The song, "O freedom, had its genesis as a celebration of the freeing of slavery in America. In the 1960s it was commonly sung by folk singer, Joan Baez. We all assumed that in democratic societies, freedom was a permanent fixture. We no longer have slavery except in a few third world countries. We also need to recognize that for most of human history, freedom has been transient and the exception, rather than the rule.
Today we have a situation where our freedoms have been eroded at an alarming rate. Politicians who we elected to act in our best interests and to uphold Constitutional rights have in effect, repealed them. Section 92 of the Australian Constitution says that "trade, commerce, and intercourse among the states, whether by means of internal carriage or ocean navigation, shall be absolutely free." The imposition of the state of emergency in the state of Victoria, renders Section 92 meaningless. These are the regulations imposed on the populace:
A six-week curfew from 8 pm to 5 am across the entire Melbourne metro area, with the only exceptions being work, medical care and caregiving
Outside those curfew hours, the only reasons to leave your home are: shopping for food and essential items, care and caregiving, daily exercise and work.
Daily exercise can only take place within a 5km radius of your home, cannot last longer than an hour and can't be with more than one other person.
You cannot buy more than two units of certain essential items, including dairy, meat, vegetables, fish and toilet paper.
Masks are compulsory when outdoors, across the entire state.
The last one is particularly comical as the odds of transmitting the virus outdoors is remote. What is not comical is that the police have the authority to enter a home without a warrant and can remove an individual or any of his family members without just cause.
Take the case of Jordan Hale, who forgot to put out his rubbish bin in the afternoon. Mr Hale, then proceeded to put out the bin after 8 pm. Well, you would think that he committed a major felony when the police swooped on him and then entered his home. The one cop, as Mr Hale tells it, stated, "You're lucky that I didn't pull a gun on you." Oh, the power!
Similar incidents have occurred in U.S. states where businesses were forced to close despite instituting safe practices with distancing, mask-wearing and disinfecting their premises. There is no tolerance for any deviation from stifling rules. Meanwhile, many businesses continue to collapse.
Why have we allowed ourselves to be muzzled by politicians in the name of a virus? Coronavirus is nowhere near as lethal as all the hype? In fact, the CDC in the USA has now admitted that only 6% of the Covid “deaths” were people afflicted with the Coronavirus alone.
So let's have a rational discussion. In both the USA and Australia, the number one killer by far is cardiovascular disease. Covid-19 does not even rank in the top 10 killers. Now we know that the majority of cardiovascular disease and many cancers are related to the food that we eat. The question is; why aren't governments instituting emergency powers to go into people's homes and confiscate any food not deemed "healthy"? Why aren't the police arresting people who refuse to comply with healthy eating? After all, wouldn't this reduce the death toll and put less strain on the health care system? Well hypocrisy works in strange ways.
We can see how destructive it is when economies are shutting down, and the population at large is quarantined, especially since Covid-19 is the greatest threat to the elderly, with a particular emphasis of those in nursing homes. You have to wonder why with all the viral illness of the last 100 years, such crushing draconian procedures have been imposed now. The reasons are many and for discussion another day.
History teaches us how quickly freedom can be lost. Remember that Adolf Hitler was elected to power in the Weimar Republic, a democratic but corrupt system. Hitler then proceeded to pass edicts such as the Nuremburg Laws which deprived Jews of their civil liberties. You might say that was then, but this is now. Unfortunately, history often repeats. What is going on today in America and other countries with shutdowns, rioting and deprivation of the right to walk down the street without being accosted, is unconstitutional, but few are speaking out.
Society can quickly descend into anarchy with the forfeiture of our freedoms. Do not succumb to the whims of politicians who claim to act with our best interests in mind. Let's hope we don't wake up shortly with a permanent refrain of, "Oh freedom, where art, thou!”
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