Category: Coronavirus

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No Mandatory Injections – Period

As the coronavirus pandemic starts to ebb, some are discussing a vaccine. It’s great that there’s a promising vaccine already! Absolutely phenomenal! If the vaccine that is currently being tested turns out to be effective, it will be the fastest developed vaccine in history. Seriously: the community has been working on it for less than six months and the expected turn-around time with a fire lit under the scientific community is in the realm of eighteen months. To be so close so quickly is an amazing show of human ingenuity.

I am a fan of vaccines. Vaccines have helped to effectively eradicate some of the most deadly diseases in history. Vaccines and medicines of that ilk make it relatively safe to travel to far-off lands with known widespread infections – or just those with water that the natives can handle but would otherwise be dangerous to foreigners. Modern medicine is a marvel.

But nobody should ever force medicine on a competent individual.

(For anyone wondering why that adjective “competent” is there, it’s because sometimes people aren’t capable of making decisions. I use the term “competent” in the legal sense – effectively, a person who is able to rationally consider decisions. Legally, to be competent, a person must have reached the age of majority and be free from any ailment preventing soundness of mind such as dementia or insanity. Anyone who is incompetent should have a guardian to either assist in the decision making or to make the decisions for them. For example, if a child refuses a vaccination against the flu but the child’s parents insist, the parents win and the child gets the flu shot.)

Some world leaders are making the rounds saying that people should be forcibly vaccinated. “Mandatory vaccinations for all!” Why would the government insist on putting a piece of metal in someone’s body, spill blood, and put a foreign substance in that person’s body? For the public welfare, comes the cry. But why would the government have that kind of right?

There are numerous reasons why someone might not be willing or able to be vaccinated. There are the stubborn people like me (healthy young individuals unafraid of taking the brunt of the virus); there are also many concerned with what else might be snuck in with the vaccine (such as bio-tracking devices which would allow corporations or governments to trace movements and also trace and potentially control various bodily functions). Moreover, there are conscientious objectors – the people who cannot accept a vaccine in good conscience because of how it was made (such as any pro-life activist accepting a vaccine made from aborted children). In addition, there are people for whom taking a vaccine could physically harm them, such as the immuno-compromised or people with allergies.

Regardless of which of these or other reasons someone might ascribe to, the dignity of being human demands that people be able to decide for themselves if they will be injected with something. No government has the right to force its population to endure a vaccination. Many of our leaders need reminding of this, though.

As such, there’s a petition making the rounds: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus.

I highly recommend taking a look at it. If you are so inclined, please sign it, pass it along to friends and family, and even contact your local representatives. Anyone, regardless of where you are, may sign. If you’re in the United States, I highly encourage you to not only sign but to also call your local, state, and even federal representatives to point out that the Constitution does not permit mandatory vaccinations. Even if you’re not in the United States, there’s a very good chance that there is some government official you can call to air grievances about such a horrendous idea for mandate.

I’ll leave you with this for now: please consider signing the petition against mandatory vaccinations. Even if you intend to get vaccinated when it comes out, there’s no reason for the government to force it on anyone. Please consider the consequences of the simple act of not acting in this circumstance. If we fail to protect our individual liberties at this stage, what next? This is a literal invasion of the body, the piece of creation that God gifted to each of us as individuals. If we can’t stop the government from stabbing us with needles containing synthetic chemicals (the testing of which has been accelerated and cut short due to the pressing requests for it post-haste), how can we claim that there is anything that the government can’t take from us?

Again, here’s the petition – and please share it with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and anyone and everyone else:
https://bit.ly/2TrRaxs

Let’s stop this assault on individual civil liberties.

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Crazy Times: Treason, Injustice, and Rebellion

When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

– Lisa Macdonald, Socialist Alliance, quoted by Green Left

Strange times we live in.

The quote above often passes with an attribution to Thomas Jefferson. Nope. But I liked the quote when I first read it, so I won’t let that it was spawned from the mouth of a socialist sour it for me. As they say, even a blind squirrel stumbles paradoxically into an acorn every once in a while.

The quote is doubly triply (given that it comes from a socialist) fitting per current events. News coverage of previous presidents orchestrating a coup and setting the country up for failure is the only new thing on the circuit this week. The COVID-19 coverage is the same day in, day out, and the question there boils down to, simply, when will the government stop infantalizing citizens?

Point One: Treason Charges Pending (Hopefully)

Apparently (hot off the presses, so the investigation is condemning but still ongoing), President Obama and many of his top advisors went above and beyond to be a thorn in candidate Trump’s side during the campaign including laying the groundwork to usurp his authority if he was able to win the election despite their efforts. I understand campaigning for your selected next candidate, even though it means going back on some things you said against them while campaigning against them in the primary (even though they were never false), and I understand campaigning against the opposing party, but sabotaging your own country to make sure the guy you don’t like can’t get much power? I’m fairly certain that qualifies as treason.

