I don’t watch TV news, but my wife does. And yesterday, finding this a bit hard to believe, she called me into the room to witness it.
Basically, it says anti-vaxxers are moving to South Carolina because they see Henry McMaster as their kind of guy.
Once, governors — Henry included — labored mightily to be perceived as people who attracted jobs to the state. Now look where we are.
This new South Carolinian WIS interviewed thinks Henry is the bee’s knees (there’s something about Henry that invites to use of archaic slang) because, in reference to people who objected to their children being required to wear masks, he said, “Those parents are exactly right…”
“I think that was a big thumbs up for him,” says a friend of Rebekah Schneider on video.
Ms. Schneider lived in Connecticut for 38 years before moving here to be more accepted for her views. Apparently, based on several things she says, she has a “religious” objection to vaccines. As is the case with so much of the careless reporting we see these days (and not just on TV, but in the skeletonized newspapers), this is not explained. Is she a Christian Scientist? I don’t know.
But I’m looking at the math here. With only 32 percent of South Carolinians being fully vaccinated at this point, far short of what is needed for herd immunity, and too few showing interest in getting vaccinated, we are unlikely ever to become safe from COVID. And that’s without following idiotic policies that make anti-vaxxers want to move here.
Ms. Schneider moved here because her former governor pursues policies to protect public health. WIS says, “According to the Associated Press, he also told reporters he did a lot of his own research before signing the bill into law.”
Henry does “research,” too. He thinks, “How will the Trump loonies feel about this?”
He may have missed the mark this time. As much as Trumpistas are associated with “What, me worry?” approaches to COVID in general, the ones who oppose vaccines are not alone in this.
Have you ever heard of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
Must give Henry pause…
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When I was younger, and my speech was more flexible, more plastic, or whatever you’d call it, I was really good at accents. I could zip in and out of them quickly and easily, impersonating whatever sort you like.
Now, I can still DO them, but I have to warm up the throat, and get comfortable speaking a certain way before I sound right.
But even when I was young, there was one thing I was bad at — South Carolina accents. Maybe they were too close to the way to the way I spoke as a child, before I moved to New Jersey at age 6 and had it beaten out of me. Although in recent decades I’ve slid into a sort of soft echo of a Southern accent, I must have some aversion to imitating some of the odder pronunciations.
Such as the way Henry says “school.” It’s the same way that guy on “Speaking of Schools” always said it on the radio. I’ve been hearing him, it seems, since I moved back to SC in the ’80s — or I used to, anyway — and I’ve often tried to make the same unusual “oo” sound he does, and I always fail miserably. It escapes me completely.
But Henry does it as though it were natural or something. If fact, he really makes it WAIL. Henry’s from Columbia, but is it accurate to call that a “Columbia accent?” How many people in the Midlands do you know who speak that way? There are a few, certainly, but you don’t hear it much…
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Most are originally from Easley..
People refer to him as Foghorn Leghorn because of his accent. Is he saying “Skewools”? Whole lotta diphthongs going on. He is just like Mr. Speaking of Skewools.
But the idea of this state never reaching any decent level of herd immunity thanks to Foghorn and Friends is mind-boggling. I can’t believe we’re that dumb.
The Gubner is a prime example of the Irresponsible Party.
A couple of weeks back, after he and his wife got their Covid shots, he stepped before the cameras and said … what, exactly?
No, not: I encourage everybody to get their shots.
He said, “I encourage everybody to do what they wanna do.”
Words matter.
The gubner’s pronouncement might just as well be the mantra of the Irresponsible Party: Do what you wanna do and forget about the rest.
You must have missed today’s article in the NY Times:
Reaching ‘Herd Immunity’ Is Unlikely in the U.S., Experts Now Believe
Widely circulating coronavirus variants and persistent hesitancy about vaccines will keep the goal out of reach. The virus is here to stay, but vaccinating the most vulnerable may be enough to restore normalcy.
Sorry, I meant yesterday’s article. Misread the date.
There’s actually some disagreement about that. There is a good article today in USA Today that suggests we can get near herd ammunity with another 10-15% of the population plus children.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/health/2021/05/04/us-covid-19-vaccine-tipping-point-could-just-10-15-percent-away/4915586001/
Maybe Joe Biden could set a good example by not wearing a mask when he is outdoors or around people who have been vaccinated. I can’t tell you how many people I hear from (not Trumpers) who ask why he would need to wear it if the vaccine works. It’s performance art “masking” as being cautious. Cynical me thinks there is some grand plan to try and keep the fear alive until Jul 4 so Joe can announce a big victory party.
