The dangers of COVID-19 are well-established, and yet high school football is set to begin in the state of Florida in just a couple of weeks.
That reality was the subject of a tone-deaf tweet sent out by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Saturday, HuffPost reports:
“Rubio shrugged off concerns about spreading COVID-19 among children at schools in his state. He quipped that people would be fine with teens suiting up for football if teams made a ‘few equipment & uniform changes’ so athletes resembled antifa protesters. The dig was that large gatherings are apparently acceptable to many for protests — but not on a playing field featuring teenage athletes.”
I think I found a way to get some of the people who want to cancel football this year to change their minds,but we will have to make a few equipment & uniform changes. Apparently this new equipment makes Covid a non-issue. pic.twitter.com/chGVAvA4VS
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 15, 2020
That didn’t sit well with others on social media who reminded Rubio that the dangers of coronavirus are very real and that 172,000 Americans are dead as a result of the disease:
I return to work under a hybrid plan on August 24. You know what ‘equipment’ we had to buy for ourselves & our students? Mass quantities of sanitizer & face masks.
But, here you are, making light of the danger we’re putting ourselves in while trying to keep our students safe.
— D Villella ❄️ (@dvillella) August 15, 2020
Florida has almost 10,000 dead and you are cracking COVID jokes. Can’t wait until you are voted out in 2022.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) August 15, 2020
Nobody wants to cancel football, Marco. We’re forced to cancel football because, unlike other countries, the virus is still out of control due to the Trump administration’s incompetence.
— Paul ? (@pablo_honey1) August 15, 2020
Step 1: Don’t vote on anything to do with the pandemic
Step 2: go on vacation
Step 3: complain that you can’t watch football like it’s someone else’s fault— Jeff Mac (@JeffMacIsHere) August 15, 2020
This is why I can’t call my senator with problems. I don’t have one.
— Janet Johnson (@JJohnsonLaw) August 15, 2020
YOU cancelled football! You and your GOP allies who refused to wear masks & downplayed this pandemic are the reason we are at this point. Had YOU encouraged sensible precautions in March and kept them in place, we would be much closer to going about our regular lives now.
— Rbratspies (@RBratspies) August 15, 2020
Nobody wants to cancel football, Marco. We’re forced to cancel football because, unlike other countries, the virus is still out of control due to the Trump administration’s incompetence.
— Paul ? (@pablo_honey1) August 15, 2020
