Privilege

"Nobody shut down the economy; the economy has continued to function."

Not in NYC where the governor & mayor refuse to allow indoor dining.  Midtown & downtown are deserted.  The MTA is operating at a fraction of what they used to.  Unemployment is among the highest in the country.

They have absurd rules in the state that bars have to serve food, but you can't serve french fries & cookies, but cake counts.  You can eat at a table but not have drinks only.

Schools can't have sports but club teams can play on school property.

Movie theaters & gyms can't open in the state, even though big box stores can.  

Casinos can't open but Ct & AC are, so people go there instead.

Just a sample.  The list is endless.

None of your "examples," even if they're accurate, indicate a shutdown of the economy. If such a shutdown came to pass, there would be no economic activity at all. What has happened is a slowdown of the economy, in an attempt to contain the virus. In idiot Trumper states, ending that shutdown has caused the deaths of thousands.

I guess you'd say if a lemonade stand closed, that would be a shutdown of the economy. God, you're stupid.

Privilege.

A word recently in fashion referring to benefits accorded persons of certain economic or social (and most recently racial) standing.   David introduces a variant.  Rather than the 'privilege' of wearing $200 sneakers as a result of gainful employment and saving enough to afford them, David suggests privileges not earned or saved up for but afforded secondary to certain public laws and policies. 

Some examples of privileges in my day, i.e. 1955-1968:

  - Attending extracurricular events/activities with friends (contingent upon completion of household chores, decent grades, respectful behavior toward parents and siblings, otherwise denied);

 - Driving the family car (after passing the exams and earning license; contingent upon demonstrating good driving habits; damage to car or getting traffic tickets impacted this privilege significantly);

 - Going to summer camp (contingent upon demonstrating good behaviors throughout the school year).

Just a few of what were considered privileges in my child and teen years.  Most incurred a cost to the parents, thus they could withhold the privilege if criteria were not met.  Somehow we knew this; one denial was usually enough to get the message that things are EARNED, not given carte blanche.  In my growing up, anyway.  I know that such is not always the case now.  

But the value of working toward something and the pride in achieving it is overall a more satisfying outcome, despite what might look like a "privilege" handed over for no effort on the part of the recipient.

That's life.  Get over it.

One thing wrong with David's stupid, evil post (which he copied from some alt-right nut) is that some things listed as "privileges" are actually RIGHTS, such as the right to protest (enshrined in the Constitution, which Trump and Republicans hate) and the right to have as many (or as few) children as one wishes. And buying a pair of expensive sneakers...? Isn't that a right (even if it might be a dumb thing to do)...even if you DON'T have a job?

Candy, your comparison with family privileges is misplaced, because your family, like the vast majority of families, wasn't a democracy. There was no defining document saying what your rights and privileges were. Contrast with American society, where such rights are spelled out and it is assumed that anything not specifically prohibited is allowed.

I, and you, and even Stalker, have rights that we didn't do anything to "earn," however you want to parse that. Those rights are NOT "privileges." They are inherent to our identity as citizens (and/or as human beings). Our government hands out privileges to those who have ostensibly earned them (such as Veterans' Administration health care) or as nonmonetary compensation for services (such as Congresspersons' franking privilege, allowing them to send mail at no charge).

The implied idiot point of Miller's idiot post was that there are supposedly bazillions of people mooching off the government and that's a horrible thing that has happened to our society (as a result of them filthy liberals and SOOOOOOOCIALISM). In actuality, the "privilege" he and the author of the image whine so loudly about belongs to the rich and powerful. Immunity from the law; access to trillions of dollars that they don't earn; society twisted the way they want. Strange that Miller and his ilk not only don't object to that; they support it. Grab $600 out of some unemployed person's pocket; that's cool. Give billions to Trump supporters? That's cool, too.

More lies...

Bye, David.

You leaving? Good.

Nope, I'll be here for a long time. By Monday, you won't be.

I'm being nice enough to tell you what's going to happen. Now go make 500 propaganda posts. It's your last chance.

See you Monday, Tuesday and all other days that end in"day".

As usual the TDS gang when confronted with facts they ignore the facts.  The latest example is the video I posted of democrats & scientists saying not to worry.  I then posted a short list of the inconsistent NY rules.  I still challenge anybody to find any inaccuracies.

In both cases the TDS crowd screams lies/propaganda, but don't post anything proving it.

Here is a new NYC rule.  Even though homicide is up by more than 100% & one is more likely to die of being shot than the virus, diblasio has dispatched the sheriff's dept to pull cars over to check to see where people have been & if heaven forbid they traveled, they are remanded to their bedrooms for 2 weeks or face a multi-thousand dollar fine.

But the police can't ask or check if you have a gun.