OPINION: Democrats Discuss — Trump is not among us
Jane Roche is a sophomore studying political science pre-law. She is a member of the Ohio University College Democrats. The following article reflects the opinions and views of the author and does not represent the thoughts of the Ohio University College Democrats.
This is a submitted column. Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.
On Sept. 26, 2020, the White House hosted a reception celebrating the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. In an otherwise normal year with a normal administration, this news would not be particularly striking — it would be dull, in fact.
This, of course, is not the reality we live in. I do not need to mince words when discussing the perils of the COVID-19 crisis. It has deeply altered the state of this country in a basic, fundamental way.
During the dark months of quarantine, it seemed as if the virus had a bias toward the poor and working class. Tests were inaccessible for most of the population, while those with any semblance of money and power could easily check into hospitals as a preventative measure. All the while, the elite bubble of citizens too rich for COVID-19 to be a threat began to grow, and it was only a matter of time until it popped.
Oh boy, did it pop.
Barrett's nomination was a loaded one for many reasons, but what has cast a greater shadow over her unsavory judicial record has been the superspreader event that her nomination became.
Sept. 26, 2020 has become the singular date that most conservative senators, representatives and White House staffers can pinpoint as the day of their COVID-19 transmission. Those in attendance sat close together — without masks — and socialized in close proximity to one another. This very act signaled the flippant and dangerous attitude that COVID-19 is not a real threat. What’s more, it displayed a gross air of superiority.
Trump and other political elites can afford to get the coronavirus. They can pay for healthcare. They can take off of work. They can safely isolate. Of course, senators do not believe COVID-19 is a real threat. To them, it is a mild inconvenience in their day. To those of us it has touched, we know better.
Nature, in its own ironic way, infiltrated the elite ranks of Barrett's nomination. While many of you are inclined — and justifiably so — to offer up prayers to your favorite politician infected with COVID-19, I encourage you to reflect on why they got it in the first place.
Was it because they were involved in the communities that we live and work in? Or was it because they fundamentally believe that rules do not apply to them in their ivory tower? I am leaning more toward the latter.
It is no secret that the coronavirus has been a dark stain on the already deeply soiled tapestry that is the Trump presidency. With over 200,000 Americans dead, the blood on President Trump’s hands is not something that can be ignored.
The recent behaviors of the Trump administration have shown the hardworking American people all they need to know about how Trump and his cronies view us. They are above us. They are not us. Barrett's superspreader nomination event is a clear indication of that. While political elites got together to pat each other on the back, they showed the rest of America that they do not share the same fears.