Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/03/02/photo-coronavirus-task-force.html
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Yeah, I saw that dumb pic already; consider me NOT reassured.
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This is where one of you nice folks tells me something like, the federal task force isn’t that important and its our state and local response that matters? Or like, the photo is fake and is from something else? Or at least remind me to take my anxiety meds because I don’t think I did yet today.
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Would be more productive if they all took a nap… kind of looks like they’re all sleepy anyway with nodded heads…
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This might not play so well here, but I don’t have any issue with people praying to their faith regarding the coronavirus in their free time. Prayer and meditation serves to focus much needed attention on the issue and people who are at risk. It’s also their right and I support it.
I do have an issue with leaders who might use prayer alone, without action. Even Christians will tell you “faith without works is dead”. Pray all you want, but you better be doing something about it that is evidence-based and supported by strong science. Cross the line, and you have lost my support.
I hope we can stay away from faith-shaming for the sake of belittling lesser leaders and become more focused more on bringing our country together to fight a common foe. Perhaps I’m an idealist…
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So dynamically reassuring I need a lie down on my fainting couch.
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This wasn’t their free time. This was official business.
The entire point of Mike pence being VP is to further the goals of xtianist theocracy in the executive branch.
I agree, we can’t be policing the religious views of a politician no matter how stupid and illogical they are.
What we can do is be intolerant of religious intrusion into official spaces.
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I prefer to think of it as them all sitting quietly and thinking about what they’ve done.
Which, usefully, is fuck all.
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And that’s the problem.
I think most folks here aren’t bothered by the praying, but by the high likelihood that’s ALL they’re going to do… and even more people will end up sick or dead, needlessly.
Whatever faith one may claim to have is utterly irrelevant if one willingly LETS people die due to one’s own incompetence.
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I’m not so much bothered by the idea that they prayed at this meeting, because, yeah, sure, it’s Mike Pence, fish gonna swim, etc. But the White House photographers chose to release this photo and just two others from the meeting. Their thought seems to be, “Yes, this is what people will want to know about the government response to this potential pandemic: that the people in charge are praying real good.”
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Isn’t prayer typically the last hope for many? Have they completely given up without even trying?
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How many of these piously bowed heads are just waiting for Pence to get it out of his system so they can get on with discussing how to use the crisis for political advantage and for maximizing shareholder value?
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“God’s Will, man, nothing can change that!”
There aren’t enough uncensorable words to describe how I really feel about that.
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That’s the most realistic take yet…
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That description is true of many traditional Christian sects. It bears no similarity whatsoever to the kind of Xtianist thinking that has come to dominate US political and religious life.
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I suspect the anxiety meds are the best option here. Sorry, but these guys are discussing how to clamp down on any reporting of the spread of illness, not the actual illness.
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