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I don't know how many people have died--at this moment in time--as a result of the coronavirus. Apart from my awareness that this virus is extraordinarily contagious, I don't have a sufficient amount of knowledge to determine if political decisions have contributed to the massive number of deaths.
But for those of you who are exploring this issue, I offer the following observations: do not imagine that governments and its leaders are benevolent; do not begin with this assumption that the objective of a government ands its leaders is to "preserve the lives" of its own people.
As Germans were dying by the hundreds of thousands at the end of the Second World War, Hitler declared: "Losses can never be too high. They pave the way for future greatness."
Throughout his reign, Hitler took great pleasure in the fact that Germans were willing to sacrifice their lives for him and the German nation. Willingness to die for Germany was viewed as a good thing; a wonderful thing.
The "liberal" view of government that dominates thought in the United States does not embrace Hitler's view that it is "good" for its citizens to die.
However, many political leaders during the 20th century did embrace a view--similar to Hitler's idea--that it was a good thing for their own people to sacrificed their lives: to be willing to "die for the country."
Indeed, many 20th century leaders acted in a very aggressive way to bring about the deaths of their own citizens.
Lenin, Stalin and Mao were just a few of these 20th Century leaders who took pleasure in the deaths of their fellow-citizens.
Why do so many politicians in the United States embrace the idea that it's not necessary to wear a mask? Why do so many people (including, and especially government officials) continue to crowd closely together in groups?
Are they stupid? Are they unaware of how contagious the virus is?
Another interpretation would be that we are now involved in a unique version of the death cult of nationalism: dying for the country; dying for the leader.
Making America "great" again by demonstrating a willingness to "give one's life" for the sake of the country and its leaders.
Richard Koenigsberg
rakoenigsberg1@gmail.com
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