The expert, the righteously ignorant, and the politically murderous!

The views expressed herein are solely those of the writer.

By Professor Richard A. Byron-Cox PhD©

I begin by apologizing and craving your indulgence to open this piece with a personal story. Reason being, I think it’s useful to buttress the simple thesis I seek to promulgate. During my recent sojourn in SVG, a fishbone was stuck in my throat for three days, following which, I developed a persistent cough that continues as I write. After taking medication both at home and in Germany with no relief, I sought expert help. I told the doctor my story, conveying my belief that the bone was in my throat. He smiled and quietly said he doubted the bone is causing the cough. I was flabbergasted, but he is the doctor.

He made a thorough examination including putting his finger down my throat and restated his doubt. He ordered MRI and the like. The radiologists sent back pictures showing I suffer from a very rare condition, “Eagle Syndrome” where a bone in my neck is overgrown. I have since had one major operation with a second scheduled shortly.

The above demonstrates why expertise must not be trifled with as is presently being done by some in SVG as we face a possible Covid-19 explosion. I was convinced that my coughing was because of the bone. While my assumption was wrong, it was logical. However, the unadulterated ignorance being preached by some church leaders vis a vis Covid is beyond foolish. It’s murderous, and therefore criminal. I have searched different Bible versions and cannot find an instance of condemnation or mild discredit of medical science. In fact, Luke, a disciple of Jesus, was a medical doctor. I am not a Christian, but like Anton Chekhov -a Christian and medical doctor- I believe it is wrong to destroy life you cannot create. This gospel has not reached these merchants of deaths using God’s name to support murder.

These so-called men of God believe that He gave man wisdom to write the Bible, the manual that guides us to attain the Kingdom, but refused to give the same man wisdom to engineer medical science to save lives. This is proof positive as Baptist Minister, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” I am always intrigued by these pastors who say God will protect you from everything, but they and their sons always carrying guns!!
And then there are the power-hungry political mercenaries including so-called social commentors hiding under an invisible fig leaf of patriotism, claiming omniscient in medicine, virology, vaccines and of course, Covid-19. Their pronouncements assure the haplessly gullible, they completed the best medical school in the universe, maxima cum laude. The reality is the gods only cursed them with a terrible hate for Gonsalves, which blinds them to objective reality including this threatening catastrophe that could engulf SVG. It is stunning -albeit filthily so, hence the reason he wears a mask over his mouth-, that a Vincentian lawyer discovered that Covid-19 is an intestinal parasite only treatable with deworming medicine for horses!! Even more filthily stunning, radio stations welcome him daily to preach this “Dummheit”!! Thanks to these behaviors, SVG trails the rest of the Caribbean in being vaccinated against Covid-19. The result: Almost 200% increase in deaths in two months. Many, including friends and acquaintances of mine did not have to so needlessly die!

One would think with Covid on the rampage and SVG having more than 1% of its population as active cases, it’s time for national unity, solidarity and social cohesion. No Sir! Some union misleaders insist on holding the nation’s children for ransom in their infantile spite against Gonsalves. The pretext is that the health of the entire nation MUST be subjected to their personal and “union right”. Such folly is rejected by rationale and reason, and by every society and every court in this world! Intelligence says that the common good includes all. These union misleaders, reject the very notion of a national community. One is forced to conclude that extreme selfishness is the cement that holds their members together.
What seems lost on these righteously ignorant, unionized bigots, and politically murderous, is that people are losing their most precious gift, life! That SVG’S total (not merely biological, but economic, social and psychological) health is under serious treat! That theirs is not only an assault on reason, but an insidious inducement for the unsuspecting and unaware to be accomplices in their own deaths. This behavior is an attack on the humanity of Vincentians and must be deemed criminal. For in truth and in fact these are Macbethians, preying on the natural skepticism of people, taking their lives as sacrifices to purchase their imaginary castle in the sky, or their illusionary heroism here in the realm of mortals. And, demonizing the experts, they wantonly destroy the innocent, while seeking to paralyze this nation without a semblance of remorse!!

© Richard A. Byron-Cox is the author of Were Mama’s Tears in vain?