One of the best episodes of the original Star Trek series is "The Doomsday Machine." Widely understood as a retelling of Moby Dick, it pits the arguably insane Commodore Decker against Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. The latter behave quite rationally in quite a difficult situation, while Decker is essentially determined to commit suicide, even if he takes the entire crew of the Enterprise with him. Fortunately, Kirk and Spock realize this before it is too late. Spock, who can be coldly irritating, even goes as far as to tell Decker, "Your last attempt [to destroy the 'whale'] resulted in a wrecked ship and a dead crew."
As expected, our leaders are acting no more rationally than Commodore Decker in the last few days than they previously were acting. If only they were merely "actors" like William Windom instead of real-life madmen. As they have been doing, they keep doubling down, with the philosophy of Commodore Decker: just keep destroying ships regardless of whether it is an effective strategy or not. Yes, no matter if "containment" is working or not, no matter if travel restrictions help, no matter if wearing masks makes a difference, let's just keep piling on the rules and restrictions, let's just keep destroying the economy further and forcing millions of poor people into greater long-term poverty, let's just keep at it. Instead of "keep calm and carry on," it's all about "Hide under a bleach-soaked set of covers until we tell you you can come out."
What we need now is some sort of Mr. Spock to confront our leaders with the cold truth when these madmen respond to rational discourse with the equivalent of, "Don't you understand! We've got to destroy that thing!" It's time we all told them calmly and rationally, "Your previous efforts are a complete failure. They resulted in no discernable improvement. You've already destroyed the economy for a good long time and promoted insanity and anti-social behavior." If only we had a Mr. Spock around who could threaten them with being relieved of command to get them to act rationally at least briefly, and a Captain Kirk who could just put an end to the charade once and for all. Following the plaintive cry of "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?" the few of us who are still sane cry out for a hero to step in and do something heroic instead of having to endure endless stupidity and idiocy.
Here is your action assignment for today. Start blitzing public officials with paper mail and email and web site comment forms. Tell them in plain English: "STOP THE MADNESS." Tell them that incumbents of both parties will pay at the polling booth if they don't just stop pandering to mass hysteria and end the states of emergencies and useless travel and public assembly restrictions. Don't just sit there like mindless sheep, and shut off the TV and radio that tell you what you should be thinking and doing. Don't bother reading the newspaper filled with drivel. Tell the media that you have stopped paying attention as well via email, paper mail, and comment forms. Think for yourselves. Use your brains. Let them know that they are mad-- and that you are angry and won't put up with it forever. Silence is consent. They will interpret silence as approval. Let them know that you not only do not approve, but that you find their actions appalling, cowardly, disgusting, and reprehensible.