FNG wrote:Camden wrote:FNG wrote:Camden wrote:FNG wrote:Politics led otherwise-smart liberals to the wrong conclusion 20 years ago, and are leading otherwise-smart conservatives to the wrong conclusion today. It's sad, and we need to be better than that.
FNG, conservatives aren't wrong here. And for the sake of accuracy, I'll reiterate that their positions are not anti-vaccine or anti-mask, but they are anti-mandate and in support of individual liberties. There are no conservatives banning or speaking against the right to wear masks or receive vaccines. Zero. Those are personal decisions that each American can make for themselves (and their children if they are parents). Furthermore, those are decisions that should not determine whether or not you receive employment or a proper education. Those are the battles that the conservative side is having. The right is fighting for the American people to continue with their lives and receive the medical treatment that they deem necessary for themselves. The left is fighting for... big pharma, media conglomerates, diminishing basic human rights of Americans, and mandatory medical treatment for a virus regardless of natural immunity. You're right. It is sad and everyone should be better than that.
No, I get it, Cam...this is anti-mandate. But I'm curious about how you feel about other mandates the government has forced on us in the interest of keeping us safe. What are your thoughts about speed limits, stoplights and stop signs, smoking limitations, Patriot Act regulations, etc.? All of these things restrict our freedoms, but I would argue that it was only when we became so polarized as a country politically (perhaps the turn of this century) that we began to complain about common sense measures designed to keep us safe. The data tells us that these restrictions keep us safe (even though liberals whined about the Patriot Act and conservatives largely whine about mask/vax mandates), and polling tells us that who we voted for correlates strongly to whether we support a government regulation or not. I find that very disappointing, and very sad.
I guess I'm left wondering why you're comparing traffic laws to mandatory medical treatment. Does that not seem like an odd comparison to you?
Not at all. Aren't they both government-sponsored freedom-reducing measures designed to keep us safe, even though a portion of the population thinks we would be just fine without them...just like the Patriot Act and smoking restrictions? There needs to be a cost/benefit analysis every time a regulation is put into place, and as irritating as some of the mandates I cite are to some of us (as it appears vax and mask mandates are to you), I believe a majority of us believe that ending this pandemic is much more important than the perceived loss of freedom some feel from the new mandates (or restrictions).
That's what I expected. Traffic codes are essentially legal guidelines to follow to promote safe transportation from one place to another. They also vary from state to state though there are obvious similarities.
This isn't
that. A more apt comparison would be the CDC guidelines to wash hands, don't touch your face, wear masks, social distance, etc. The risks of not doing so could be significant, but in all reality you might be fine totally ignoring it. We have all broken traffic codes. The risks of doing so are receiving citations and/or getting into car accidents. The risks of not following CDC guidelines could be getting sick and potentially infecting those you've been in contact with. In either case, the outcome might be unaffected.
Where this entire conversation takes a turn, however, is once you support mandatory medical treatment to gain employment, receive in-school education, and involvement in everyday society -- while also ignoring natural immunity for millions -- you put the land of the free and home of the brave on the fast track to becoming a communist state.
I'll also push back on your final sentence. The majority of this country wants to return to their normal lives instead of playing pandemic. The public has grown tired of various rules and mandates. They want to get back to work and provide for their families. They want to enjoy the company of friends and loved ones. Their quality of life has been suppressed for almost two years now. People are just over it and are willing to let the cards fall where they may.