The Evolution of COVID-19 Discourse
To shift away from the events unfolding in Afghanistan, this week I'll be talking about the still ever-present COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Not so much the rising case numbers, hospitalizations, new treatments, or hospital capacities, but more on the discourse of governmental officials and how it has or hasn't changed. What is interesting about following many prominent Governors, Senators, and Representatives on Twitter, is seeing just how their language has changed or stayed the same over time. In addition to the retweets corresponding to this blog post found on my Twitter (@EllisonRemy) profile, I also will reference a news article from The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/house/564601-gops-shift-on-vaccines-is-source-of-tension-for-democrats.
As this pandemic has raged on for over a year now, so has the tensions between the appropriate ways to stop it. From this, we see news almost every day about what this Senator said, or what that governor did, really only to add to the confusion about what really is the best way forward. States like Florida with one of the most outspoken governors- Ron DeSantis- and one of the worst COVID outcomes of this year, make for a great case study to which approaches work and which do not. What is less talked about though, is the sudden, but not so subtle, change in tone from ranking members of Congress like Mitch McConnell and even leading TV news personalities on Fox News on not only the seriousness of COVID, but the importance of everyone taking the vaccines. This shift is talked about in Hanna Trudo's July article for The Hill which explains potential reasons for this shift away from their original stances- personal freedoms to not wear a mask, medical freedoms to not get vaccinated, or federally mandated lock-downs due to the virus. Trudo cites the former chair of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, with a quote from him claiming the “sudden pleading for people to get vaccinated stems from the fact that they’re looking at their constituents die.”. While this is both quite sad and concerning on multiple fronts, is this the only reason? Partisanship?
Alternatively, you still continue to see government officials fight with state and county school organizations regarding masks and virtual school mandates. With even some school board meetings making the national news! Many parents or local activists comparing the mask rules to Hitler's Germany (see Twitter). It is certainly a crazy age for politics, but most certainly one for media.
Hi Remy,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the shift in tone among certain politicians when addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has been fascinating to witness. The quote from the chair of the Republican National Committee about the politicians changing their message due to "looking at their constituents die" is as bleak as it is truthful. It reflects the dire reality of the pandemic that we've finally come to a point where theatrical politics is being set aside to properly serve constituents. I especially think that Senator Mitch McConnell's tweet from September 1st, which you retweeted, is a striking example of this topic. I had no idea that Senator McConnell fought polio as a child until recently, but knowing that, it makes sense that he would advocate for vaccination. I can't help but wonder if the current politicization of COVID would be different if McConnell had advocated for the vaccine earlier.