Why Is One Not Like The Others?

An Algebra teacher walks into a classroom at the beginning of the school year....hands out a syllabus and says to the students, “The first test is next Wednesday.  I expect you to pass it.  If you don’t all pass this test it will not be my fault, it will be your fault.  Maybe it will also be your parents fault, because it is up to them to see that you study,  but it won’t be mine.  I take no responsibility for your failures.  Good luck,  you’re on your own so get to it!”  Wednesday comes and everyone fails the exam.  Eventually students and parents complain to the school administration.  The teacher boasts to the administration about his superior teaching methods and he says many people have told him that he is a great teacher.  He says that if the students failed it was because it was due to their lack of effort and inferior ability.  He says he should not be expected to teach algebra to such stupid kids. The teacher is fired.

A football coach holds a team meeting prior to the first scheduled practice, hands out equipment, but there is a shortage of helmets, shoulder pads and mouth guards.  The coach says not to worry, protective equipment is overrated anyway. The coach tells the team, “Here’s the schedule.  We play Central City in two weeks, on the 25th.  I’m expecting you to get yourselves in game condition and I expect you to win that game.  I’ll see you on the 25th!” The night of the game the team is unprepared and they lose 72 to 0.  Seven players are carted off the field with concussions  or shoulder injuries due to lack of proper protective equipment.   The next morning the coach is bragging about the great coaching decisions he made the night before, but blames the loss on the game officials and on the opposing coach for cheating.  Before the next Friday night the coach is fired.

A President of the United States, in the time of a growing, worldwide pandemic deals with the situation in virtually the same way as the teacher and the coach, giving inconsistent directions, or none at all as to how to survive and overcome the disease.  He claims no responsibility and blames others.  He refuses to listen to, or support, the medical experts.  He refuses to supply front line workers with the equipment that they need to protect themselves.  He downplays the threat and boasts of self perceived achievements while more and more people become infected and more and more people die.  He is adored by over one third of the people, and supported by the people with the power to remove him.  The rest of the people have only their fears and anxieties to guide them.

Why is one not like the others?