In watching and reading about the daily Presidential Coronavirus Task Force briefings from the White House, there are often two differing viewpoints—what I actually saw during the press conference and what was reported. The two are not the same.
The view of the reporters is so jaundiced against the President and his team, that they are not even able to get the facts right. Their opinion on the commentary has become, in their eyes, the facts. They continue poking holes, distributing fake news, and guiding the people of this country toward fear and hopelessness. The leadership of the Democratic Party do the same. Hollywood “stars” also say horrible things. They all should be ashamed.
How many times have you read about some actor or actress saying that Trump is a murderer because of his response on COVID-19? Reporters know that Trump is not a murderer. He is not premeditatedly killing American citizens. So the story has no credibility, yet they write it anyway.
Democrats have said Trump’s response was slow and resulted in many deaths. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) likened Trump to Nero watching Rome burn. She said that “As the President fiddles, people are dying.” When Trump first banned travel from China in January, however, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden attacked Trump’s “record of hysteria, xenophobia and fear mongering,” and Bernie Sanders said he wouldn’t shut down the borders and condemned the President’s xenophobia. Other Democrats joined in their criticism.
At the same time, the mainstream media, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, Vox and others said that Trump’s travel ban would not work, was emotional and political, and began printing stories sympathetic to China. Then they criticized Trump for not closing down travel sooner.
Another example is the Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General issuing a report that there was a shortage of COVID-19 tests. The HHS Secretary said this was the first he had heard of it when asked by a reporter. President Trump questioned the reporters who were circulating the story and found out that the Inspector General that issued the false report was appointed by the immediate past president. The reporters knew the source was not credible and was following a political agenda, but reported the story anyway.
Either you are part of the problem or part of the solution. Hollywood, the news media, or the Democratic Party leadership have not made one suggestion of how Trump and his team could do a better job. Just that he is a murderer, xenophobe and worse. Calling people names, writing stories with no credible sources, saying hateful things, stirring hopelessness and fear, does not help us solve this pandemic. We need to be working together as one body, as described in 1 Corinthians. Verse 25 of chapter 12 says,
“There should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”
This is exhorting believers in Christ, but it is also how we as Americans should behave during this time of crisis. This holds for all of us. We are either part of the problem or part of the solution.