So Long, Farewell

Betty White and John Madden

 
So many celebrities have passed away in 2021. They include Betty White who died today and John Madden who died on Dec. 28. It seems that they couldn’t wait to check-out before the year is over. In a way, I don’t blame them.

It has been a tough year for everybody. I thought it would be different than the previous one, but I was mistaken. It’s been the same if not much worse.

First, we find our democracy in peril as the country has become more effectively polarized fueled by false conspiracy theories and organized disinformation on social media. For instance, Trump’s Big Lie comes to mind alleging the 2020 election was stolen from him. For one, it led to the U.S. Capitol
siege on Jan.6 aimed to overturn the results and install him as the winner. For another, it’s now being used as justification for enacting laws that make it harder for eligible minorities and people of color to exercise their rights to vote. As things go, if we don’t watch out, we’ll be headed to become the biggest banana republic in the world.

Then there’s climate change. It continues unabated causing severe drought, wildfires, and hurricanes that have brought destruction and tragedy in their path. According to the Swiss Re Institute, the global economy could lose 10% of its total economic value by 2050 due to climate change. What can you say? I may not be alive by then, but I still want something’s done about it before it’s too late.

Finally, COVID-19, which should be over by now, is still raging on with the death toll reaching over 800,000 making it the deadliest pandemic in U.S. history. It could have helped contain the virus if the response hasn’t been politicized. “My body, my choice” has become the mantra for those who refuse to get vaccinated disregarding the risks of getting the disease and spreading it themselves.

If there’s a silver lining, we have learned to live with it. We’re at the point where traveling, indoor dining, and attending large gatherings such as sporting events are allowed, albeit with practicing the recommended safety protocols.

It’s my fervent hope that things will get better in 2022. It could be wishful thinking, though, considering the surge of Covid’s Omicron variant and the other ongoing challenges mentioned earlier. The best we can do is hang in there. We can do it. Like they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.