We have plenty of fault lines in America, including those having to do with race, religion and class. Now, we have a fault line based on the willful refusal to embrace science. This is not an academic issue; it will kill many Americans. Others will experience long-term side effects.

Bloomberg reports: “Covid-19 transmission is accelerating in several poorly vaccinated states, primarily in the South plus Missouri and Utah, and more young people are turning up at hospitals. The data present the clearest sign of a rebound in the U.S. in months.” This failure seems to be the result of rotten, red-state governments that routinely fail to meet the needs of its people, a toxic MAGA culture that spurns scientific expertise, and a self-destructive, right-wing media that discourages rational thinking.

Certainly, an evangelical Christian movement that embraces conspiracy theories and refuses to hold people accountable for their actions also plays a role. […]