OPINION

MASTERSON ONLINE: Taking up arms

Free Press International recently published a report from Breitbart News that confirmed what I've believed since social turmoil began unfolding across the country and ill-conceived "defund the police" movements, pushed by extreme leftist political ideology, have come under serious consideration in some metropolises.

Lots more Americans are obtaining concealed-carry licenses and purchasing handguns for self-defense than at any time in history. The number of firearm background checks conducted in May shattered the previous record for that month.

For example, FBI numbers show 3,091,455 checks were conducted in May, compared with the previous record of 2,349,309 set in May 2019. May followed April's record-setting number of background checks, the most in any April since background checks on gun sales began back in April 1999.

As a baby boomer, I find it difficult to believe leftist elected officials and governing bodies have actually allowed and encouraged anarchy to take root in some cities under their governance, including Minneapolis, whose council, along with New York City's, is moving toward defunding that city's police department. Little wonder law-abiding citizens are arming themselves at record levels to protect themselves, their families and their property.

I seriously doubt any Arkansas city governed by common sense would vote to do anything but strengthen their resources devoted to law enforcement.

Endless negativity

Many of us by now have formed conclusive opinions about the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. After all, it's been with us for nearly half a year and the news is filled daily with numbing statistics and ever-mutating negative information on the nature of the scourge.

There's no question it's a serious, even potentially fatal virus, particularly among the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. So we each should remain cautious and thoughtful. The only ways we can fight it has been repeated hourly for months: Hand washing, social distancing and wearing masks.

Yet it appears the overall U.S. death rate thankfully is relatively low when compared with the number of those known to be infected and that as many as 85 percent of us who become infected may show few, if any, symptoms.

I also know the saturation of information for months has left so many Arkansans and Americans numb, especially from the national media drumbeat that offers continual fear, loathing and divisiveness, rather than meaningful context during this beyond-partisan presidential election year. What a gross disservice to all Americans.

(A brief, yet related rabbit trail: I communicate daily with increasing numbers of thinking adults who are swearing off the media's daily saturation of covid-19, protests, partisan nasty political attacks, contrived hatreds, or economic bad news. They say that includes television news, radio programs and social media, while explaining they are bone-weary of listening to the constant negativity and fearmongering).

Okay, back to my original point. I noticed one letter-writer expressed these frustrations the other day when he rightly wondered why the number of fatalities, hospitalizations and cured cases attributed to covid-19 in Arkansas aren't incorporated within the same paragraph (or graphic) against the overall number of cases deemed positive, as in a complete context.

With so many opinions about this virus flying about, I also found the following email from John Bomar of Hot Springs worthy of contemplation when it comes to providing another view of context and perspective, considering today's contentious nation where everyone has an opinion, informed or otherwise, and many are quick to take offense over even the smallest matters. Let me know what you think of Mr. Bomar's thoughts, valued readers:

"Good for Governor Hutchinson. The continued tracking of this virus, as if it were the plague rather than a variant of the common cold has become destructive in itself," Bomar writes. "Some 284 hospitalizations in a population of over 3 million is like a single drop in a 10-gallon bucket. And I am sure those hospitalized likely have significant co-morbidity factors that compromise their immune response. Likewise with mortality.

"When will this obsessive nonsense end? Were we to do the same thing with the flu each year, society as we know it would screech to a halt. The sensationalized and dramatized preachers of doom and gloom at this point are the real threat to public health and well-being. Are we to expect that no one will die when infections pass through a population? They always have and always will pick off those most vulnerable. Sad? Yes, but inevitable.

"Corporate newsmakers are profit-driven," he continues. "The industry thrives when people are filled with terror. This has largely been a man-and-media spawned crisis. It has become reprehensible to many of us in the health-care field who have the proper perspective on such things. It has, indeed, become the real plague of modern times."

Doug says he's sick

This, from a social media post under the name Doug Terry, popped up the other day. Lots of people, me included, couldn't have agreed more with his feelings.

"I'm sick of covid-19. I'm sick of black versus white. I'm sick of Democrats versus Republicans. I'm sick of gay versus straight. I'm sick of Christians versus atheists. I'm really sick of the media. I'm sick of no one being allowed to think what they want and feel what they do without offending someone.

"I am sick of the nosey people who call the cops when anyone does anything they don't approve of. I am sick of blaming the whole world for the sins of a few. We're one race--the human race. You want to support President Trump? You do it. It's your choice. You want to support Biden? Fine, also your choice!

"You want to believe in God? Okay, believe in God. You want to believe in magical creatures that fly around and sprinkle fairy dust to make life better? Awesome. Again, your choice.

"But stop thrusting your beliefs on others and not being able to deal with the fact they don't have the same exact mindset as you. Having our own minds is what makes us all individual and beautiful. If you can't handle the fact that you may have a friend that has opposing views as you, then you are not any better than the bigots and the racists. I don't have to agree with everything you believe to be a decent human being and your friend."

Everything Doug says strikes me as spot-on, especially when it comes to logic and common sense in a free and open society. Believe you'd prefer something more controlling and oppressive? Try spending the next year in Hong Kong under the ongoing Communist China crackdown that makes criminals of anyone who criticizes or disagrees with its leaders.

Benji goes ninja

Benji, the 8-pound pup, has adopted stealthy ninja tendencies of late. I say ninja because I'm not quite sure how else to describe his love for dropping flat against the ground and using his front legs and paws to literally drag himself around the yard, or carpet or anywhere the ninja mood strikes.

The other morning we watched, along with passers-by, as he plopped onto his belly and forcefully pulled himself, with back legs stretched out fully behind (and his white, feathery Donald Trump hair flowing) completely around the park bench where we sat chuckling. The crawling ninja indeed makes us laugh.

Now go out into the world and treat everyone you meet exactly like you want them to treat you.

Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at [email protected].

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