What Will You Remember About 2020?

Okay, people, it is now time to choose the most traumatic and unsettling news story in 2020 so far, but just remember we still have almost three more months to go. Choose only one and write an essay as to whether you think this year has been good or bad and why.

  1. Covid-19 leaving over 200.000 Americans dead with no signs of slowing down at a rate of about a thousand new deaths a day.
  2. Trump pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization at the United Nations.
  3. Raging forest fires in the West destroying millions of acres and thousands of homes with the worst part of fire season still to come.
  4. Trump pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord.
  5. So many hurricanes that they are now using the Greek alphabet to name them with over a month to go before the season is over.
  6. Numerous incidents of White cops killing Black suspects resulting in outrage and a new movement, Black Lives Matter.
  7. Trump’s niece’s book about how terrible the Trump family is.
  8. Trump’s belligerent behavior in the debate against Joe Biden.
  9. Trump’s failure to wear masks at gatherings indoors and out and his belittling those who do.
  10. Trump’s saying again and again that he will not concede the election if mail voting—which he says is fraudulent—is allowed.
  11. Trump’s nomination of an ultra-conservative, pro life justice giving extremist, right wing justices a 6-3 advantage if confirmed.
  12. Trump’s hospitalization due to contracting Covid-19 and the uncertainty regarding his health condition.
  13. Bob Woodward’s revelation in his new book that Trump knew about how serious the coronavirus was very early in the year and did nothing to warn the public.
  14. The Atlantic Magazine article by Geoffrey Goldberg where Trump calls the military losers.
  15. Massive and aggressive efforts by the Republican Party and the White House to suppress voting in areas likely to vote for Biden.
  16. Schools shuttered because of the coronavirus and learning disarray.
  17. Trump’s failure to pay any income taxes for 10 of the last 15 years.
  18. The loss of millions of jobs and economic devastation of certain sectors of the economy like hospitality, retail, entertainment, the arts, and restaurants.
  19. Evidence of tampering and influencing our election by the Russians and others.
  20. The sports season  totally disrupted with fewer games and limited attendance.

Geeze, that is a tough one. Maybe the sports.

 

6 thoughts on “What Will You Remember About 2020?

  1. Joe,
    None of the above.
    Number 21. The deep division in the country along political lines, fueled and nurtured by 24/7 television news channels that have devolved into 24/7 propaganda outlets, as well as social media that allow anyone to say anything with impunity. To me this is the most deeply disturbing development of the past two decades. The division is very nearly 50-50 and goes to the bone. “We have met the enemy and it is We The People.” Trump is only a symptom of the real illness in our society.

    1. Agree that Trump is more a symptom than a cause and that the deep division in the country should also be on the list (though note that the list included only specific actions or happenings). So the question is what is causing the division. Again there is no one answer or easy answer, and I think it boils down to a number of factors as noted below:
      Globalism has created winners and losers. Stable, relatively high paying manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas making life much tougher for what used to be the backbone of the white working class. Unions have almost disappeared. These folks have played by the rules, and feel they have been screwed through no fault of their own. This happened slowly over many years, but mainly on the watch of the Democrats.They hold us Dems responsible. This accounts for some, but hardly all, of the discontent. Those who have benefited are the well educated and the professional class.
      Latent, and not so latent, racism still persists. Slavery is our national sin, and we are still paying the price. We have made great progress from the Jim Crow days you and I grew up in to be sure, but there is still a long way to go. The Trump phenomenon is supported in many ways by a backlash caused by having an African American as President. Also many low income white workers–mainly men–believe that government polices actually discriminate more against them than African Americans.
      There has been and continues to be unrelenting cultural change that threatens people on many levels. I think that this is where the Evangelical support for Trump comes in. Changes in life styles, sexuality issues like the LBGTQ movement and even in what is now accepted in language is upsetting to people who are uncomfortable with cultural change.
      There is one more issue which I think is behind this and that is the growing gap between those who have a lot of money and almost everyone else. With a national median income of below $60K, a lot of people are struggling. And with service jobs replacing manufacturing jobs it is only widening. They resent the “Coastal elite” especially where the high paying jobs are and where they believe the “over educated” look down on them.
      Surely there are many other causes, but these are a few, facilitated, of course, by cable TV which allows us to watch only the stations which tell us what we want to hear. Thanks for bringing this out.
      Somehow we have to pull ourselves out of this. More on this later…..(not that I have the answers).

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