Conavirus......

[Yppej]

Yppej, my friend died in November before vaccines were available. I don’t have any unvaccinated friends or family. Even people that got Covid got vaccinated.

That's what I figured on your friend who died. Vaccines work and in a post-vaccine world the rules of engagement with others should be different.

You and your social circle should ignore the media fear mongering and enjoy getting together. Too bad you are no longer going to restaurants. Unless someone has had chemo or something like that which would severely interfere with the vaccine's effectiveness you should be good.

On the other hand if people don't want to get vaccinated they should stay home and do curbside pickup of groceries etc.

[flowerseverywhere]

I'm not sure why you think that Republican governors are anti-mask when you could just as easily realize that it's simply that Republican governors are less likely than Democratic governors to use the power of the state to force people to bend to their will. I think it probably boils down to differences of opinion about the sovereignty of the individual vs the power of the state, which is probably the major difference between the two dominant political parties.

Although that is selective. Want to own guns? Have at it. Just ignore the 20,000 deaths that happened last year. Want to go maskless? No worries. Who cares that you could spread he variant to unvaccinated children and make them very ill or even die. Birth control or abortion? Oooh….wait a minute. We care about unborn lives and too bad how the mother feels, even if there is a good reason. Those women. They have a lot of nerve thinking they have rights.

and by the way, I have to wear a seatbelt, drive the speed limit, to protect myself and others. We are forced to pay into social security whether or not we want to. Masks and vaccinations? Is “freedom” is more important than a life?

[jp1]

So deathsantis isn’t attempting to use the force of government to bend people to his will when he threatens school district funding if the administrators attempt to keep their students and community safer by following recommended public health guidelines? Interesting theory.

[Yppej]

Is “freedom” is more important than a life?

Yes, freedom is more important than a life. That is why many have sacrificed their lives to defend our freedoms. If freedom is not worth a life, then those people died in vain. I don't think they did.

Was freedom for the slaves worth the deaths in the Civil War, which killed more Americans than any war before or since? I think so. You tell me what you think.

[Alan]

Although that is selective. Want to own guns? Have at it. Just ignore the 20,000 deaths that happened last year. Want to go maskless? No worries. Who cares that you could spread he variant to unvaccinated children and make them very ill or even die. Birth control or abortion? Oooh….wait a minute. We care about unborn lives and too bad how the mother feels, even if there is a good reason. Those women. They have a lot of nerve thinking they have rights.

and by the way, I have to wear a seatbelt, drive the speed limit, to protect myself and others. We are forced to pay into social security whether or not we want to. Masks and vaccinations? Is “freedom” is more important than a life?

Oh, I don't think it's as selective as you imply. I think most people agree there's a place in society for abortion when the mother's health is in jeopardy or the baby will be born with severe disabilities, the major difference seems to be whether there should be unfettered access to abortions and whether or not a fetus is a person with an unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, we only hear about the extremists on each side of that debate.

As for your other examples, I think the state has a right to regulate activities on their roads in just the same manner a business has the right to regulate the terms of their service. It's odd that Democrats will agree with the first part of that belief and disagree with the second. It's weird.

[Teacher Terry]

Our local positivity rate is 19.5 and our ICU is 91% full so I don’t think I will take your medical advice Yppej. Flowers, I totally agree with you!!

[frugal-one]

I like the fact that Delta airlines insurance company will require those who are unvaccinated to pay $200 more per month. Perhaps some will change their minds when it hits them in the pocketbook. Obviously, this would not be the case for those who can't be vaccinated.

[Alan]

So deathsantis isn’t attempting to use the force of government to bend people to his will when he threatens school district funding if the administrators attempt to keep their students and community safer by following recommended public health guidelines? Interesting theory.

He isn't preventing anyone from keeping students and community safe, he's just putting the onus of protection on the parents and individuals rather than using the force of the state.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't think your definition of freedom means anything, so for me it has very little if any value.

There is the freedom to vote and be represented in a democracy, there is a freedom to express political opinions, etc.. But freedom to not wear masks in a pandemic isn't freedom, it's socialization of risk/externalities.

I do have doubts about how effective masking of kids (who let's face it will be lax) is, of highly motivated adults yes but ... But that's not airy conversations about freedom when I don't even accept the definition.

[Yppej]

I have thought about getting toothpicks and putting one end against my cheek and the other against the mask to push it out from my face so I can breathe better. If mask mandates continue to proliferate I might try that. Yesterday at the library I just tucked it under my chin when no one was looking and under my nose when people were looking but not right next to me. No one called me out on it. Everyone knows the mandate is stupid for vaccinated people and I told them I was (and that it's too bad I got vaccinated for nothing).