Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

With the literally hundreds of communicable/transferable diseases around the world, what makes Covid-19 so different...why are we being forced to be afraid of this virus more than any other ailment, including the plague?

Yes, it can make some people very ill; and yes, it can sadly take the lives of some. But so can, and does, many other diseases. I agree that this virus is disconcerting. It came without any warning, and traveled

around the world in record time (my thoughts on that is a different story!), and it seems to be easily transferable.

Yet, does that really take pre-eminence over the decisions I make for myself? Does that dictate that I no longer have “free choice”, something our government was and is built on? A few people are making choices that affect literally millions, without any regard on what those of us — who elected them into office — think.

Sadly, though, many are more than willing to let the government take care of everything, to be our “Nanny”. I, however, am not one of those.

Influenza, HIV, measles, chickenpox, polio, and STDs are all easily transferrable diseases and have multiple symptoms, even causing death. There are vaccines for some of those; but the vaccines do not put an end to those diseases, there has recently been a resurgence of several diseases thought to be eradicated.

The resurgence of some diseases shows that we are not in as complete control as we would like to think we are. Sickness, disease, and death are all part of our world, and will be for as long as the world exists.

Thinking we can eradicate, or completely control these things is not only arrogant, but naive. Yes, we have come far in our medical advances, and I for one am extremely glad for many of them, but being forced to do things is not the best way, and it is not how this Nation was founded.

Vaccines have always been recommended, or if you want to put your child in public school it is compulsory, but not forced – until recently. I agree that vaccines can be helpful in reducing symptoms if a disease is contracted, or even keep a disease somewhat under control – but it does not (cannot) guarantee that you won’t ever contract that disease.

My issue is with the idea of being mandated, or forced, to wear a mask or get a vaccine against my will.

I have read our Government’s reasoning for mask wearing; it “prevents” the spread of droplets from leaving or entering your mouth/nose (at least some are now saying “slows the spread” which is a bit more accurate). And yet the states and countries that have mandated masks from the very beginning are still seeing waves of infections.

Why is that you may wonder? Because, even if masks may help reduce the spread, they do not “prevent” it (which means “to stop, or keep from happening”). It has been proven that the Covid virus is small enough to go through the everyday masks we wear, and people who do wear masks are

still being infected (myself, and even our Governor included).

And yet the “powers that be” continue to push mask wearing and blame those who choose not to wear a mask for why it is spreading —not the fact that it is a microscopic virus that we cannot control.

I am told that I am inconsiderate, uncaring, or do not love my neighbor if I do not wear a mask, or eventually get injected with a vaccine I am totally against. Who are you to say I do not care or am not considerate of others, do you even know me? Aren’t you being that way with me and the way I believe?

For one example, I care very much for those who are left alone in hospitals and nursing homes, who aren’t allowed to have any loved ones visit, or be with them during this time. I care very much

for those who have not been able to work, and are having to rely on the government (who shut down their jobs in the first place) to give them some means to live.

If mask wearing is so protective, why isn’t it good enough for family to visit their loved ones? If they care so much for our elderly and sick, why are hospitals and nursing homes keeping us away from them?

They are supposed to be a place of rest and healing, or a home - not a jail. I am speaking from personal experience of not being allowed to see a loved one in the hospital — they could have died, and I wasn’t even allowed to wait in the waiting room. Is that really for the “good of the people”?

Wearing masks is turning into double-mindedness. if masks are so protective, then why can’t we see our loved ones — whether in a hospital, nursing home, or even over holidays? If they are so protective, why are we being limited on how many people gather in one place?

If they are so protective, why aren’t people being allowed back to work (here, and around the world)? If they are so protective, why do we have to “quarantine”, especially if it was only a possible contact?

If they are so protective, why do we still have plastic shields separating us? As with any new disease or virus, there are more questions than answers – and we are daily being told different things about this virus – one group says “it’s this”, one group says “no, it’s that”. Yet here we are, running in fear and making mandates.

I have heard several say we should follow Japan and mandate mask wearing at all times, for the “good of the people”. Do we really want to turn into a nation who’s faces are never seen, a smile is never given or received, our speech impeded because it is so difficult to talk through a mask, let alone understand each other clearly?

Has anyone thought how this could turn into a fear over every ailment, how people are already afraid if you let them know you either were in contact, or possibly infected; are we going to let the government dictate that we tell them every time we are sick, and with what; and, like now, that information gets spread all over (so much for the HIPA act)?

What about lock-downs and curfews? Have they proven effective? Well, they stop the spread of

economic health and growth, and soon bankrupt a state/country that believes it can withstand paying its people to stay home. But will it stop the virus?

Of course not, it doesn’t magically disappear just because people are forced to stay home, it starts “spreading” again as soon as the doors are opened! So how long will people be willing to be caged up? Is that really for our good?

We have seen since the beginning of time how forcing humans to do something is not the best practice. Our own nation has fought many wars and battles to end that exact issue — forcing someone to do something against their will — starting with the Revolutionary War. Has anyone thought that how, like during the Civil War, it will turn brother against brother — I already see that happening in my own family; one is a believer in masks, and one isn’t, so they do not see each other, or even talk to each other.

If our nation really wants what is best for the people, then go back to requesting those who want to wear a mask to do so, or those who want to get vaccinated to do so; but I ask, I implore you, to quit spreading the fear and stop the mandates before they turn our nation in more turmoil than it already is.

Will more people become infected, yes; will more people die, possibly (I am not cold-hearted, I have had loved ones pass away with complications of Covid) — but our country, our world, cannot sustain the state that it is in for much longer.

I do care about my community, state, country and world. I do love my neighbor, but I do not believe I have to wear a mask to prove that.

Let our nation become healthy by allowing us to once again choose what is personally best for us, allow us to go back to work without impediments, allow us to freely be with our loved ones; without the fear

of being called uncaring, inconsiderate, or even feeling guilty over writing a letter like this because it goes against “the new normal”.

One last thought, what is the magic formula that someone will finally say, “Okay, it’s over”? When will enough be enough?

A Concerned Citizen,

Allison Ver Burg Moorcroft, WY