As much as you’d like it to be the case, there are plenty of other demographic groups who are avoiding the vaccine (young, black, or already had it). Why are they also not the focus of your scorn? I know you have to get your minimum daily dose of Trump hate in (too bad there isn’t a vaccine for THAT affliction). but he’s been gone for months now. Sadly, I think you now spend more time talking about Trump than Trump.
Brad closed by mentioning Robert Kennedy Jr. Yes lots of groups are hesitant but most are coming around, especially African Americans. It’s the loonies on the far right who really holding us back.
I have no issue with Biden wearing it all the time. I wear mine all the time too – even though I am fully vaccinated.
I do it because most places I go ask people to wear it. I do so because I wear it so often I forget I’m even wearing it.
The President is trying to set an example – and show that it’s easy to wear one if you get use to it. Plus, he knows that there are people that will scream at him for not wearing a mask when he’s encouraged people to wear them- ignoring the fact he has been vaccinated.
Obviously different but I’m reminded of Fox News right winger Laura Ingraham complaining about masks- and then being spotted at at Trump event – incognito- wearing a mask.
I saw Biden on a news program — outdoors, sans mask, the day after the CDC said it was OK to do so. He seems to be following the protocols the CDC set out. Masks around groups of people, indoors or out, or people who may or may not be vaccinated. Like his address to Congress. A large-ish group, so mask. Or when he visited a classroom — mask. Not that hard to figure out why he’s masked or unmasked.
I prefer for the president to be extra careful, as we need him around. That masking is even an issue is ludicrous. But that’s the Right.
My health plan is simple: I don’t leave the house. Except maybe to go to the doctor. I go to the doctor a lot these days. In the past 8 days, if you count an appointment with physical therapy about my hand, I had five medical appointments. Fortunately, I don’t think I have another one until the 20th. And my hand keeps getting better.
Actually, it’s not just a “health plan.” At least, not in the COVID sense. Since I don’t have to go out, what with working at home, I don’t go out. I don’t want to. The last time I left here to go anywhere other than sick call, I think, was when we went to Lowe’s and I shelled out more than $400 for lumber (have you priced lumber lately), brought it home, and a couple of hours later was on my way to the ER on account of having racked up my hand.
Remember what Chef said in “Apocalypse Now” about not getting off the boat? I’m that way now about leaving the house…
Oh, and get this: You know how I like to walk around the neighborhood, getting my steps in?
Well, there’s a report going around my neighborhood about a coyote that’s roaming around and not acting right. Don’t know if it’s rabid or not, but apparently it’s not following the usual “avoid people” protocol.
So exactly right, Chef… never get out of the boat…
get yourself a stun gun. It’s not really a gun- doesn’t look like one at all. Bought one for $19.99 off Amazon. Would come in very handy if a dog or coyote catches you.
Just the sound of it is intimidating. My wife takes her on her walks.
So it’s a gun… but I set it on “stun’…
No, it’s like this.
I don’t like that. I don’t like seeing things like that done to women… blast all the storm troopers you want, but don’t do that to Princess Leia!
I try hard to stay at home- that’s what I prefer.
“My health plan is simple: I don’t leave the house. Except maybe to go to the doctor.”
I hope you’re being a little tongue-in-cheek, there. I’m back to normal. Hearings are almost all in person for court, my son’s little league team has played all season with parents in attendance, and my kids have been back in school for a few months…all without any catastrophic results.
Not really. I mean, I’m not really kidding.
Note what I said — it’s not strictly a “health plan.” It’s what I prefer.
I wrote about this WAY back during the first few weeks of COVID — in fact, almost exactly a year ago. I haven’t changed my mind. I continue to scratch my head over all these people who just can’t wait to get “out there.”
How serious am I? After 23 years, including more than a decade on the board of governors, I resigned from the Capital City Club. Why? Because I don’t go downtown. Don’t have any reason to, except on rare occasions. And I don’t anticipate that changing…
Brad are you still THAT concerned about COVID? Since my full inoculation period ended I’m pretty much back to a normal existence. One exception, I will probably never fly again.