#BeLikeBob: ENOUGH With These

“BOB DID NOT DO THIS. BOB DID THAT.

BOB HAS A FRIEND WHO DID THIS. BOB’S FRIEND DID NOT DO THAT.

BOB IS STILL FRIENDS WITH HIS FRIEND WHO DID THIS.

BOB DOES NOT CARE THAT HIS FRIEND DID NOT DO THAT.

BE LIKE BOB.”

Don’t you hate those things?

If you have never seen one before and cannot tell from above, it goes simply like this. “Bob” is the stick figure in the picture. This usually contains text (in that open white space) similar to what is written right above this. “Bob” is the character who has a “friend” who does something differently than he does.

Then, there is a passive-aggressive comment to imply how much “better” Bob is than us to still want to remain friends with that person, despite the differences. In the end, it usually says, “BE LIKE BOB.”

There are some variations to this, such as some pictures existing where there is a man and a woman stick figure together. But the concept is the same. It simply talks about both friends staying together even though disagreeing.

I sort of can get behind this…somewhat. After all, it is a little silly to drop someone as a friend because they like mustard on his or her hot dog while you prefer ketchup. That still does not deserve a passive-aggressive response that usually goes with these, but I can get it.

However, I would not be writing this if it were that simple, right?

Recently, about the only time I have seen posts like these are in reference to who a person voted for. And just about every time, the ones who post it have never once expressed any kind of concern for what Donald Trump or his administration has done while in office. This leads me to believe that these folks either are hardcore Trump supporters, or Trump has not done enough bad in their eyes for them to straight up express that.

Hmm…

We are currently in the middle (if we’re lucky) of a pandemic. As of the time I am writing this, there are more than 1 million confirmed in the United States. At the moment, there have been more than 59,000 confirmed deaths from the virus.

I am not interested in whether or not you believe those numbers. If you do not, provide me with an educated estimate WITH EVIDENCE on what the real numbers are. If you do not have this, I am not interested in going back and forth with an unproductive conversation.

This administration could have done a much better job in handling this and they did not. Donald Trump was briefed and he chose to ignore it. Even if that is not believable, when we were at 15 cases, he said himself that it would go down to zero. He also said that this would be gone by April. He has said this on video. The end.

Donald Trump has not as of yet spoken of any condolences or care for those who have died. People are continuing to die each day.

That is just going on today.

Here are a few others:

There is the time he said he could “shoot someone on Fifth Avenue.”

There is the time he mocked the disabled reporter.

There are the times he berates reporters when asking perfectly legitimate questions.

There is the throwing paper towels at Puerto Ricans following a devastating hurricane.

There is the calling countries that are predominant of people of color “shithole countries.”

There are all the times he has called for violence at his rallies.

There is the calling for NFL-playing “sons of bitches” to be fired for exercising their First Amendment rights.

There are the tweets.

There are the thousands upon thousands of lies.

Just to name a few.

Along with that, I am a black man. Quite a few blacks over the years have been shot and killed by police, unarmed and innocent. That could easily happen to me.

It does not take a genius to realize that the same people who would support Trump and this administration would be okay with that happening to me, along with having excuses prepared, such as that I “should not have resisted,” that I “shouldn’t break the law” and so on. Or they might bring up a time I stole a pencil of my third grade teacher’s desk that of course, justifies me being killed in cold blood by the same individuals who are supposed to protect us.

Again, the same people who post this type of meme have had little to say about these incidents.

First off, if a person wants to unfriend someone on social media, that is their business. They do not need to explain themselves. And by now, the damage this administration has caused and is causing should be clear. If you choose to be oblivious to that, that’s on you. But please stop with this “BE LIKE BOB” nonsense.

I, for one, do not care to associate with toxic individuals who see absolutely nothing wrong with what is going on today and placing responsibility strictly where it lies. I do not care to associate with those who are quicker to create excuses for me being shot by police than wanting justice or even the complete truth.

The passive-aggressiveness and obtuseness that comes with this kind of post is laughable. Again, we are not talking about someone who is having different condiments than you on a sandwich. This is ignoring abhorrent, disgusting, despicable, dangerous and deadly behavior in favor of appearing as “mature” by remaining friends with someone no matter what they do or say. That is not healthy. At all.

After more than three years, if you are someone who still supports this administration, I feel sorry for you. But please stop implying that people are immature by separating themselves from the toxic individuals who still do. Especially by using this silly meme.

Anyone who supports a grown man as President of the United States mocking a disabled reporter, lying every chance he gets and not giving a damn if his own people die of a virus as he is more concerned of television ratings, you do not get to imply that anyone is “immature.”

In short, stop telling us to “be like Bob.”

Fuck Bob.