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Amongst his political group, that is the standard thing to say when someone gets COVID. If that works for them, then he’s fortunate to have a lot of people pra

by blunte 5y ago

Amongst his political group, that is the standard thing to say when someone gets COVID. If that works for them, then he’s fortunate to have a lot of people praying for him. And that’s fine if they believe in it and want to do it.

alanwreath 5y ago
Them. Us. Politics. How I wish politicians lost all affiliation with a party after they were sworn in (and of course that lobbying groups took a long dive off a short cliff). Of course I also wish people wouldn’t conflate political parties with religion. Both sides are a gradient of believers, non-believers, agnostics, etc. There’s even gradients within those who claim to be religious. People will do stupid things because of religion and in spite of all religion tries to do to prevent its followers from being stupid. Religion is just a scapegoat and a pretty useless one in conversations like these. It doesn’t help anyone understand Abbot. Abbot’s actions are probably simpler stated as those of his party have chosen a position and he’s doing his part to dig in even while surrounded by bad omens. This last one striking home. Will he change positions? Seems like his party has been teetering on a “maybe”. I’ve noticed more people caving to vaccination. Most because they, now, can no longer drown out the noise of reality. That’s my hope for him because as a leader he could be a force for good in a rather populous US state, instead of just another sheep towing the party line of the flock of his party. People being rational. Leaders leading. Wishes.
- jfengel 5y ago
  It didn't change the mind of the former President, who apparently had a fairly hard case of COVID. He was never anti-vaccine (in fact, he deserves credit for helping it be created), but he never ceased to minimize the importance of COVID and was inconsistent (at best) about mask wearing. Abbott is asymptomatic, and I only see this as bolstering his belief that COVID is a personal issue. His party may be wavering on that, but he himself gains nothing by walking back his previous statements, and this experience isn't going to cause the kind of suffering that would force him into a different mindset.

by blunte 5y ago

alanwreath 5y ago

Them. Us. Politics. How I wish politicians lost all affiliation with a party after they were sworn in (and of course that lobbying groups took a long dive off a short cliff). Of course I also wish people wouldn’t conflate political parties with religion. Both sides are a gradient of believers, non-believers, agnostics, etc. There’s even gradients within those who claim to be religious. People will do stupid things because of religion and in spite of all religion tries to do to prevent its followers from being stupid. Religion is just a scapegoat and a pretty useless one in conversations like these. It doesn’t help anyone understand Abbot. Abbot’s actions are probably simpler stated as those of his party have chosen a position and he’s doing his part to dig in even while surrounded by bad omens. This last one striking home. Will he change positions? Seems like his party has been teetering on a “maybe”. I’ve noticed more people caving to vaccination. Most because they, now, can no longer drown out the noise of reality. That’s my hope for him because as a leader he could be a force for good in a rather populous US state, instead of just another sheep towing the party line of the flock of his party. People being rational. Leaders leading. Wishes.

jfengel 5y ago
It didn't change the mind of the former President, who apparently had a fairly hard case of COVID. He was never anti-vaccine (in fact, he deserves credit for helping it be created), but he never ceased to minimize the importance of COVID and was inconsistent (at best) about mask wearing. Abbott is asymptomatic, and I only see this as bolstering his belief that COVID is a personal issue. His party may be wavering on that, but he himself gains nothing by walking back his previous statements, and this experience isn't going to cause the kind of suffering that would force him into a different mindset.