The new phase (campaign) of the COVID War is just one of the ways in which the social and political scene in the States and around the world have been ramping up.

COVID is definitely a problem, with its masking, vaccine, and recurring lockdown issues and mandates. But we also have the Parents-versus-Schools battle, exemplified by the very nasty Virginia governor’s race. On the issue of climate change, we see the proponents of massive reaction to global warming ripping each other apart, even while damning the climate deniers and climate sceptics. The screams of racism, white supremacy, and insane wokeness during election campaigns is not ending with the elections themselves: there seems to hardly be an opportunity to catch a breath as they move immediately into the 2022 campaign season.

It is daunting, and worrying, on many levels.

Consider this recent opinion piece in the Washington Times. The writer uses, honestly, intemperate language – but accurate – in describing what Uncle Joe and his entire gang is doing to “the American people.” It is far from just Joe’s fellow elected and politically-appointed Democrats; this launching of a “war” is clearly supported by a large number of federal bureaucrats at all levels. AND by many State and local bureaucrats.

The Democrats are definitely pushing way too far to the “left” – the Tranzi woke social justice warrior side of politics and a worldview left. Even Al Sharpton, of all people, has stated this. And pushing more and more strongly: the condemnation of the victors in Tuesday’s Virginia elections had equally intemperate language. As strong as anything that you could find at World Net Daily or even The Blaze.

But it is not just rhetoric. The actions of various organizations, not just political advocates, but government agencies, are getting stronger, harsher, and less forgiving. Consider the Biden plan to give dishonorable discharges to military personnel who refuse to be vaccinated. Consider universities in various locations (Connecticut comes to mind) who are, most of the way into the semester, now prohibiting unvaccinated students from attending classes OR studying remotely. (With no more opportunity to abandon their principles. And of course, too late to withdraw: an entire semester of Fs.) Students at primary schools who are punished with silent time-out sitting outside the school building in fall weather because they dared to talk during lunch or recess. People who are told that, even though they work from home and haven’t even been to their office since March of 2020, they will be fired if they don’t get the vaccine.

And the nastiness is not just from the left and government. Have you seen the video of people in NYC chanting “Kamala is a whore” recently? That is certainly true, but it is uncivil to do that and say that about the sitting Vice President. And in public. That was, of course, a follow-up to the now-common chant of “Let’s Go Brandon” as a euphemism for a far worse demand. But at NYC, according to some reports, the “F*** Joe Biden” and “F*** Deblasio” were openly shouted by “anti-mandate” protesters who supposedly outnumbered any Biden-Harris supporters.

I hear more and more reports of anti-mandate and anti-mask and anti-vaxx people physically assaulting those who accuse them of being wrong, or demanding that they acquiesce to the demands. But in DC, dozens languish in jail – reportedly in poor physical conditions – for accusations that the participated in the 6 January 2021 “uprising” or “coup attempt.” There are also reports from various places of destruction of private property to destroy political signs or punish people for their political views.

It is easy to understand why people are worried, angry, and quick to lash out or strike back. It is harder to understand what can be done to relieve the stress, reduce the pressures.

Is our societal trust strong enough to overcome these stresses? Any thoughts? Are we too optimistic if we think that it is?