The land of the free, home of the brave - that's on what America claims to pride itself. However, as COVID has clearly shown, that's not reality. The unfortunate reality is much of America prides itself in willful ignorance, and there's nothing brave about that.
Absolute freedom is a myth. Wherever one travels, regardless of the country's founding documents, restrictions are present. Don't believe me? Yell "FIRE!!!" in a movie theater or "BOMB!!!" on an airplane; tell your boss what you really think of him/her; participate in a solo nude marathon around your house in broad daylight. Being protected from prosecution by the federal government does not equate to protection from any repercussions. A person in a "free" country can still be arrested and/or fired for exercising their First Amendment rights.
So what are many up in arms about when it comes to the latest so-called violations on their falsely-held notion of absolute freedom? Receiving vaccinations and wearing masks to help prevent the spread of a pandemic virus which has killed 4.1 million people globally, 625,000 in the U.S. alone.
Let's first place those numbers in the proper perspective. The Spanish Flu, which occurred over 100 years ago, when televisions were still a decade from making their presence known, killed roughly 675,000 Americans. Think about that. Even with all the technological and medical advancements which have been made over the course of the past century, it is possible the COVID-19 death toll in this country could eclipse that of the 1918 Spanish Flu. Let's also keep in mind the actual case and death numbers related to COVID are likely much higher than those reported. The numbers which have been reported are the bare minimum.
Why is this? How, in 2021, with all the aforementioned advancements, could we experience such a high death toll? Sadly, it's due to willful ignorance.
Like with any sudden change, it took time for doctors and scientists alike to determine the best ways to slow and eventually stop the spread of COVID-19. Many anti-vaxxers/maskers like to point to a comment Dr. Anthony Fauci made during the very early stages of the virus, when he basically said, "Those who have been infected with COVID should wear masks, but I'm not sure it'd do a whole lot of good for everyone to wear them." However, as is highly common when forming an opinion on something, as more information was gathered, Dr. Fauci changed his tune, and determined it'd be better for all to wear masks. This isn't a conspiracy theory. This is simply forming an opinion based on the information that is available. When serving on jury duty, unless the prosecution has an extremely thin case or they self-destruct, chances are the jury will lean toward a guilty verdict after they close their case. However, as additional information comes in, courtesy of the defense, it's also highly possible many members of the jury will change their minds to a not guilty ruling. This isn't some grand conspiracy against the prosecution; it's just concluding based on the information one's been given.
Speaking of conspiracies, the COVID vaccines. They've been available for several months now, yet only 57% of the population have received at least one dose, and 49% have received both doses. It's said we need to reach 70% in the latter group in order to attain what's termed "herd immunity," and we are nowhere close to achieving that. Why? Once again, willful ignorance.
I've heard conspiracies ranging from the vaccines are just a way to implant a tracking device in citizens to being fatal. I received both doses of the Moderna vaccine, and guess what? I didn't grow a third arm; there haven't been helicopters flying above my room at all hours of the night; and my penis didn't go into a permanent cold-water-shrinkage mode. No, the arm which received the injection was just a little sore for a couple of days. Big whoop. I've experienced more pain than that getting out of bed in the morning and pulling a hamstring while walking 10 feet to the bathroom. Vaccines aren't a new thing. They've been around for some time, and are effective. It's mandated we get our kids vaccinated, with little complaint (usually), and guess what? When's the last time your kid came down with polio? Exactly. By 24 months of age, 81% have received vaccinations for Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis; 93% for Polio; 91% for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella; 80% for HiB; 91% for Hepatitis B; 90% for Chickenpox; 81% for PCV; and 68% for the combined 7-vaccine series. So, why are a vast majority of anti-COVID vaxxers fine with their young children getting vaccinated? If these youngsters could say as much, after receiving all seven of these vaccinations, they'd probably tell their parents to "toughen up" and "not be such pansies" when it came to receiving COVID vaccinations. To that I would respond, no, not "Got to your room!;" more like, "Here's a sucker! Well done!" If, for whatever reason, a person won't get vaccinated, the least they can do is continue wearing a mask.
I get it; masks are sometimes uncomfortable - especially in the summer heat. However, are they really THAT big a deal? I've heard and read some refer to the mandatory mask-wearing as "fascist," which I find darkly humorous. With the requirement, the government is essentially telling people, "You need to do this in order to save yourself and others." What's the first name most people think of when they hear the word "fascism"? Hitler. When, during the Holocaust, did Hitler say, "While killing millions of Jews, let us wear masks to protect ourselves and the ones we're killing"? Try never. I, for one, don't much care for wearing a mask (unless it's on Halloween), but do I think it's fascist to mandate it in order to save people's lives? No, of course not. Look at the numbers. When masks were mandated, COVID case and death numbers decreased. What's happened after said mandates expired? The case and death numbers increased. This isn't AP Calculus; the math isn't real difficult here.When we're in the hospital, especially in an emergency room, do we bitch and moan when being told to wear a mask? Not that I've noticed. So, why is it now such a big deal? Because "freedumb"...
That brings me to Anthony Fauci. How did this doctor, who's served under seven presidents (Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden), suddenly become the boogeyman of the right? Because he didn't get on board with Donald Trump's highly scientific anti-COVID suggestions of taking anti-malaria drugs; injecting disinfectant; or shining lights up your butt? The fact he changed his mind on mask-wearing, like you know, humans do? That he hasn't firmly concluded on the origin of the virus, but feels it's unlikely to have started via a lab leak in Wuhan, China? It's amazing; here's a doctor trying to do all he can to pass along helpful, accurate information to stop the spread of a virus which has killed 625,000 people in this country, and yet Trumpers want to scapegoat him while standing behind a man who basically said, "Yeah, so you know that Lysol and Clorox stuff? Take that, a needle, and a turn-a-fit or whatever it's called, and inject as much of it into your arms as possible." Do these same people, when showing signs of cancer, go to their florist for a diagnosis, because the person is cheerful, the place smells nice, and they're told what they want to hear for a sale? Look at him. Anthony Fauci is as much of a boogeyman as Jeffrey Dahmer was a vegan.
While it's not uncommon for us to reach beyond our means in order to understand that which can't, or at the very least can't yet be understood, let's give common sense a try and see how that goes. Vaccines are safe and effective, so let's go by that logic and documentation, as opposed to a YouTube video from some guy named UrAllGonnaDieOfDysenteryLikeTheOregonTrail69. The purpose of wearing masks is to protect and save, not to harm and enslave. We trust our doctors with so much information and so many decisions. Let's trust that they didn't go to school for half their lives in order to concoct a deadly virus, only for the means of then creating a vaccine to turn us into a world of robot-aliens (raliens). Look at the data (the actual data; not some spreadsheet you created on Excel at 4 in the morning after smoking a bowl and listening to Alex Jones): When vaccines are up, cases and deaths are down; when mask mandates are in force, cases and deaths are down. In other words, get vaccinated, and until then, wear a mask.
This is on us. The numbers are surging again, and why? Willful ignorance (the unvaccinated). The longer we choose to ignore science and medicine, the longer we'll have to deal with the pandemic. It's high past time we looked to common sense and reality, as opposed to debunked conspiracies and an alternate reality we wish were real. If no other method of reasoning suffices, think about your kids and grandkids. If they can make it through seven vaccinations between the ripe old ages of 1 and 2, you can make it through one or two.
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