Hypocrisy

In today’s Spokesman-Review (June 18), two articles in the Northwest section caught my eye.

The first detailed the passing of Gonzaga superfan Christian Layman. What an incredible fan this young man was and how sad that he was only 32. At the end of the article, it says that because the “COVID-19 restrictions prevent an open funeral, it will be livestreamed.”

And then I read the article on page 3, “Distancing rules selectively applied,” by Rich Lowry and felt immense rage as well as immense sadness. Mr. Lowry points out that you are not permitted to visit the deathbed of a loved one with COVID-19, you are not permitted to have a proper funeral and most certainly not permitted to have a gathering at the gravesite. BUT, allowing “thousands of strangers to march together for hours in spontaneous, disorderly groups?” Apparently, this is absolutely no problem for elected officials.

And, to put the icing on the cake, Mr. Lowry states that “More than 1,000 public health experts signed a letter calling the protests “vital to the national health.” In summary, Mr. Lowry states, and I completely agree, “What a contemptible betrayal of the public trust.”

Mr. Layman is not permitted a funeral befitting a young man who so enjoyed life, but thousands can congregate, chant, spit, carry on – most without masks – with the full endorsement of a thousand public health officials and, obviously, our governor as well as many of our elected officials. Can you say, hypocrisy?

Rick Wilhite

Spokane Valley