In an effort to revive the economy that once was a talking point for President Donald Trump's reelection, Trump supporters are calling for non-essential businesses and other entities to reopen, bucking the advice of health experts who warn of a second, more damaging wave of the virus that's already killed over 70 thousand Americans.
Some people say that deaths are inevitable and that the country should reopen because a weakened economy is more dangerous than widespread avoidable death. They don't seem to factor in that a second wave of deaths would only further cripple the economy, likely more irreparably.
Writer Bethany Mandel, in a lengthy Twitter thread attempted to justify a premature reopening.
This isn’t about greed. It’s survival. People can’t buy food or pay rent or mortgages. Small businesses are closing… https://t.co/mQ0ylVEx2w— Bethany S. Mandel (@Bethany S. Mandel) 1588780887.0
Mandel said the terms of lockdown orders had been made in bad faith and that if these go on much longer, society as a whole would be destroyed. She then falsely claimed there was never any shortage of lifesaving ventilators.
We never had ventilator shortages. My local pediatric ER converted to a COVID ward and now sits empty. What are we… https://t.co/rKJKQUBz1Z— Bethany S. Mandel (@Bethany S. Mandel) 1588782980.0
Then, she told her followers that she didn't care if they referred to her as a "grandma killer."
You can call me a Grandma killer. I’m not sacrificing my home, food on the table, all of our docs and dentists, eve… https://t.co/xMIizKu7oI— Bethany S. Mandel (@Bethany S. Mandel) 1588783206.0
So, naturally "grandma killer" soon began trending on Twitter as people started pointing out the rampant flaws in the argument for premature reopening.
Bethany. You’re a writer. You can keep working from home. What you’re advocating is for people who can’t do their j… https://t.co/gMLwNVahya— Sam Adler-Bell (@Sam Adler-Bell) 1588790593.0
The false choice between corona deaths and starvation presumes the government has no ability to provide people with… https://t.co/MZGmBeyTAD— Hunter Walker (@Hunter Walker) 1588793453.0
I think you were probably done before this started. This tweet says deep down you only care about yourself. A coup… https://t.co/a6WD7HPMGc— Joe Lockhart (@Joe Lockhart) 1588793967.0
People still don’t understand wtf a virus is https://t.co/DhFctZwn7y— Bree Newsome Bass (@Bree Newsome Bass) 1588796326.0
Mandel's Twitter thread was met with mockery.
“I don’t care if you die, I’m taking my family to Outback Steakhouse!!!! Your grandma can CHOKE” https://t.co/CBDKfh3sjU— 𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔪 𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔰 (@𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔪 𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔰) 1588787822.0
I WAS TOLD BY APPLECARE THAT I COULD KILL YOUR GRANDMA https://t.co/XHGKjTkUHS— Desus Nice (@Desus Nice) 1588795501.0
Hey everyone, come check out this tweet from Grandma Killer. Let’s hear what Grandma Killer has to say, because it’… https://t.co/Cvs7EkXMIN— Tom Ley (@Tom Ley) 1588789363.0
Don't be a grandma killer.
For a refresher on how deadly pandemics can be, check out The Great Influenza, available here.