Treat others well, and other things learned while on lockdown – Las Cruces Sun-News

Randy Lynch, Your view Published 1:27 a.m. MT May 10, 2020

Randy Lynch, Sun-News editorial columnist(Photo: Robin Zielinski)

Heres some of what Ive learned during this pandemic lockdown. In no particular order:

To expand on that latter point, our political leaders using crises like this pandemic as just another tool to beat down their opposition while building themselves up. One side paints the other as selfish, money-hungry bullies who dont care if people die as long as they get to go back to work, get a haircut and do what they want with no concern for others. The other side paints that first side as cowards and "sheeple"who want to strip away our freedoms, create a totalitarian state and who are showing their allegiance to big government simply by putting on a mask when going out in public.

Governors treat us like children, deciding which businesses are essential and which ones dont matter enough to be allowed to operate, no matter how safely they are being run. They tell us where we can and cant go, how many people we can be around and what were allowed to do while never once considering any higher standard than the use of their debatable power.

Meanwhile, the president does the same sort of thing by forcing businesses he deems essential to remain open, no matter how those companies wish to proceed. Its like something out of "Atlas Shrugged." (Wheres John Galt when you need him?!)

Pro-business advocates go to county commission meetingsdemanding that businesses be allowed to reopen claiming they can do so responsibly and safely while they themselves refuse to act with any level of responsibility; refusing to wear masks and, not only failing to keep any distance between them and others, but posing for pictures huddled in close with others showing the same disregard for any precautions. Leading by example has been replaced with, "Do what I say, not as I do."

Meanwhile, the majority of us are living somewhere in the middle; trying to take care of ourselves and our families and others who we see in need while trying to behave responsibly and not take needless chances just to make some point. We try to act like adults while those on the two polarized sides still play the same tired old partisan games.

Once last thing I hope we learn before this is all over: that we dont have to pick sides and behave in an either/or fashion. We can make the choice to behave like adults and treat others, no matter what side theyre on, like actual human beings.

Randy Lynch writes/hosts The Midnight Ride blog (midnightride.com) and internet radio show on Radio New Mexico (myradionm.com). Contact him at midnightridenm@gmail.com.