I think I’ve hit my limit of nice. I have been bombarded by people that believe we should stay isolated in our homes until…something. I completely disagree. Let’s dig.
For the first time in history, government has felt the need, and assumed the power, to quarantine healthy people. Isolation of at-risk populations—absolutely. And self-isolation? No question. If you have a health concern or any concern, by all means, self-quarantine. I fully support the freedom of individuals and families to do what they see fit—it is part of freedom. But this is a rant about GOVERNMENTAL power.
Please inform this wayward soul. In what codified law, where in a State or US Constitution, does it provide ANY governmental entity to impose restrictions on healthy people, who are law-abiding? The First Amendment to the US Constitution establishes the ‘right to peaceably assemble’—there is no wording in there stating ‘unless a Governor or Congress says not to’. In fact, law-abiding persons are not prevented from doing ANYTHING in the US Constitution: that is a document that supposedly limits CONGRESS, not the people. Alcohol prohibition was tried, and failed miserably. That Amendment was repealed.
I fully understand that a ‘State of Federal Emergency’ has been declared. But that is a designation that allows the Federal government access and distribution to certain assets, including funding, pertinent to a specific emergency. Short of martial law, or a declared war, there are NO provisions for limiting citizens’ movements, gatherings, or anything else. Also note: there are THIRTY-TWO unexpired Emergency Declarations in place RIGHT NOW, including one by Jimmy Carter, 6 by Bill Clinton, 11 by George W. Bush, 10 by Barack Obama, and now 4 by Donald Trump! What should scare you is that these do have a tendency to go on for years, if not decades.
The right to peaceably assemble is what allows crowds of people to shop, attend events of all sizes, and go about their day-to-day business. This keeps our complicated economy running—what one sells, another buys, and those funds are then used for more buying, etc. Disallowing customers to conglomerate at a bar, pub, or restaurant not only infringes on the rights of the patrons, but effectively closes the business. See the third paragraph. Under what law is this allowed? And some Governors (MI) have decided to dictate what you can buy, or even if you can visit another home! I hope ALL of these incredible restrictions and overreaches are brought before the US Supreme Court. And, if found unconstitutional (my view), I hope SEVERE penalties are handed out to these wannabe-tyrants—if only to discourage such nonsense in the future. What is to prevent the next President from declaring an Emergency due to Climate Change, and enacting the same draconian restrictions? Or any other fear-inducing problem they see fit to declare?
These are our representatives, we are not their subject or slaves. We fought a war in 1776 to escape that particular situation. I’m hoping that COVID-19, or any other excuse of government, does not erase our rights, and return us to serfs living under a ruling class, that they can dictate our lives. If so, the US is history.
