Monday open thread: The Obama Variant

Former President Barack Obama celebrated his 60th birthday this past weekend at a scaled-down party. All attendees had to be vaccinated. Pictures of the good time being had by all were plentiful on Twitter and other media. And the mouthbreathers are pissed. They compare Pres. Obama's shindig with the biker rally at Sturgis, South Dakota, and call out supposed liberal hypocrisy.

Again. The Obamas followed all local health protocols and made sure everyone in attendance was vaccinated. Sturgis, meanwhile, is a congregation of anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, COVID-deniers, and general reprobates who care not a whit for their health or the health of the communities to which they will return. We all remember the rally last summer, which led to surges in parts of the country to which the bikers returned.

What really angers those calling out the Obamas and liberals in general is that Barack Obama was able to have a party and celebrate a milestone because he and his guests took all the precautions they were supposed to take, and by doing so got to enjoy themselves without guilt. The Obama birthday bash will not engender COVID outbreaks. However, within two weeks, expect illness and death to be spread by the Sturgis miscreants. And they will be looked down upon as disease vectors, because of their utter and callous disregard for anyone but themselves.

Those of us who have followed the rules and have been responsible during this almost-two year pandemic deserve to be able to enjoy life. Those who haven't should remove themselves to caves where they can live in "freedom", untouched by demands of the broader society. Obligation is seen as oppression by people who've never been told "no" in their lives. 

Take the complaints as nothing other than gaslighting from people who, deep down, know they're doing something wrong, but who don't want to be called on it. It's the idiom of the selfish right.

This is your open thread.