Denying Americans the simple pursuit of happiness
The last four months in the United States have probably been the ugliest seen in generations. Not only were Americans summarily put under house arrest, with churches shut and free speech muzzled, in major urban Democratically-controlled cities elected officials played favorites, allowing free speech and free movement to the leftist political activists whom these Democrats preferred, while using their police power to aggressively oppress conservatives and anyone who might be considered an opponent.
On top of this ugliness, we had our first experience of an American Kristallnacht. Not only were those leftist protesters free to protest while other Americans were on lockdown, these leftist radicals were allowed by these Democratic politicians to use violence and looting to terrorize the general population.
The nation we have today is no longer a land of liberty. Many things we only four months ago took for granted are now denied us.
Do you remember going to a restaurant for pleasure? Remember doing it with a bunch of friends? Remember when the only thing you had to consider was the type of food you wanted to eat? Now, you can’t do that. The restaurant might not be open any longer, and if it is open you have to follow so many rules that gathering there with a bunch of friends is impossible.
Do you remember going to a theater to see a play? Remember going to a sports arena to watch your favorite sports team? Remember going to the movies? All lost, possibly never to return. Our panic over COVID-19 and our willingness to let governments rule our lives has make them all impossible. You can’t enjoy these gentle pleasures anymore, period.
Do you remember having a party with friends? Not now. Even if you tried to do it privately, you risk being lambasted by people you thought were your friends, for daring to expose others to a virus that harms almost no one below the age of 60. And even if these fake friends don’t attack you directly in an ugly manner, they might still report you to the government, which then might step in to have you arrested for breaking lockdown.
Do you remember casual get-togethers with family? Remember visits with your parents and grandparents? These are not possible any longer. Your older relatives have probably been made terrified of COVID-19, even though it is also very likely they know no one who has had it.
Do you remember when you could look your loved ones in the face and see them smile at you? No more. We must now all wear masks, by government edict and social pressure, hiding ourselves from everyone around us. In some cases these government dictators are even demanding we do this in our own private homes.
Do you remember when you could firmly grip the hand of a good friend, shaking it in trust and affirmation of friendship? Remember when you could give a hug to a dear friend or relative whom you hadn’t seen for a long time? Not allowed. We must not affirm anything but our fear of the Wuhan virus.
Do you remember when getting on an airplane on a whim simply because you wanted to? Going on a trip because it pleased you? Going shopping wherever you wanted because it was your right? All now gone, considered dangerous and something to be avoided or discouraged, at all costs.
I remember all these things. I am sure you do to. All involve the American pursuit of happiness, the free choices of free Americans following their peaceful desires to live their lives as they wished, without hurting another soul. And all were guaranteed to us as unalienable rights by our founding documents, which unequivocally state, without qualification, that
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
All are gone now. All are gone because a bunch of petty dictators in health departments across the nation have worked with the petty dictators in their state and city governments to nullify this simple human pursuit of happiness. These petty dictators have declared, in their infinite and all-knowing wisdom, that pursuing simple happiness might cause someone to die somewhere, and thus you are forbidden to do it.
Well, to these petty dictators it is time to say, “Go to hell!” It is time to tell them that we will not obey, that they do not have this right or power over free Americans, and that even if they did, this country has always considered it morally repugnant for anyone to claim such power.
We were founded as a free nation with the goal of treating all humans equally. We were not perfect at founding (as no human endeavor ever is), so we later fought a Civil War to free the slaves that should never have been enslaved to begin with. In that war we sacrificed more than 600,000 lives, out of a population of just over 31 million, meaning that two percent of the entire population died to set other people free. Since most of these deaths were among young men of fighing age, that meant that probably more than five percent of those men sacrificed their lives in the Civil War.
Compare that to the Wuhan flu, where we agonize over mortality rates that might, might, reach 0.5 percent of the population, and are likely far less.
The United States of America was founded on the basis of human freedom, equality, and the unabashed obligation to allow all humans to simply be happy. What a concept for a nation and government! It seems almost absurd, building a nation to allow people to be happy.
And yet, that goal meant that people were free to follow their dreams, and the result in less than 150 years was the world’s most powerful and prosperous nation, where everyone could prosper because no one was allowed, by fundamental law, to stop them.
Our corrupt leaders are no longer following that fundamental law. It is time that Americans told them to do so, in no uncertain terms.
If we do not, then that fundamental law will be dead, and the pursuit of happiness for all humans will no longer be the standard by which we live. It is frightening to consider what evil new standard might then follow to replace it.
