Uncertain Trumpet

Written April 8, 2020

1 Corinthians 14:8 seems to me to speak to our journey with COVID-19. "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (KJV)

From the very beginning of this ordeal I have contended that no politician of any party or any office should be saying anything about COVID-19 except "Pay attention to Dr. Fauci and follow the CDC recommendations."

Yes, they are human and not perfect. In a novel situation much is still to be learned. But they have laid out a reliable, stable path. That is in frightening contrast to the uncertainty and contradictions coming from politicians pretending they know what they don't know and arguing with each other out of arrogant ignorance.

Argue about who first politicized COVID-19 if you wish, but this never should have been part of political maneuvering. It should have been addressed as a public health challenge for the whole country (world) handled by those we have entrusted with the responsibility to protect us all.

We are being victimized by not just one uncertain trumpet but a whole chorus of them with neither score or conductor.

Further response April 10, 2020

 I have seen quite a bit of grumbling about panic buying and hoarding (even still). I must say I neither saw nor heard anything in any of the media I follow, nor from the CDC, nor even from the administration or any politician that could be interpreted as encouraging panic or hoarding. I have no empirical basis for defining what triggered panic buying and hoarding, but from my experience with human nature, I strongly suspect that uncertainty feeds such behaviors. In that regard, I suggest that the "uncertain trumpets," especially in the early stages of this journey contributed to any number of irrational behaviors. As "what if?" conjectures can never be verified, we'll never know what would have happened if all the political voices had in unison said, "Pay attention to Dr. Fauci and follow CDC recommendations." I have to believe much panic could have been averted, and perhaps even this all would be trailing off by now.