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Joe Biden to mark 500,000 Covid-19 deaths in US with candle ceremony, Internet calls it 'ceremonial bullsh*t'

The event is said to take place at 6.15 pm ET on February 22 at the White House. First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be present

As the United States inches towards 500,000 Covid-19 deaths, the disturbing milestone will be marked by a candle lighting ceremony by President Joe Biden on Monday, February 22. This will be followed by a moment of silence, according to the White House. The event will take place at 6.15 PM ET at the White House. First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be present.

White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki said on Friday, February 19, that the new administration was working on plans where Biden could use his "own voice and platform to take a moment to remember the people whose lives have been lost, the families who are still suffering," according to a CNN report.

Prior to taking office, Biden, Harris and their spouses also held a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 400,00 lives lost during the pandemic. "To heal we must remember," Biden said at the January event. Harris also spoke briefly at the memorial, noting that "for many months, we have grieved by ourselves. Tonight, we grieve and begin healing together."

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Internet users had a mixed opinion of the ceremony. "When they held the ceremony night before inauguration I stopped in the street to watch on my phone and just cried and cried. It was cleansing. I’m so grateful we have them," read one of the tweets. 

"This is what EMPATHY looks like and feels like; it’s critical that we as AMERICANS acknowledge the deaths and resulting suffering. People say their one vote doesn’t matter after Trump that argument is mute. All our votes count, our diverse voices matter," seconded another tweet.

Trump's moves during the pandemic weren't forgotten. "Trump essentially had ordered death penalty on America in Jan 2020 when he knowingly allowed covid19 to spread in Washington, believing blue state residents would be harmed. Now 500k Americans have died under his watch. Trump should be charged for murder and then some," a comment read.

Another added, "To my knowledge, the former guy never acknowledged a single death. It's a relief to have an empathic human being in our house." "So sad when you think about how many would not have died if Trump had done his job. All he had to do was set an example by wearing a mask and social distancing and his base would have followed. And yet he couldn't even manage to do that! OK, I'll say it. Really hate him!" one of the tweets read.

The backlash was not far away. "can we have healthcare? mask mandate? stimulus checks? min wage increase? something other than meaningless gesturing?" one user wrote. "What’s up with all this 'ceremonial' Bullshit," another remarked.

"This is the end times. Maybe instead of lighting a f***ing candle he can give people the money they need to survive," a tweet read slamming the ceremony. "Maybe he could mark it by abandoning his push to re-open schools and kill more people. Or by giving us the money he owes us," a tweet said.