“December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to an emergency session of Congress. On that day More than 2,400 people, including 68 civilians , died and almost 1,200 more were injured. Americans were shocked by this surprise attack.
On average more than 2400 people have died each day in December, 2020. The surge of deaths following Thanksgiving travel are not yet a part of this surge. This is like experiencing the horror of Pearl Harbor every day of the week with no signs of the pandemic slowing.
Government and health officials have warned that cases and deaths will rise further in the coming weeks and months due to people traveling and gathering with family, against the advice of health experts. This is the new norm, with death on an epic scale and half the country trying to convince themselves that it isn’t happening. People cling to strange conspiracy theories.
The attack on Pearl Harbor woke a sleeping giant and united Americans against a common enemy. Today Americans are divided and confused preferring to hate each others political stances as opposed to the common enemy. America was betrayed by its government as the president lied to Americans about the virus. So many believed and continue to believe his lies. He didn’t want Americans to panic. But given the facts and some leadership Americans are able to fight and win any war. Trumps efforts to overturn the election are also infamous, yet so many stand behind him while ignoring the the danger to democracy and the pandemic.
Joe Biden is for the first time trying to unify the country around a common goal of wearing masks when out in public for 100 days to fight the spread of COVID-19. Back in 1941 people would have understood that as a patriotic duty. Today more than half the country will consider that an invasion of their rights. Americans are killing themselves by ignoring science and standing behind Trumps rhetoric of victim hood and hate.