I don’t know about you, but I can always depend on “the evangelicals” to bring a fresh spin to otherwise horrifying experiences. Their Jesus is so different than my Jesus. Their sassy ability to cast out demons with a puff of air, or shaking fingers is dumbfounding. And, surprisingly, they are all very crotchety old, white guys who know best for all of us because they maintain and broadcast the rules and regulations to maintain a white patricarchy. They know the rules, they write the rules and anyone who is not a white male is someone who needs to be repressed, denounced and “taught” to behave. Could it be that this whole uproar is based on the screaming mimis who want to hold onto their dwindling majority as “everyone else” seems to be taking over the world?

You can imagine how Pat Robertson’s recent video sent a frisson of fear and delight down my spine. He wants us to stop cowering in our cars and go to our Churches. I guess that is why Trump wanted Easter to be the “back to normal” from COVID-19. He is declaring it “done” by Easter. Poor Pat, he is in the age group of those who are most susceptible.

This jewel from the televangelist Kenneth Copeland.

”I blow the wind of God on you. You are destroyed forever, and you’ll never be back.
Thank you, God. Let it happen. Cause it to happen.”
—Kenneth Copeland

This man is delusional. After he declared the end of COVID-19 at the end of March, he’s still at it, declaring heat and wind to destroy the virus. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2TzYYav3ac
— Brandon Kimber (@BKimber) April 3, 2020

Isn’t Pastor Copeland delightful? His wizened face contorting and shouting and dang, he is gonna lick that COVID by Easter so we can wear our outfits and have breakfast with the family at Cracker Barrel. What fun it will be to see Memaw and Paps while enjoying the all-you-can-eat waffles and dessert stations. Truly, how could anyone watch this clown shout with this nutty back-up band and begin to think that he walks with God, living the golden rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”?

While there seems to be more rings added to this circus, there are beds in tents in Central Park and St. John the Divine is also having tents and beds set up inside the Cathedral and crypt. The Javitts Center is filling up, and there are remote operations on Long Island and Queens to accomodate the overflow of sick people. A bus of healthcare professionals are leaving Ithaca tomorrow to go assist.

In New York State alone, as of today we have had 138,457 cases of Corona virus confirmed (+6627 today), 5,489 people died (+731 today), with a 4% fatality rate, and 14,236 recovered. The numbers are not climbing (across the board) today which is so reassuring that the stress we are under—and the give ups are worth it to know at least it is not on a wild tear continually climbing. Fingers crossed that this might be the beginning of good change. My doctor (when we had a telemedicine visit) spoke to his symptoms and his experience—and mentioned that he has seen glimmers of it even prior to Christmas. Rob said the same—recalling a really sharp, hard cough he had in December. So Corovid-19 has been sneaking around even before the new year? How much is the CCD and President holding back? More than what we think…I know. Gov. Cuomo continues to pursue this. His spirit and dogged quest to help and support is the only true leadership we see in our state.

The rest of the spin and con continues from the daily rally with the delusional president and his men telling lies and self praising. The Acting Head of the Navy resigned after his awful behavior yesterday. And so much more around power to the powerful, money to the rich and the rest of us afraid without friendship, consolation and leadership. More, I am sure…later.

The Queen spoke today on the BBC. She gives us hope (as does the brusque manner of our Andrew Cuomo). Elizabeth knows horror and pain. She knows separation and commitment. She knows how to express compassion and rally some esprit des corps. “Better days will return.” I hope she is right. True leadership reassures and we have few examples during this horrendous time as an american.

I am not sleeping well. And when I do sleep, I am dreaming horrifying, almost hallucinogenic images of dystopic landscapes, of existence underground, and of a faceless Donald Trump upon which a spectrum of faces emerge and segue one into the next. I watch the numbers, the reports but try to steer clear of the full firehose of news—but little is good beyond the animal pictures and those of what people are cooking. The fear of the unknown, the fear of having no control is monumental.

The racists are out in droves. Secretary of State Pompeo refused to sign a document at the G7 insisting that this virus was called the Wutan Virus or the President trying to jam “Chinese Virus” down our throats as common parlance. Thank God the press did not run with that one—and gave it no oxygen to help it grow, puff and spread. People are being beaten up on the street over their race—and “funny stuff” like the photo to the left is somehow right and appropriate. I know that that evil demon, Stephen Miller, the architect of so many of the truly nasty policies this administration has tried to put in place—is delighted in his success and focusing on more filth to spread. Help me to understand how any of this is funny, cute or amusing. Is this all about “owning the libs”?

We have religious crazies declaring victory over the “destroyer” Covid-19. Oh man, so Satan=Covid-19. And these are the people who are communicating with the believers. This is for the folks that say science has no relevance—and that one just needs a “Strong Stand of Faith” to overcome this virus. I am horrified by this stupidity and how it is going to effect the red states, and the rural communities. These mega churches speak to a community of people who have not really been heard politically except when it came to electing Trump.

Then we have Little Miss Face Lift, White House Evangelical, Paula White raising money for her own “spiritual hospital” (her own church) during this time. Its so messed up. It’s so about lies and con— Along with Liberty University insisting that their students all come back from spring break—essentially turning their campus into an enormous hot spot and focus of this virus without a significant medical infrastructure to support that immediate break out. I wish I could laugh as these characters are so exaggerated and distorted. Their words are a mashup of code, of false promises and untruths, interwoven with Bible versus and odd prayers. Their focus is financial and truly the successful are those who con for money—the Rich are the enlightened and blessed. It is truly medieval —those who are not blessed are just not working hard enough or deserving of the blessing. And these are just two cons for today. The world is writhing in this nastiness.

I need to get focus. I need to pull in positive. I need to find my center and my sense of humor.