It's over?

As I understand it, both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have declared we are no longer in a state of emergency due to COVID-19. 

I am not fact-checking this, and I know I am paraphrasing, so anyone is free to correct me. But that's my understanding. 

I am not totally sure what this means, but I think it has something to do with free vaccines, free testing kits, etc. 

I went to get the most recent and updated booster about a month ago. I am pro-vaccine and figure, at my age, I'll follow my doc's recommendation and get what I can. 

I realize there are those who disagree with me. Reasonable minds differ, as I learned in law school. 

COVID has not gone away, but we know much more about it now, and I suppose the two aforementioned organizations believe we have enough resources to deal with it now, not as a pandemic, but as another virus that's out there like so many others. 

I read an interesting piece in The New York Times on Dr. Anthony Fauci recently. He became the face and voice of the pandemic. Early on, then-President Trump seemed to rely on his expertise.

He is finally retiring after serving under seven presidents as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.  Although many of us came to know of him because of COVID, he was obviously around a long time before that. I am, unapologetically, a big fan. 

He said in the Times article that he acknowledges some mistakes and missteps in the height of the COVID pandemic, but pointed out how, in the beginning, how very little we knew about it. He is human like anyone else. Medicine is not an exact science, even as much as we would like it to be. 

COVID became a political issue, fueled by Donald Trump. He was all in until he wasn't and, typically, he turned on Dr. Fauci. 

The lockdowns, closings and masks are history now. Even with the politics, I hope we learned something from it. 

Actor and author

 I was lucky enough last night to attend an event in which Tom Hanks spoke about his new book, The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece. 

Although it has been a while, I have written here in the past about the Nashville bookstore Parnassus, whose part owner, Ann Patchett, is a Nashville resident. It is a splendid independent bookstore that has defied the trend of such establishments essentially surrendering to online retailers such as Amazon.

And while the bookselling business thrives, the Parnassus folks also sponsor events such as the one I attended last night, in which well-known authors speak. Over the years I have heard and seen John Grisham, Jon Meacham, David Baldacci, Mitch Albom, Philip Gulley, Louise Penny and others. 

Sometimes the setting is small, inside the store or at the Nashville library, with a capacity of maybe 100. (Some are free and for some there is a cost, which usually includes a copy of the book and often benefits a charitable organization.)

Others, like last night's event with Hanks, take place at larger venues around town. This one was in the gymnasium on the campus of a Nashville private school. There were probably over 1,0000 people there. 

Patchett appeared with Hanks. The two of them sat in chairs and she interviewed him. While the main topic was the book (which is a fictitious account of making a movie, with Hanks drawing on his years of movie-making experience), they also talked about the differences in being an actor and an author. 

While Patchett is only one of those things, Hanks is both. This is his second book. His first, Uncommon Type, is a book of short stories, with the title deriving from his fascination with and love of typewriters. 

Patchett contended that an author's life is largely one of solitude while the book is being written, while the acting gig involves scores of folks involved in the process. 

While Hanks agreed, he contended that it still comes down to a creative person telling a story. 

There was much more, and it was an outstanding evening. Hanks displayed his trademark wit, and except for sitting among all those other people, it was not unlike listening to an old friend. For her part, Ann Patchett was equally enjoyable and did an excellent job interviewing, interjecting just enough of herself into the discussion.  

My ticket included a copy of the book, which will go near the top of my TBR. I have never gotten around to reading Uncommon Type, so that one will go on it too. 

Making no sense

Blog friend Jeff made a comment on my post about the recent school shooting here, making reference to the Tennessee legislature expelling "members who protested." 

He is correct, but some context is in order. 

After the tragic shooting at Covenant School, the typical pleas for reasonable gun legislation began. I joined in, as I don't see how in the world laws that attempt to keep guns out of the hands of those who should not have them ("red flag laws") and enhanced background checks do anything to infringe upon the rights of responsible gunowners. 

But there has been very little room for debate here in Tennessee and, in fact, we seem to have gone in the opposite direction. The most recent gun laws allow for "permitless carry." 

But with this shooting happening right under our collective nose, the tide might be shifting a bit. 

Our governor, a staunch conservative Republican, signed an executive order that beefs up background checks, and he has issued a plea to legislators to pass red flag laws. This is shocking, to say the least, as he knows the opposition he is going to receive (and it has already started). 

But back to the legislators who were expelled. 

Three Democratic state representatives staged a protest on the floor of the House of Representatives about their colleagues' unwillingness to consider gun legislation. One of them used a bullhorn. They locked arms and chanted. 

This was in clear violation of House rules. There is no question they were out of line. Caught up in the emotion of the moment, however, and with support from protesters surrounding the Capitol building, they decided rules be damned. 

Their GOP brethren were quick to act. Rather than censuring them, which would have made sense, they moved to expel them. And they did, in fact, expel two of the three. The circus-like proceedings were much more of a spectacle than the protest had been. 

Have you ever heard the term "bite off your nose to spite your face?"

That is exactly what happened. Within one week, local government bodies (one in Memphis and one in Nashville) responsible for appointing replacements for vacant house seats reappointed the very members who were expelled! They have already been re-sworn in! 

So, what the GOP legislators accomplished was giving these two expelled lawmakers a platform to advertise their perceived mistreatment. There has been nationwide news coverage. 

It happened that the two members who were expelled are Black, and the one who was up for expulsion, but was not voted out, is white. So, of course, the optics are terrible. 

As I said, the three who conducted the protest on the House floor were out of line. Rules are in place for a reason, and they should have to follow those rules. There should have been consequences, but expulsion? Are you kidding me? 

And, of course, we're back at square one, with nobody listening to each other.