Don's Tuesday Column

         THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson   Red Bluff Daily News   5/26/2020

Anti-religious despots and busybodies

What if Democrat leaders, like Gov. Gavin Newsom, proclaimed that the news media must cease and desist from gathering and broadcasting news and information? Since they’re confined behind closed doors and have no direct knowledge of anything, the government can simply commandeer the airwaves to tell citizens what they need to know and do to comply with mitigation “guidelines.” The authorities could justify it because, unless reporting conforms to the state’s chosen messaging, public order and confidence in the “guidance” of those in charge is at risk.

Of course, it’s preposterous and inconceivable under our national and state constitutions that enshrine the “Freedom of the Press” in the 1^st Amendment. Funny, though, that “press freedom” is not a standalone pillar of liberty; the first freedom is religion, followed by speech, the press and peaceable assembly.

“Congress shall make no law” establishing a religion or “prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people to peaceably assemble”—to protest against the government. If no law may “abridge,” those prohibitions apply also to unelected bureaucrats, administrators, “czars,” or health experts. Using such “experts” to rationalize taking away our right to free speech, press, assembly or religion is literally beyond anything anticipated by the Founders of our nation and the Framers of our Constitution.

Months ago, an “emergency” was proclaimed due to COVID-19, the Wu-flu, due to—at the time—reasonable conjecture based not on what was actually happening in America but on the seemingly uncontrolled spread of infection and death in China and Europe. Computer “models” (by technical wizards, apparently) predicted catastrophe without drastic measures. President Trump took executive actions when the Imperial College model said millions could die, while we and our governments all pulled together to do what was in our collective best interests and save lives.

Many could, and did, point out and decry the way that our basic liberties were set aside, in a laudable, even essential cause. Then “15 days to slow the spread” became “30 days to slow the spread,” the stated purpose being avoiding overwhelming our hospitals—not putting our lives, jobs, socializing, recreating and worshiping on semi-permanent hold.

Staying “locked down” and “confined at home” until it’s “safe,” we have a “cure” or a vaccine, was never an option to our formerly free, self-governing citizenry; no finite time-limit for our servitude to—not elected representative—but autocratic experts and unelected judges. Like the hypothetical banning of “freedom of the press,” some governors—Newsome in this case—have literally banned the “free exercise” of religion. Compliance, by the mislabeled “non-essential” activity of worship, was prudently given, while other activities and businesses were deemed “essential,” and given “permission” to operate.

Churches in California sued for the same treatment and restrictions as Home Depot; the 9^th Circuit ruled, two (Democrat) judges to one (Trump) judge that allowing churches to function would be tantamount to a “suicide pact.” State despotism cheerleaders and fanatics probably agree with the liberal judges (“9th Circuit Court: Allowing California Churches to Open Is a 'Suicide Pact,'” Victoria Taft, Pjmedia.com) that more onerous rules and standards should apply. Leftist lunatics: “they believe in the afterlife and don’t care about who gets killed by their germ-spreading” and “why should they get any consideration given their un-reality-based fantasy of a big “elf in the sky.”

Thank God for President Trump insisting churches be allowed to function according to their beliefs and mission, and promising to impose that by executive mandate. Progressives have for over a century used every tool in the executive power playbook and bemoaned that Trump wouldn’t use it to impose their left-wing priorities on recalcitrant state Republican governors. They now object to Trump supporting the constitutionally protected “free exercise” of religion. Too bad, libs.

It’s dawning on leaders and some judges that “states of emergency” expire; a patient, long-suffering populace has gotten the message of “mitigation,” social distancing and protective masks. However, none of that was imposed in the “Asian” and “Hong Kong” (simple points origin like Wuhan, China) influenzas of ’57-’58 and ’68-’69. Adjusted to current population, about 230,000 and 170,000 died, respectively. People won’t be controlled and restricted endlessly while businesses and employees chaff at the indignity of having to rely on “other people’s money” via government grants and (forgivable) loans where all were previously self-sustaining and profitable in a free economy.

Are those engaging in, and advocating, civil disobedience in defiance—not of laws but despotic and arbitrary “guidance”—hypocrites? No, the current regimen of arbitrary rule by unelected despots must be resisted until America’s constitutional self-rule and liberty is reestablished. We supporters of that agree with President Trump that there will never be another liberty and economic shutdown. Think we are bluffing? Try it again and see.

Authorities have imposed ludicrous, vindictive mandates and punishments; law authorities have often enforced those despotic mandates and physically prevented, arrested and fined people doing what they have the right to do. Busybody “snitches” have been empowered to harass, scream at and report fellow citizens and businesses like the Communist dictatorships that relied on citizen watchers to let their rulers know of non-compliance.

Lastly, still no Wu-flu cases from the Cottonwood rodeo. Also, a 50-year approved drug, hydroxychloroquine, with side effects, was used to save the lives of Sen. (D-MN) Amy Klobuchar’s husband and Michigan Democrat lawmaker Karen Whitsett, who credited President Trump. The Democrat left has shamefully politicized medicine and drugs, intimidating those studying HCQ for use on the Wu-flu.