Upfront, this expression of opinion is in no way meant to deny the seriousness of the World-wide China Virus (Covid-19/Coronavirus) pandemic, nor in any manner be disrespectful of the countless individuals and families worldwide tragically afflicted by same.
To the contrary, this intentionally satire/cynical-leaning writing openly acknowledges the threat to health/life that various microbes have long posed to the human race and other life forms. Very real and ever-present threats demanding that our ever-adapting array of weapons for survival never fail to also include the unrelenting pursuit and exercise of “personal responsibility” and “common sense.” Two key survival-essentials that all the self-serving power-lusting government-issued mandates in the world will never be able to bring about. For example:
(1.) “CONTAMINATED MASKS”: Many believe masks (of virtually any material) help prevent virus-contaminated persons from contaminating others. Others believe such masks help prevent non-contaminated persons from becoming contaminated. While others believe such masks perform “both” of these functions. If any of these scenarios are true, then it follows that truly unimaginable quantities of “contaminated masks” are being generated daily. Health/life-threatening “contaminated material” of which no state/local “government-imposed” mandates now exist, nor would likely ever be effective, regarding how to prevent re-use of, safely dispose of, or otherwise safely handle—that is, in the absence of “Personal Responsibility” and “Common Sense.”
(2.) “CONTAMINATED HANDS”: Indisputably, our hands are “ever-so-vulnerable-to-contamination.” And, as such, “proper hand washing” has been a “long demonstrated” aid to preventing the spread of health/life-threatening bacteria/viruses/etc. With the China Virus likely being no exception, potentially contaminated hands, not timely and properly washed, are often the “same hands” used by untold millions to put on and remove masks, and contact eyes, noses, and mouths—countless times daily. A potential health/life threatening reality in essence left, once again, in large measure to the dictates of “personal responsibility” and “common sense”—as opposed to unrealistic government-imposed mandates.
(3.) “IMPRACTICAL & UNACHIEVALBE SOCIAL-DISTANCING”: No number of door signs, floor decals, and other “6-Foot Social Distancing” dictates will likely ever negate the following two realities of life: (1.) Frankly, our jobs and other essential life behaviors, homes, businesses, schools, churches, automobiles, commercial carriers, sidewalks, doorways, hallways, and other facilities, structures, etc., do not accommodate keeping the human race “6-Foot apart; (2.) The China Virus, and other health/life-threatening microbes, likely do not read nor adhere to social-distancing signs, decals, or other human-generated mandates. And, any open-minded look at and acknowledgment of the “reality around us,” will evidence many of the nation-destructive absurdities of current government-mandated “Social-Distancing” guidelines—shortfalls again screaming for the application of “personal responsibility” and “common sense.”
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So, as one dutifully and obediently adheres to the self-serving mandates of power-lusting government officials, driven to weaponize every crisis, it seems worthwhile to be ever-so-mindful that survival of we humans has long been dependent upon many factors. Including critical survival factors that cannot be brought about by government mandate. None the least—“caring and concern for one’s self and others,” “personal responsibility,” and good old basic “common sense.”
Along with a healthy realization that, when we so-called superior beings are exposed to health/life-threatening microbes (with or without the aid of modern medicine): some will not be afflicted; some will be afflicted, suffer in varying ways, and ultimately survive; and some will be afflicted and not survive. A reality that has long been and will likely always be—an inescapable part of our never-free-of-risk, and much too often taken for granted, respective gift-of-life journeys.
And then there is the wake-up calls and memory-jogs regarding the age old “Safety” versus “Freedom” dilemma, so prophetically expressed in the following cautionary message often attributed to Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), 1st U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and one of the U.S. Founding Fathers:
“Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free.”
---William James Moore
—William James Moore
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