Amid the panic and fear created by the propagation of inadequate information on the Coronavirus outbreak, Federal and State governments are stealthily taking away our freedoms. Worse, we are once again allowing this to occur. It seems that in every emergency situation, whether it be a natural disaster, terrorism, war, epidemic or pandemic, the American people abandon reason in their desperation for some government-provided solution. We allow ourselves to be told what we can do and what we cannot do. We allow ourselves to be saddled with ever more debt. We abandon self-reliance in favor of a nanny government. We play into the hands of those in power. Please view this article to see where our freedoms are being curtailed.
For several weeks now I have been alerting family and friends of the reckless abandon with which we are willing to give up our freedom in the face of fear. But as FDR said, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Fear and the panic that ensues brings us to a halt. We don’t even enter into the flight or fight mode of other animals. Our minds become paralyzed in the face of the unknown. We look to big government for a solution when we should look within ourselves, to our family, friends, neighbors, and faith. We put common sense aside and abandon critical thinking.
There are so many stories I have heard from the news media and from others that fly in the face of facts. As an example, there are numerous reports on the mortality rate of coronavirus. Most indicate it is between 2% and 14% depending on the age group being viewed. However, if you really look at the numbers the calculation is based on the number of deaths divided by the number of known cases. And known cases are determined by the number of people who have tested positive to the virus. The calculation should be based on the total number of people tested and some estimate of the number of people who may have the disease and have not been tested for whatever reason. Maybe they were asymptomatic and did not realize they were infected. For more information on this and other facts surrounding the Coronavirus please view this link.
I urge everyone to not abandon critical thinking. To get the facts from proven sources and not from the pundits and opinion prone news outlets where news anchors call themselves journalists but are just mouthpieces for their and their employer’s opinion. Most of all, I urge you not to panic. Yes, take measures to protect yourself and your family from infection. The best way to do this is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Soap and water break down the virus in ways hand sanitizers are unable to do. It is by far the best way to get rid of viruses of any type. Practice reasonable social distancing, without being anti-social. We need one another. Challenge the actions of your Senators and Representatives to ensure the legislation they pass is in our best interests and does not further erode our freedoms or turn us into a nanny state.
