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I live in San Francisco, three blocks from Golden Gate park where the “remain in place” and “personal distancing” are treated as by a significant % of people as optional if the amount of people and their behavior on the streets and in the park are indicative of certain populations of the city. The great change in the tone of the city with the tech industry has been an overriding preference for right leaning libertarian nonsense that breeds individualism rather than solidarity. Thus, the attitude of the folks who support legal cannabis but hate the “filth” and “danger” of homeless people is to treat this like a “snow day” and party on like the spring breakers in Florida. They are not the only ones as a wide variety of people work out in the park, meet up with other parents and let their kids play together and run wild, without a word about what 6’ might look like. To those of us who are immune compromised, this is insanely selfish and ignorant and on par with anti-vaxxers. This isn’t helped as more police cruisers are around, but don’t make any effort to educate the public as was outlined- officers were to explain the order before issuing tickets, neither is happening. Parks and Rec have not closed children’s playgrounds or collective gym equipment in the park, so dozens of folks, in my sight alone, use them continuously throughout the day. I don't have any illusions about police officers as anything, but watchdogs for the rich, but pointing out that they are clearing not up for the job, or able to do it, helps to show the real functions of "policing". Officers are not wearing gloves or masks, neither are workers in grocery stores, so this enforces the feeling of safety that people are seeking. Of course, it is the responsibility of corporations to make sure their workers are informed and have the proper equipment, but when we don’t have enough supplies for health care workers, do we expect them for other sectors soon? By legitimizing behaviors that will not flatten the curve, the outlook looks bleak if this continues as it has. Overall, the assumption in U.S. culture is that the unit of measurement and the basis of moral obligation is the individual. Whether it originates from a “left” or “right” position, the mistake is an error of starting with this flawed premise. Whereas this can be more easily mystified in political or economic relations, when dealing with a biological agent, the consequences of social behaviors are not so easily shrugged off. _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
