Merriam-Webster defines “reckless endangerment” as “the offense of recklessly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury or death to another person.” In my view, President Trump should, when he is no longer president, be prosecuted for reckless endangerment, for he recklessly endangered the people of the United States by failing to inform them about the coming danger of COVID19, by making light of it when it arrived, by obstructing and undermining the efforts of public health professionals to contain the virus, by setting a baneful example of indifference to the health and safety of others. I believe governors who behave in a similar way are also guilty of reckless endangerment of the people of their states. The same applies to officials in local government. From the President down to the mayor or county executive, these are guided by the basest of political considerations. 

Ordinary people carry on about their liberty and their rights when they are required to wear masks, when the sporting events of children are curtailed, when occupancy is restricted, when they are inconvenienced in any way by efforts to contain the virus. Business people resist efforts to limit the risk of spreading disease at their premises. Devotees of Trump consider disease prevention a criticism of their Führer and themselves.

All these aggrieved people, for their various motives, bring pressure to bear on elected officials to restrict efforts to contain this plague, and very many officials succumb to this pressure in fear of displeasing the voters, the businessmen, and their demigod, Mr. Trump.

Of course these people conceal their indifference to the common good by alleging that their “liberty” and “rights” are at stake. In these times, appeals to “liberty” and “rights” are too often the first recourse of minorities, like the evangelicals, the “gun rights” community, bikers against helmets, homophobes, misogynists, tobacco companies, in short any who press their own agendas against the will and welfare of their fellow citizens.

Pundits say that America is a nation divided in two, meaning divided into red and blue communities. I agree that America is a divided nation, but divided into many, many factions, parties, PACs, lobbies, movements, families, individuals who insist on their own way only and show their disdain for the common good. Does America have a death-wish?