WS Chronicle

By Dr. James B. Ewers Jr.

The year 2021 has been challenging and eventful. Nothing has come close to it in my lifetime.

Upon reflection, some things took center stage and not always for the good. These events did not warrant a curtain call.

They were shameful and shocking.

Before the shame and the shock, it is my view that COVID-19 and the variants served as the backdrop for all that went on in 2021. This virus ran roughshod over all of us. We witnessed firsthand the pain and terrible suffering caused by this once-in-a-lifetime illness.

All of us were affected in some way. There were no detours to take. The coronavirus came crashing into our lives. It left a path of physical anguish and mental torment that is still with us.

Yes, we have the vaccine, and it does work. The problem is that not enough of us think it works. In my opinion, not taking it is a bad decision.

There are people in the United States of America who are uncontrollably stubborn. Facts, science, and statistics don’t matter to them.

Reports say that about 39% of Americans are not vaccinated. That is a bad statistic. Our lives are at risk. By not getting vaccinated and boosted, we are playing around with our lives. What we have in this country is a healthy dose of arrogance and ignorance when it comes to some issues.

Thus, the creation and beginning of “The Big Lie.” The creator of it has become a pied piper to millions of followers. The rhetoric rendered by these people is nonsensical and irrational. Many in this camp are followers. They hear people in power and those perceived to have power say they believe the lie. As a result, they get on the bandwagon. Slowly but surely, they are seeing that the “Big Lie” is just a bunch of fabrications woven together. It has no basis.

We as Americans have one president and one vice president and we know who they are. Those who say otherwise are unfamiliar with the rule of law. There was an election held in November and it has been certified and verified by the court system in America. Despite this, a faction of Americans continues to spew out these untruths. My hope for the new year is that we dispel and disarm this myth once and for all.

The fact of the matter is that the “Big Lie” is simply a big lie.

Many of the same people who support it are unvaccinated, yet are the beneficiaries of President Biden’s Build Back America programs. That is both hypocritical and self-serving. Their moral compass is low and has led to this split in our America.

According to reports, the Omicron variant has been detected in every state in the Union. Now more than ever, it is important to get vaccinated and boosted.

The good news, if any, is that the symptoms are not as severe, which means fewer people will pass away from it.

However, some people see it differently. Christina Ramirez, a biostatistician at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “I don’t want to be an alarmist, but I don’t think that you can let your guard down.”

Currently, there have been approximately 154,000 cases DAILY over the past 14 days.

So, as we prepare for 2022, let’s take our health more seriously. Let’s stamp out and strike down all facets of the “Big Lie.” 

Support President Biden. 

Get vaccinated and boosted and encourage others to do the same.

America being together and healthy beats the alternative.

James B. Ewers Jr., Ed.D., is a former tennis champion at Atkins High School in Winston-Salem and played college tennis at Johnson C. Smith University, where he was all-conference for four years. He is a retired college administrator. He can be reached at overtimefergie.2020@yahoo.com.