A tale of two state reopenings and two governors

A tale of two state reopenings and two governors

This is a tale of two states, two governors, with similar approaches to reopening their states as the worst of the Chinese Coronavirus appears to be behind us, yet with far different reactions to these two governors from the media. One state is Georgia, on the east coast, with a population of 10.6 million, the other Colorado, in the mountain west, with about half the number of people.

Last week Georgia slowly opened, allowing gyms, barbershops, hair salons, tattoo parlors, and bowling alleys to resume business. But not reopening willy-nilly as usual. Recommendations include temperature checks, symptom questions, clients waiting in their cars, social distancing, personal protective gear, disinfection, and so on.

It’s just a small step forward out of their closed down economy. Restaurants opened as well with, “Limited seating, spread out tables, and lots of hand sanitizer.”

Colorado opened a few days later, transitioning from “stay at home” to “safer at home.” Curbside retail and real estate showings began on April 27, with May 1 allowing retail and personal services to reopen, implementing the above guidelines, and on May 4 reopening non-critical offices with lower population density.

Overall, the two approaches are similar, yet the media BY BRIAN C. JOONDEPH hysteria is anything but. The Guardian makes the decision racist with this headline, “Georgia’s Covid-19 reopening pits white governor against black mayors.” The Daily Beastcried, “Georgia’s Governor risks lives to reopen his state.” The Washington Post called it an “Aggressive course to reopen.”

For Colorado, the headlines are more benign. From The Hill, “Colorado governor defends lifting restrictions: We have to make the best decision based on information we have.” Sounds like exactly what Governor Kemp of Georgia is doing. The Denver Post had no problem either saying, “Businesses creak to life as Colorado’s stay-athome order lifts.”

Plans are similar for both states, based on their unique situations, COVID data, hospital capacity, and reasoned judgment. Both states are taking baby steps forward to avoid getting out in front of their skis and having a nasty fall with a disease surge. Yet the media attacked only one of the two governors. Even President Trump publicly disagreed with the Georgia governor. Why the difference?

Politics and intersectionality are the two answers. Governor Kemp of Georgia is a Republican, Governor Polis of Colorado is a Democrat. Everything is political today. Look at how Justice Kavanaugh was treated based on nonsensical accusations of gang rape when he was in high school. Compare this to presumed Democrat nominee Joe Biden credibly accused of rape while a US Senator. One accusation caused media outrage, the other is all but ignored.

Intersectionality is a new word among the progressive woke crowd, referring to all the “isms,” multiple forms of discrimination intersecting within the victim classes.

Kemp is heterosexual, Polis is gay, with a first gentleman husband, and two children. Unlike the media, most Coloradans or Georgians don’t care, judging their governors based on policies and governance. Aside from unclear messages coming out of various government agencies, Polis has handled state response to the virus adequately, taking a mainstream approach, not turning into a dictator as some other governors have. Would the media dare criticize the first openly gay governor in America, and a Democrat? Not on your life. This would explain how two state governors with similar reopening plans, are treated so differently by an unobjective media.