Should We Sympathize With Unvaccinated People Who Are Putting Others At Risk?

I've always been of the school that we all make our own beds in life, and have to live (or die) with the results.

If this sounds like a lack of empathy, it's not. It's just a practical reality. A lot of people don't believe in science and would rather take a medicine for animals (cows, horses, etc.) than something approved for humans.

I'm trying to refrain from calling these people who think bleach, or put light up their body cavities, as a way to fight the new deadly Delta variant of the killer virus plaguing our country, stupid... but it's not easy.

Everyday, I read and see examples of the unvaccinated dying in record numbers in states (particularly the ones with Republican governors). It's discouraging.

Here's four current stories about the unvaccinated that are admittedly sad, but that illustrate my point.

-- Caleb Wallace, who helped organize the "Freedom Rally" on July 4, 2020 for those "sick of the government being in control of our lives," is now on a ventilator after becoming infected with the virus, according to his pregnant wife who consented to a "do not resuscitate order."

-- Phil Valentine a conservative talk radio host from Tennessee who had been a vaccine skeptic died in a hospital gasping for air.

Ironically, after testing positive for the virus he told his listeners he didn't get vaccinated because he thought he'd die.

But after moving into the critical care unit his brother Mark said he regretted he wasn't a more vocal advocate of the vaccination. It was too late by then.

-- Dick Farrel, a former Florida conservative talk show host died from COVID-19, once called Dr. Anthony Fauci a "power-tripping freak" and urged people not to get vaccinated.

The radio station he worked for called him a pioneer "shock talk host" who pulled no punches. 

-- In a heartbreaking story a middle-aged couple who waited to get vaccinated until they thought it was safe, both became infected from the virus.

Lisa Steadman had spent more than a week in a central Florida hospital recovering from a serious case of COVID-19, while Ronald Steadman, who had also contracted the coronavirus, battled a milder case from home.

Lisa kept in contact with check-in phone calls. Before she checked of the hospital the last thing he said was that "he was improving."

When she came home it was like a scene from a horror movie; she found Ron unresponsive on his side of the bed. Their three barking dogs led her to him. He was dead.

She explained to reporters that it wasn't like they were against a vaccine. They just thought it was developed too rapidly.

It would be easy to go on. Even easier to judge each of these unnecessary deaths. Every victim chose not to be vaccinated, either because of their radical ideology or they just didn't trust getting the shot because of all the disinformation circulating online.

I would be remiss if I didn't admit that it pisses me off that people go unvaccinated during a pandemic. They're killing other people, regardless of their reasoning.