Pandemics and Potential Violence.

On October 25, after an alleged argument over social distancing in a Liquor store in Toronto, one of the participants followed the other and shot the other in the parking lot and fled the scene. The victim died in a hospital. The police later arrested the suspect.

On October 27, in Chicago, two patrons argued with an employee of a store who asked them to wear a mask and sanitize their hands before entering. The due allegedly responded by stabbing the employee 27 times.

The COVID-19 pandemic is stress-inducing in many ways. Businesses are closing, people are isolated, and of course, illness and fatalities.

There are, of course, disagreements about social distancing and masks. It seems prudent to err on the side of caution and observe social distance and take other precautions. People, however, are impatient (following arrows in a grocery store is a burden for the entitled) or believe the virus doesn’t exist. Others insist that conspirators are inflating COVID-19 dangers to achieve their long-term goal of creative vaccines that will monitor, and for some, control our actions. Leading, of course, to world domination.

Whatever your interpretation of current events, the air is ripe for conflict.

It is best not to engage in confrontations – when possible.

Unfortunately, as the above incidents demonstrates, a small conflict, under certain conditions and with certain people, can rapidly escalate into something much worse.

Stay safe.

Image by Milada Vigerova from Pixabay 

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