Every day, it seems, the rights of individual US citizens are increasingly violated by a government gone mad. Thus, I feel compelled to speak my mind about the atrocious violation of rights by the institution that exists solely to protect these same rights.
Why is the government taking such action? Because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flatten the Curve
Unfortunately, state and metropolitan governments seem to approach this pandemic as if the sole driving value is to minimize the spread – or “flatten the curve” as it’s being called. In effect, it doesn’t matter what they impose on citizens so long as the rate of infection lowers.
Completely absent from the government response has been any consideration for all the wide and various other values that are important to individuals. Instead, government officials merely pay lip service to this side of the coin while exercising a disgusting abuse of individual rights.
As of today, governments have barred travel, banned public gatherings, mandated the shut down of schools, ordered restaurants to close down dine-in options, and now in San Francisco come one step short of martial law.
2019 Coronavirus Outbreak
Amid the disaster that is the government response to the 2020, few realize that there was a 2019 outbreak of coronavirus. The main difference between the 2019 and 2020 outbreak? The 2019 outbreak was a simulation performed by the John Hopkins Center for Health Security.
What’s interesting about the simulation is that JHCHS identified 7 recommendations. Read through them. They are fascinating. And the recommendations are being violated right and left. A couple in particular jump out to me.
3. Countries, international organizations, and global transportation companies should work together to maintain travel and trade during severe pandemics.
Instead of working to maintain travel and trade, today’s governments are implementing wide spread travel restrictions – directly limiting trade and travel.
4. Governments should provide more resources and support for the development and surge manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics that will be needed during a severe pandemic.
Instead of focusing Federal government resources towards increasing the supply of testing, the Federal government has focused on – and continues to stress – allocating resources towards screening of individuals entering the country. This virus that has an incubation period commonly between 4.5 and 5.8 days. This approach simply will not catch all or even most people entering the country with the virus – AND it diverts resources away from producing more tests.
6. International organizations should prioritize reducing economic impacts of epidemics and pandemics.
Instead of working to minimize the economic impact, today’s governments are shutting down massive sectors of the economy. These actions will drive public panic, they will encourage people to horde supplies, and they will introduce tremendous economic hardships on the population.
Life Requires the Pursuit of Values
Values are essential to human life. And values don’t come for free. They require action to pursue. Essential to the life of the individual is the freedom to act – the freedom to pursue his/her values. Unfortunately, this is becoming less and less possible as the government continues to massively infringe the rights that they should be protecting.
My sincere hope is that this complete over-reaction will ignite a spark of American spirit in the citizenry. When this is all over, let’s have a real discussion around the proper role of government and take a hard, objective look at what kind of job government did during this pandemic.
Ryan Sawatzky 