If nothing else, will there be justice for Lieutenant General Michael Flynn? Come on, the man’s a war hero. It was dicey going after him in the first place, and now he’s being exonerated because he was framed? Not just hot-potato-pass-the-blame framed, but people orchestrated a plot to invent what looked like a hot potato and then pinned it on him. That’s some serious salt, fabricating treason against a war hero. Ugh.

Point Two: The Shutdown (Injustice!) Has To End Soon

I’m ridiculously lucky in that I’m minimally impacted by the COVID-19 shut-down. The daily thing for me is that I am not generally allowed back in the office, and the most frustrating thing is the prohibition against public Mass celebrations. Unlike many people I know, I don’t spend much time out at movies, going to restaurants, or even getting haircuts. (I cut my own hair; it saves beaucoup bucks … and awkward interactions with hair stylists.)

Something has got to give, and it’s got to give soon.

Mental health problems have skyrocketed, many are out of work and don’t know how to feed their families, Republicans opt for massive expenditure bills to try to save lives, Democrats (read: Nancy Pelosi) block the bills to blame the other party for something (Hey! Don’t you know it’s an election year?!), and the American dream is being ground into the dirt. The world as we know it has gone bonkers.

“This would all be easier if there were a Universal Basic Income.” I heard this sentiment from several people. Uh, okay, commie, where would all that money come from – especially now given that everyone is out of work? Oh, by the way, how did that work for college tuition rates? (You know, many people who went to university decades ago paid much less in tuition, room, and board because the government wasn’t promising loans regardless of how awful the bill got.)

P.S.
Venezuela. If you still want socialism, go to Venezuela and be happy if you can find a stray dog to eat.

And that’s not even mentioning the crux of the issue: what about the will to live? Work isn’t a great purpose in life, mind you, but for many, it’s all they’ve got. If they don’t have to work to put food on the table, there’s literally no point to life. It’s one of the reasons we’re expected to lose 68,000 citizens to deaths of despair (such as suicide and substance abuse) just from this pandemic. It’s a scary time, and people are losing the only reasons they have to muster through.

I’m hoping (and, yes, praying) that this little socialist experiment teaches our great society an important lesson. Unfortunately, I’m doubtful we’re listening.

Part Three: A Socialist Encourages Rebellion

What state have you to depend on if you tear it down?

That is a legitimate question. Socialists don’t exist in the natural state of affairs because they require a fabricated system to lean on. Without the commons, there is no tragedy thereof. Without the tragedy of the commons, there is no socialism.

Rebellion is more of a thing for people who aren’t afraid of having a minimally-invasive government. It would make sense for a libertarian to say something like the above. For someone who wants the government to stick its sticky paws in places where the sun don’t shine and expect everyone to be happy about it… Well, that simply doesn’t make sense.

But I’m fine with that. You know, if the socialists want to tear down the blooming socialism, I say we cheer them on. We should also build up as they destruct so there is structure to return to at the end of the day, hopefully one without all the ridiculous plumes of absurd government overreach. Let’s let the socialists tear themselves down so the rest of society can build something better.

Ready For an Uptick?

I received an email today with this subject line:

Outbreaks ‘Inevitable’ as States Reopen

Well, yeah. If they weren’t, what was the point of the shut down in the first place?

The point was to “flatten the curve” to make sure the hospitals could handle the influx of patients, particularly as we figure out what works and what doesn’t against this novel infection. So yes, re-opening, whether now or a year from now, will inevitably result in more cases. If it doesn’t, then that means the shut-down had zero effect on flattening the curve, and we should all be outraged at being cooped up for no reason.

So, I’m ready for an uptick in cases, yes. An uptick in novel coronavirus cases means an uptick in the economy and, more importantly, a serious uptick in the quality of life of all those impacted by this disastrous scenario which will inevitably result in a flattening of the mental health crisis curve.

Much love. <3

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The Storm Will End

Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain: when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.

– Haruki Murakami
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It’s Good to Sing in the Rain

It’s okay to sing in the rain.
No –
It’s good to sing in the rain!
How else will you know you’ll make it through?
How will you make it through if you don’t know you will?
That’s the secret nobody teaches you.
We can pull through – we always have.
We just have to keep moving forward.
Just have to keep singing in the rain.

With the exception of eggs, things seem to simply be going my way.

