My Opinion About the BIG News Today (April 28)
Big bird flu story today …
A distressing title to say the least.
One that certainly caught my eye. I’m sure that’s why the title was used. Sensationalism sells. However, it also triggered a very recent memory.
Barely a week ago, a local news station in my neck of the woods posted a simple request from the Wildlife department on Facebook asking people to consider taking down their bird feeders for a second year in a row to help reduce the spread of bird flu.
I skimmed the responses and as expected there were next to zero people who expressed a willingness to cooperate.
On the contrary, the midwesterners in my neck of the woods cast aspersions, cracked jokes, and outright refused to follow the recommendations. The experts were mocked and the seriousness of the situation downplayed. Instead, they accused the big THEY of trying to create fear. They made jokes about bird’s wearing masks.
They even summoned their friends and neighbors to put up more bird feeders and celebrate their freedom to enjoy a harmless hobby.
If someone had decided to post a response in support of employing this small proactive measure, they would have been publicly crucified. Social media has become the center of the village where we publicly scorn and shame, ridicule and threaten our neighbors. At the end of the day, however, it really boils down to one very important thing.
Americans don’t like, trust, or respect experts in any field. Research is no longer seen as our best option for solving big problems.
What does this tell me about how humans will deal with the challenges of climate change? You guessed it. Just like they’ve dealt with the world pandemic and the bird flu. Good luck!
I struggle daily with the possibility that this may be as good as it get.
Teresa Roberts is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
