COVID-19 AND THE PLEASURES OF DENIAL

COVID-19 and the Pleasures of Denial

COVID-19 and the Pleasures of Denial

Blog Article

Catastrophe provokes varied responses. Particularly if the catastrophe is truly unexpected, like the arrival of interstellar aliens on the White House lawn.

One of the more common responses to disaster is the psychological defense of denial—the problem doesn’t exist. COVID-19 demonstrates that denial is more than protean; it can provide (for some) pleasant and profitable experiences.


Denial by the Rebel Hero

We begin with the remarkable, very Texan saga of Shelley Luther, Dallas hairstylist. (I am a proud former Texan, who spent four happy years in Houston.)

Ms. Luther’s beauty salon, “Salon a La Mode,” reopened on April 24th. Many have noted the particular challenge hair salons present for controlling COVID-19. In Germany, reopening requires owners to launder all gowns after each use; to sanitize all surfaces and instruments after every customer; that both stylist and client wear masks and engage in minimal oral communication, as the virus is spread by conversation.

Reopening Salon a La Mode was illegal. Governor Greg Abbott had placed an order than anyone violating his lockdown could face fines and 180 days in jail.

Ms. Luther was ticketed. In court, she refused to pay the fine, apologize, or wait the two days to reopen before the lockdown was lifted statewide. Instead, she told the judge that she was “feeding her kids” and would immediately return to her salon.

Sentenced to seven days in jail for contempt of court, support for her “stand” surged. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged the judge to “reconsider and immediately release her.” Governor Abbott reversed himself, saying, “Throwing Texans in jail who had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical.” Despite his order of up to 180 days of jail time, he said, “I will not allow that to happen.”

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick promised not only to pay Ms. Luther’s fine but accept house arrest in her place. No longer an outlaw, she became an icon of the “freedom to infect” movement.

Sarah Palin came from Alaska to visit. Senator Ted Cruz got a trim.

After the Texas Supreme Court issued its ruling liberating Ms. Luther, she cried upon seeing her supporters.

She had defied the law and won. The governor, lieutenant governor had declared their direct legal orders null and void (in Texas lawlessness does possess historic cachet). Her salon received extraordinary positive publicity. Shelley Luther was a hero.

And a richer one.

Her GoFundMe legal defense fund, set up before she reopened her salon, has collected over $500,000. Her celebrityhood may also help with her alternate job as nightclub singer for the band “Crush” (she’s not a bad performer).

And for those who think her denial of concern about the virus was staged, there is the television interview of March 11th from KHOU, Houston. Ms. Luther and her boyfriend are about to board a cruise boat out of Galveston. Asked if they’re worried about the many cruise clients were getting sick with COVID-19, he replies that he’s checked it out with a medical buddy, and it’s no worse than the common cold.

Denial as a National Narrative

There’s nothing to worry about folks. Really.

President Trump’s many statements about the “unimportant” virus began at least by January 22nd when he said in Davos, “It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” Since then have been statements again of total control, that “it’ll disappear, like a miracle,” plus declarations that the pews would be full by Easter. More recently, Vice-president Pence, after exhorting meatpacking workers to return to work, pointed out that things would be fine by Memorial Day, May 25th. Before her appointment as Presidential Press Secretary, in February Kayleigh McAneny stated the coronavirus “is never coming to the United States.

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