I'm old enough to remember how many conservatives blamed the HIV/AIDS epidemic

[thucythucy]

on "immoral behavior"--whether it was "the gay lifestyle" or IV drug use. (Somehow all the people with hemophilia who died didn't ever register on their radar).

"Personal responsibility!" was their unsympathetic rallying cry.

And yet we have GOP officials--such as the Massachusetts GOP committee leader who contracted Covid after attending a maskless White House party--and nowhere do we hear these same conservatives chastising the personal irresponsibility of their own.

Another big difference between then and now--as soon as it was known how HIV was transmitted leaders in the LGBTQ community rose to the challenge and began a massive public health campaign to combat the virus.

Another major similarity--another GOP administration (Reagan-Bush) chose to ignore the epidemic, leading to thousands upon thousands of deaths that might otherwise have been prevented.

I can't think of a single crisis during my lifetime that wasn't mishandled when the GOP was in power.

[Azathoth]

1. The comparison doesn't work because the GOP don't recognize Covid

as a threat, since doing so would be to acknowledge yet another failure of God King Orange. There's no need for personal responsibility when dealing with a "hoax".

It demonstrates just how crazy conservatism has become. The conservatives of Reagan's day were cruel and absurdly sanctimonious, but at least most of them acknowledged the basic fact that AIDS was real and a serious illness.

[thucythucy]

2. This is true

and your point is well taken.

No analogy is perfect, but I thought the similarities are worth pointing out.

And I'm still disgusted with the GOP, then and now.

Best wishes, and have a safe and happy new year.

[dsc]

3. actually they blamed the hemophiliacs on us

And this analogy is spot on. We know they don't really think this is a hoax since they are literally first in line for the vaccine. I never thought I would live through two pandemics mismanaged by the GOP. Frankly, I thought I wouldn't live through the one. The GOP can't be trusted with government again.

[thucythucy]

4. "The GOP can't be trusted with government again."

Truer words were never posted.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

[appalachiablue]

15. +1 The GOP can't be trusted with government again.

[LeftInTX]

5. I had a microbiology professor blame it on anal sex

He knew about it before it was in the news. He stated that anal sex was responsible for spreading a nasty new disease.

[RicROC]

6. but there were 'solutions' promoted by those in GOP for HIV control...

which included:

putting HiV+ people in camps
tattooing those with HIV
manditory testing of gay people for HIV
closing any establishment that catered to gays
preventing any gay from giving blood

None of these 'solutions' have been promoted for people at risk for COVID

[thucythucy]

7. True. We don't seem to have encountered the sort of victim blaming we saw with HIV/AIDS.

I wonder, if the pandemic had somehow been limited to blue states and cities (as was originally hoped by Jared et. al) if we then wouldn't have seen some of that victim blaming. Though I also wonder if the lethargic and criminal response by the Trumpsters hasn't been at least in part because it has disproportionately affected people of color.

Then too, another thing we haven't seen this time around: God is punishing America for its "immortality."

You'd think an actual plague would give the evangelicals something to think about, vis a vis their vengeful god. In this regard I like the statement I saw a couple of months back: "White Evangelicals have been warning about the coming of the anti-Christ for decades, and when he finally arrives they all vote for him."

Imagine if the Obamas had a business located at 666 Wall Street.

[zaj]

8. For Authoritarians, it's always about power, tribalism, and domination.

They seek to dominate our political and social culture. If you are in the authoritarian's tribe, then you do anything to grow enough power to dominate. And then the "rules" only apply to all the other suckers.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. They exhibit the same behavior when they visit here and gaslight everything Democrats say

Control is their game because financial exploitation is their end game.

[zaj]

10. It's a mix of things...

Authoritarians are just regular people who feel strong feelings of anxiety from social disorder. And that anxiety is an easy target for the mentally ill, malignant narcissist abusers like Trump (and other historical figures).

The combination of the two (authoritarian personalities + narcissistic abusers) is destruction and the end of democracy.

[malaise]

14. It's also always about money - greed n/t

[BobTheSubgenius]

11. There's a good reason that "You can't trust the government with...(fill in the blank)"

They lean into incompetence/bad faith whenever they are given a situation that requires something other than the undeniably obvious approach. It's no coincidence.

[AwakeAtLast]

12. I disagree with a small part of what you wrote

Ryan White was bullied mercilessly and forced to change schools because of death threats. I saw his locker door carved with epithets. I'm sure there were others, but he was the most high profile.

[thucythucy]

13. Yes, I had all but forgotten about that.

A dreadful episode during a dreadful time. And you're right, there were other atrocities as well.