History Repeating?
There seems to be a running theme in the modules; everything I’ve read truly shocks me.
Every single source that I looked at in the archive could have been written this past year. Hell, It wouldn't have surprised me if the articles I read had been written this year. So the big question is…does history repeat itself? At first glance, it appears as though it is repeating. The sheer lack of “learning from your mistakes” with some of the ideologies that are common during the two pandemics has (in my opinion) hampered America and the world when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.
Like some others in class when reading the articles from 1917–1920 it caused me to be harshly reminded of stories I've read throughout this past year. The article that jogged my memory of all the articles I've read was titled Masks not popular; many people ignore health board rules. This article is about the people in Denver who are unmasked. The article mentions a survey was done and only 10% of people were wearing a mask. Some of the reasons that people mentioned for not wearing a mask were
“My nose went to sleep”
“I believe there is a higher power than the authorities of Denver who is looking after my health.”
The head of the department store in town said “We have received no direct orders from the health department and cannot take notice from a newspaper report.”
Some of the arguments that were stated in November 1918 are the same that I've heard in 2021. In July 2020 I read an article on bbc.com titled “Why are Americans so angry about masks?” The article speaks about the mask-wearing issue by drawing it through political party lines and bringing up some people who were saying that wearing masks was unconstitutional. I also have first-hand experience working in retail where I have heard people arguing that masks don't work and the science behind them is false or fabricated to “control the sheep”. (that is an actual quote I heard in the year 2020) So because of this, I did a little digging and I found this article from the New York times about The Anti-Mask League in San Francisco called The Mask Slackers of 1918. While I was reading this article I came across this.
“On Jan. 25, the league held its first organizational meeting, open to the public at the Dreamland Rink, where they united behind demands for the repeal of the mask ordinance and for the resignations of the mayor and health officials.
Their objections included lack of scientific evidence that masks worked and the idea that forcing people to wear the coverings was unconstitutional.”
I brought this quote up during class but I still think it applies. “ In history, the backgrounds change, the costumes change, but the people in the stories remain the same.” I don't think I've ever had a quote I heard from an unrelated topic match something so perfectly.
