This commentary is by Clark Amadon of Moretown, a member of the Moretown Planning Commission, a former selectboard member, and a retired outreach counselor at the Vermont Student Assistance Corp.
The Gov, The Doc and The Bully are now locked in a battle now, but not for the better health and well-being of Vermonters. They are now battling scientists and the media.
It wasn’t that long ago when Vermont led the nation in dealing with our tiny, ominous and constant medical nemesis, Covid. Vermonters were grateful and feeling secure that our leaders were following the best, rational advice to limit spread during this pandemic. The Gov was revered as he held forth at news conferences. The Doc was commanding, informed and convincing.
Some Vermonters did remain steadfastly committed to exposing the values of self-freedom, the fear of “government” and strangely influenced by quack theories spun from dark minds, misanthropes and some just decent folks too quick to embrace false narratives. They were not happy with The Gov’s state of emergency and its limitations. Also, without a hint of hypocrisy, dismissing the vaccination process against Covid even though many were beneficiaries of polio and smallpox vaccines back in the day. Some perhaps even making sure they get their annual flu shot.
There was pushback during the state of emergency from some distressed with the dipping economy, mask mandates for indoor spaces and shuttered schools. Many of us also felt distressed by this, but knew that, in order to create a safe state for ourselves and to corral the Covid, we needed to distance, mask and vaccinate.
The significant majority of Vermonters supported The Gov and The Doc.
Vermont did well and our infection rate fell and the hospitalization rate fell. Vermonters got vaccinated and the emergency response fell away, too.
Then Delta C came on the scene, and now Omicron C.
Then Covid fatigue syndrome — the most obvious victims being The Gov and The Doc. Whew, well, you know, Vermonters are just tuckered out, just tired of masking and incapable of stepping back a distance again. What, us show leadership? Nah — push that to the towns and cities. Never mind that we have Covid infection and hospitalization rates that are exploding now. Rates that would have spurred action a year ago initiate no real leadership now.
But wait, what is really needed now is not protection from Covid, et al. The Gov and The Doc need protecting from the seemingly rejuvenated media and from those niggling, pesky and mouthy scientists. So now we have The Bully. Wailing, snippy and snarky, The Bully plays the game by dismissing folks smarter than he and creating a “false crisis.”
The Bully acts like bullies do. He acts out when he’s feeling inadequate, called out and threatened. Remember, too, that The Bully acts with the backing and cheerleading from The Gov and The Doc. That makes them Bully Backers.
The Bully and Bully Backers now lash out when others don’t do the job that The Gov and The Doc should be doing. The media doesn’t push masking enough. The scientists use false numbers and dare to humiliate The Gov and The Doc.
The Gov and The Doc know they have failed. They cannot or will not show real leadership, so they have The Bully to attack. When humiliated, The Bully and his Backers lash out.
That’s what we’re left with now for leadership.
