Now that we have made it through the holiday portion of the pandemic we’ve seen just how bad things can really get.
We have all remained mostly solitary for nearly a year with very few, very small gatherings allowed throughout this devastating crisis. As the holidays were approaching, local and state officials scrambled to find a way to keep the private behavior of their constituents under control by spreading fear that family gatherings could spread a new wave of COVID-19 across the nation.
Authorities began to suggest and even legislate an extension of our solitude for the sake of the country.
However, some people believe themselves to be above the rules that govern us regular folk.
Denver’s mayor apologized on Wednesday for traveling out of state to visit his family for Thanksgiving, in a statement that came on the same day that he urged residents to “stay home as much as you can.” Health experts have repeatedly asked Americans not to travel for the holiday, warning that it could lead to a severe spike in coronavirus cases and further tax an already overburdened healthcare system.
“I have shared how my family cancelled our plans for our traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration,” Democratic Mayor Michael Hancock wrote on Twitter. “What I did not share, but should have, is that my wife and my daughter have been in Mississippi, where my daughter recently took a job. As the holiday approached, I decided it would be safer for me to travel to see them than to have two family members travel back to Denver.”
“I recognize that my decision has disappointed many who believe it would have been better to spend Thanksgiving alone,” he added. “As a public official, whose conduct is rightly scrutinized for the message it sends to others, I apologize to the residents of Denver who see my decision as conflicting with the guidance to stay at home for all but essential travel.”
The level of hypocrisy is astounding and makes it hard for citizens who just want their lives back to take these lawmakers seriously.
