in laws and acceptable social behavior.
And if it gets as bad as epidemiologists think it's going to get I suspect we're going to see a lot of changes in laws and acceptable social behavior.
Whatever happens on the far side of the epidemic curve one thing is certain, getting there is going to suck, and I don't mean in terms of disease.
We're already seeing panic responses against Asians in the U.S., some of whom have never been out of the country.
We're already seeing panic responses against Asians in the U.S., some of whom have never been out of the country.
Asians are the American scapegoat in this particular scenario. And it's going to get worse before it gets better because the U.S. is so horribly prepared for a pandemic.
The longer it goes on the worse the bigotry will get, the more likely there there will be violence.
The longer it goes on the worse the bigotry will get, the more likely there there will be violence.
And the U.S. has a long history of violence against Asians.
Riots, arson, murders, mass lynchings.
If we want to avoid this we need to flatten the epidemic curve. We need to follow guidelines. We need to stay healthy.
And most of all we need to not tolerate the bigotry.
Riots, arson, murders, mass lynchings.
If we want to avoid this we need to flatten the epidemic curve. We need to follow guidelines. We need to stay healthy.
And most of all we need to not tolerate the bigotry.
People are afraid. They're going to get more afraid. They're going to panic. Panicked people do stupid things. Panicked bigots do stupid, horrifying things.
Within a month somebody's going to walk into a Chinese restaurant and shoot everyone inside.
Within a month somebody's going to walk into a Chinese restaurant and shoot everyone inside.
So stay healthy, don't panic, understand how disease works.
And most of all, don't tolerate the bigotry. Because more people could very well die from violence than illness.
And most of all, don't tolerate the bigotry. Because more people could very well die from violence than illness.
