Inside the mind of a Trump voter re: corona

[HarlanPepper]

This afternoon I did something that I felt was my duty as a son. I checked in and gently suggested my 72 and 75 year old parents start thinking about making some Coronavirus preparations.

I have long dreaded this moment, put it off, hoped it would not be necessary. But having taken the time to assess the situation over the weekend and dive into it I have concluded what many others have, that yes, indeed, the shit is about to hit the fan.

I told her in the text conversation that making sure they have hand sanitizer, that they should start thinking about preparing more of their own food, and that my dad should start using the treadmill at home rather than going to the Y 6 days a week. In general a little less time in public and constant hand washing.

They also have after school care responsibilities for my niece and nephew who are in elementary school and vectors for all kinds of stuff because of that.

At this point I’m all but resigned to the fact there’s a good chance they get it.

She assured me that they are taking precautions but at the end said “I really think this will die out when it gets warmer.”

This is an echo of what Dear Leader has said. She gets her news exclusively from RW sources, including Fox News which is on their TV even when they are otherwise engaged with other activities about 14 hours a day.

I thought about saying to her that the H1N1 pandemic was a multi year event, or that the 1918 Spanish flu likely started in the summer months, but it wouldn’t have done any good.

That’s because I didn’t need to ask the question I’ve been wondering about for the last 10 days. The answer is clear/ She believes this is a plot by Democrats to damage Trump politically. She doesn’t believe it’s real.

We haven’t talked about politics since November 2016 by a mutual agreement so that’s about as far as I can push it at this point. My guess is she’ll come around when one of her friends gets sick and dies. But that’s probably what it would take.

My dad is a slightly different story. He follows the markets closely because that’s what he’s interested in. I know he gets his news from other sources because of that and given the impact it will have on the economy I’m fairly certain he recognizes the severity of the situation, even if it’s solely through that lens.

Like most people here I love my parents. But as I told my wife if they were to get it and the worst happened, wishing I had made the effort of sounding the alarm will not be among my regrets.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. You are a very good son, my dear HarlanPepper!

You have thought through their circumstances and the conditions that they live under and have found the path to hopefully persuade them.

No regrets for you! I'm not sure how many people in your situation would be able to say that.

[HarlanPepper]

5. Thanks you, Peggy.

[MLAA]

2. I agree, you've done all you can do.

[DonaldsRump]

3. This is the essence of being a wonderful child to your parents

They are lucky to have you.

The one thing that I would suggest is to talk to the parents of your nephew/niece. That is a potential vector, and their parents should take huge caution with their kids generally and particularly given that they stay with your parents.

I'm having my kids wear clothes once and then we wash them. Maybe extreme, but I really do not believe the federal government has any real sense of what's going on or what to do, and we need to do what we need to do.

[HarlanPepper]

4. Thank you

Good ideas on the clothes. Their parents are pretty up to speed on it and are hyper concerned so I feel good about that part of it. I know their school has been ahead of things a bit starting some pretty stringent protocols a week or so ago. I’m hoping those things will help get the message across to my parents.

[magicarpet]

6. You did your best to forewarn,..

Horse,

Water,

Drink...................... Maybe.

[DrToast]

7. I'm in a similar situation

My Dad is an avid Fox News watcher, so I was nervous about talking to him about being prepared. Luckily, he also watches CNBC and he knows that the markets are freaking out for a reason.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

8. Then tell her this little inconvenient fact --

After the summer passed, the 1918 flu returned with a vengeance and killed more people that it had BEFORE the summer.

[BigmanPigman]

13. Facts fall on deaf ears when it comes to Dear Leader's followers.

"Inside the mind of tRump voters" is not only an oxymoron but also a place that I never want to end up. The OP was spot on and frustrating as Hell.

[alittlelark]

9. U r echoing my experience.

[B Stieg]

10. I live in SoCal and it was 81 yesterday.

Today, our county's first positive test was announced, and I'm getting daily updates from my university about how to teach from home!

So, no, the heat doesn't "kill" this thing, Mrs. Dipshit.

[Jim__]

11. In my neighborhood there was a discussion about corona virus on the Nextdoor app.

In this conversation, Trump people insisted that the media were reporting on this only because they hate Trump. All of us who thought the problem was potentially serious and people should make some preparations were, of course, sheeple who just believed everything we are told.

In all honesty, I was shocked by the level of stupidity of the Trump people in that discussion.

[dalton99a]

12. Kick

[Hekate]

14. All the best to your family

[Aussie105]

15. Heat kills the virus mmm, ok then!

So someone running a real high temperature, is safe to be near, because the heat kills the virus?

But heat does kill the virus. Put it on a body temperature surface, and it will last 9 (?) hours.
Put it on a 200 degree surface, and it's dead, instantly.

For those who are Faithful to Dear Leader and believe him saying 'it is all ok folks!', I only have one thing to say.

It's comfortable putting your trust and faith in something. It stops you worrying about life and things. It's the big attraction in most religions, but also why cults exist, and why people get scammed out of their life savings.
Most thinking people will walk away when offered the fake safety of believing in such things.

[GulfCoast66]

17. In 1918 the summer made the spread less likely. Higher humidity and people were outdoors.

But fast forward to my state of Florida in 2020. In the hot months people are almost strictly concentrated indoors in AC which lowers the humidity. I expect this thing to get worse in Florida as the heat increases.

Thank goodness my job and hobbies keep me outdoors all year long.

[Initech]

16. You know what they say - he who denied it, supplied it.