Re-reading your comment, I think probably the main issue I have with it probably just comes down to us thinking of different people when we see the word "conservative".
I agree that people exist who fit exactly what you described. I just think that's a much smaller slice of the population than (I assumed) you believe.
> We’re now at hundreds of thousands infected, thousands dead, and no end to this in sight
Welcome to a pandemic. Americans today aren't used to being vulnerable. If anything, it's just a reminder of how thin the facade we project on the world actually is.