Okay, so there are always minor things (like eggs and oddly reduced store hours) that are probably tossing many of us for a loop right now. Some are less fortunate as they have to endure the actual illness or put themselves in serious danger of contracting it. (Thankfully, the United States currently seems to have enough hospital beds and ventilators to keep pace with demand, and archaic regulations were recently waived to enable manufacturers and retrofitters to keep ahead of the turbulence. To the elderly in Italy, you have our prayers.)

I have a tendency to turtle up inside when given the option. I way prefer working in the office to working from a shelter-in-place scenario, but otherwise, I’m game for a snow day. Or a snow week. Or an Ice Storm of ’98. Just keep us to under two weeks of being unable to enjoy the light of day and I’m probably good.

Anyway, I was running exceptionally low on soap this morning, so I needed to venture out into an actual store. (Yikes, right? Thankfully I’m neither paranoid nor concerned about my immunoresponse systems.) Given several different factors, I opted to try the discount chain I frequent over the standard big box stores.

I walked in and was greeted by a full shelf of various soaps, boxes of gloves, and other personal cleaning supplies. (One of the soap products was made with volcanic ash. Simultaneously cool and not something I want to spend the premium to use.) I meandered about seeking some other things I was/am running low on. And you know what?

The shelves were full. Every shelf had product on it.

I found the actual handsoap aisle and discovered they keep soap in stock that my grandmother loves. (It’s a high quality soap with a mild scent.) As it made me think of Grandma, it went into my basket. I was in a pretty good mood walking in, and finding that just perked my ears higher. I got Grandma soap. I even managed to rationalize buying a six pack of it when one will probably last me a month. (They didn’t have singles of that kind of soap, and I wanted that one.) And the cashier was simply fabulous; we had a great little conversation, and I’d hop in her line any time.

After a successful venture there, I went to a normal grocery store to get eggs.

They were closed. At 7:15 pm, the grocery store was closed.

*Eyebrows furrow.*

Oh well. I shrugged it off and drove to the nearby supercenter. Again, no eggs, and no random this or random that which appeared on my list. However, having these random things actually on my list encouraged me to ask associates (mid-restock) for directions. Every single one of the people I interacted with (and they were in clusters, so speaking with one meant interacting with at least three) was in high spirits. Maybe they were enjoying the adventure of tidal waves of customers, or maybe they just had humor for the situation. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were amiable, happy to help, and even a little chatty.

As I was returning from the adventure, my brother called me – the one most likely of us all to come down with any rampant virus because he works in a hospital – just to check in. He’s doing well, and he even mentioned that he picked up enough meats to entertain himself with his smoker should he need to quarantine-in-place. (Plus, we talked about some tentative good news sitting just on the horizon.) Because he’s the most at risk and he’s doing well, I feel confident in saying the fam is doing well.

What a way to top off a day where I got a fairly intense, multi-day project done . I got it done, and I got it done well. (And I’m exceptionally happy that I didn’t give in to my grouchiness at technical problems and send off the product without proofreading it.) Perhaps a little overly-thoroughly, truth be told, but the secondary and tertiary arguments are the ones that stuck out the most, so they made it to paper first.

And.

And.

I’m still flying a teensy bit high off of the praise I received yesterday. The client, known to be quite picky and to change little things here and there in a work product, had nothing to add, delete, or alter before my document was submitted. The managing partner said they “really liked it,” and the paralegal pointed out how impressive a recommendation that is from that particular inside counsel. Yeah, definitely feeling like singing in the rain today.

So today was a pretty awesome day. We still have some snow, but it’s melting; the store wasn’t incredibly crowded; the personnel in the stores were fabulous; and I stayed on track with what I planned to get done despite myself and some technical glitches. Overall, I feel like whistling.

With this kind of luck, tomorrow there may even be eggs in store. 😮

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What Do You Choose to See?

It has been pretty nutty lately, hasn’t it?

Everywhere you look, every time you talk to friends, every time you run some errands or even just go out for a walk, there is clearly something different. It seems the atmosphere itself has changed as a result of the pandemic. It’s strange. For better or for worse, it certainly is strange.

Personally, I feel like I’m benefiting from this social distancing and scare-your-neighbors-to-stay-indoors thing. Sure, meeting new people is super awkward now (“Hi! Nice-to-meet-you handshake-from-six-feet-away. #NoTouching”), but I don’t have to take my walks late at night to get the sidewalk almost entirely to myself despite where I go. (I love night walks, but it’s nice to see some sunlight every once in a while.)

The pandemic has also made the character of people clear, giving me an opportunity to reflect not only on how others are responding to the situation, but also to how I am responding to it. Have you looked at how you are reacting to the COVID-19 threat? How are you changing your behavior as a result of the novel coronavirus, social distancing, and all of the new rules and expectations that entails?