Based on what we have seen in the last four months, it certainly will not be life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Petty dictators, politicians, and a wholly politicized medical establishment, like con artists, can only swindle the willing …
Stupid men and stupid women, who fail to perceive truth under their very noses, fail to apply simple math and to recognize, let alone complete, fill-in-the-blank areas of patchy news reports, fall for the oldest trick in the book, of being frightened into giving up what could only otherwise be taken by force.
The person who gently but firmly insists I wear a mask thinks that I am just too dumb to understand the threat. I don’t think I’m smarter than she is, I KNOW I am because she just proved it: those who are truly smart know that being smarter than the average bear doesn’t mean the average bear has to treat you as her superior.
As for selfish? The most selfish people on earth declare: “I’m afraid I’m going to get sick so I insist that you greatly inconvenience yourself in every way because I’m afraid.”
You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. We will see evil beyond belief through the November elections as the swamp fights for its life against the greatest threat it’s ever encountered: President Trump.
James Street: Unfortunately, I believe you are correct!
Do you remember being able to protect yours and your property. Now those who do get charged!
I remember being able to smoke in comfort on my own property or the property of others who allowed it. The demonization of environmental tobacco smoke in order to facilitate the passage of smoking bans was an earlier example of the public health establishment violating liberties with unreliable numbers. Over half the country used to smoke, and the governing classes thought nothing of persecuting them, while the rest of us stood by with grave approval. In vain was it pointed out that submitting to those dictates would lead to further depredations of everyone’s rights.
Here we are.
Excellent article, excellent comments. Now, what’s the solution? And PLEASE don’t tell me it’s the voting booth…
NEW YORK WILL GET WORSE, NOT BETTER
New Yorkers: Do the words “Democrat Socialist” mean anything to you?
Well they are going to come to mean a whole lot more to you if they don’t now.
https://nypost.com/2020/07/22/democratic-socialists-expected-to-shake-up-new-york-state-assembly/
Democrat Socialism: Democratic socialism is a political philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on workers’ self-management and democratic control of economic institutions within a market socialism economy, or some form of a decentralized planned socialist economy. Democratic socialists argue that capitalism is inherently incompatible with the values of freedom, equality and solidarity and that these ideals can only be achieved through the realization of a socialist society.
Socialism: Socialism is a political, social, and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterized by social ownership of the means of production and workers’ self-management of enterprise as well as the political theories and movements associated with such systems. Social ownership can be public, collective or cooperative ownership, or citizen ownership of equity. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them, with social ownership being the common element shared by its various forms.
Notice how the two definitions mean the exact same thing? Social ownership (That means NOT you) and control of what was private property and the means of production.
There are people in New York State and in the country for that matter that believe that this designation “Democratic Socialist” is in some way a more acceptable designation and it really does not mean “Socialism”. Well they are very sadly wrong and they are very self delusional. In both Socialism and in Democratic Socialism you lose your freedom and private property rights. Let that sink in. Some group of, of course “Well meaning” people, tell you what you can and can not do.
These psychological word games that the Left plays are specifically designed to make Americans who are unhappy with the chaos and contentiousness of the politics of the day with what seems a reasonable alternative and solution. Well its not, your being manipulated by professional propagandists and trained Marxists bent on the destruction of America and our Constitution, plain and simple.
This email is directed to you personally so take some time and hash this mind game out because you must understand it and reject it. “I did not know” will not be an acceptable answer to the question: How did America turn into a Socialist country, and how were the people who were so free and wealthy able to be fooled like that?
How will you answer this question America? I will not accept “I did not know”.
@Van, the solution is to refuse to do as commanded. I don’t wear a mask at home, or outside, or anywhere where I won’t be refused service if I don’t do so. In those places which require masks, if I don’t have an absolute need of their services (a doctor’s office, for example) I tell them why they’ve lost my business and go elsewhere. I shake hands with anyone I meet who wishes to. Our church is completely open–no mask requirements, no social distancing, no nannying about not shaking hands or otherwise touching (a pat on the back, tousling a child’s hair, etc.).
When enough of us do this, the diktats won’t matter anymore.
“Four Months of Unprecedented Government Malfeasance”
Heather Mac Donald
Imprimis
May/June 2020
https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/four-months-unprecedented-government-malfeasance/
Van asked: “Now, what’s the solution? And PLEASE don’t tell me it’s the voting booth… ”
Milton Freedman had the answer to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEVI3bmN8TI (One Minute)