How Have I Responded COVID-19?

I live with an elderly woman, so I bought a pump bottle hand sanitizer for the house and put up a sign asking people to please use it. I also bought some canned goods, but that was more as a result of there not being any eggs (!!!) than that I’m actually concerned about an extended quarantine. Additionally, and much to my chagrin, I’m working from home; I suppose it saves on gas, but I’m one of those people who relies on a separate office spade to separate work from the rest of the day. (Now I’m going to bed and waking up thinking about how to phrase something in an office action response; I don’t believe that’s considered healthy.)

These things are pretty typical, but they certainly don’t characterize my response. My response has been so multi-faceted that I’m dedicating a separate post to it. The gist of it, basically, is that I’m Catholic and I’m American; don’t you dare tell me what I can and cannot do.

How Does the Public At Large Appear to be Reacting?

Well, if you’re tuned in to just about anything – social media, the news, or just have ventured to the store recently yourself – you’ve probably noticed some of the shelves seem pretty bare. There’s nothing wrong with the supply chain; the vast majority of the supplies the stores are out of will be replenished in a week or two. Regardless some people are buying absurd amounts of stuff.

One of the biggest concerns is toilet paper. Luckily, I bought a relatively large thing of it a few weeks before the fears crept near us, so I still have a couple of weeks worth of the stuff, but there are people who are going pretty crazy over toilet paper. I’m talking Black Friday Tickle-Me-Elmo crazy: attacking people, launching oneself at restocking pallets, the works. That’s nuts, people. And if you’re one of the people ripping products out of a store associate’s hands, you should seriously visit a psychiatrist. Seriously.

And don’t get me started about the breathing face masks. Masks are used to prevent someone from giving away a contagion, but it doesn’t prevent you from catching one. Realistically, because COVID-19 is spread by the virus entering the body through holes in the face (mouth, ears, nose, pores… take your pick), and because someone wearing a mask is more likely to touch their face than someone who isn’t (because they have an uncomfortable mask to adjust), wearing a mask makes it more likely that someone is going to contract the virus. Simply put, unless you’re sick, don’t wear a mask.

But viciously hoarding toilet paper and other products isn’t the only reaction.

How Are Others Responding?

Amidst all the chaos, there is a lot of helping going on. People are reaching out to friends and neighbors in need. People are also reaching out to strangers in need.

Freecycle user debbygirl48 offers free food for those in need.

Think Freecycle is where all the peace-loving hippies hang out? Okay, then explain the same thing happening on Craigslist:

Craigslist post near Concord, New Hampshire.

Maybe it’s just those Concordians (Concordites?). That must be it, right?

Buffalo, New York has the same postings. And I’m willing to bet that most cities have similar postings all across the United States. Why would I be willing to make that bet?

Because the American spirit is alive. We are a loving, giving people.

Oh, and companies are getting involved, too.

Harbor Freight is donating its entire supply of personal protective equipment to hospitals.

What an amazing time to be alive.

What Do You Choose to See?

For some of us, the positive responses effectively smack us in the face. Maybe people close to you are the ones offering free stuff or reaching out via phone to check on friends. (The guidelines are to stay physically separated, but not to isolate yourself.) Maybe you’re the one reaching out to those you love or the unattended in your community. Maybe you snatched that bundle of toilet paper out of the associate’s hands because you promised to fetch one for Tiny Tim.

There is so much going on right now. Most of what’s covered in the news is dramatic because the drama is what keeps everyone glued to their newsfeeds. Ignore the drama. Find the grace. There are wonderful acts of kindness everywhere and even in the most trying of times. In fact, in the most trying of times, there are often more acts of kindness because this is when we realize that our neighbors need us to be kind!

What marvelous things are you noticing? We face this virus together, even though we’re physically separated. How are you helping your community to grow?

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Reminder: Trust in the Lord – God is (Still) in Control

It’s been a rough few days, hasn’t it? Well, amidst the corona-crazy (the virus itself, the reactions of people to it, the adjustments we’re all having to make as a result of various measures, and the way we’re newly finding ourselves interacting with each other), you still made it this far. The Lord has a plan for you. Maybe this presents an excellent opportunity for you to get to know Him a little better?

Hopefully you stopped in here for a little pick-me-up because that is precisely what I had in mind. There’s plenty of panicking elsewhere; here, we can strengthen our calm to carry it out into the world – whether or not you’re cooped up at home.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

– Proverbs 3:5-8

And for those seeking a more contemporary quote…

This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world.

– President Donald Trump, Coronavirus Address,
response to WHO Declaring COVID-19 a Pandemic

Stay calm. Stay strong. Stay clean. Most importantly, know you are loved even in your darkest hour.