I didn't want to believe it, but it seems that it is true. The authoritarian left is trying to kick off a new COVID pandemic, complete with mask mandates and possibly other restrictions. As fall approaches, the nation finds itself at an all-too-familiar crossroads: Do we choose liberty or the illusion of safety?
Less than a few weeks ago, reports surfaced suggesting that mask mandates were on their way back as several entities have decided to reinstate them. It has not yet gotten to the level of what the nation experienced starting in 2020, but it is entirely possible that lockdown-loving Democrats and squishy Republicans might just push for the sequel to this awful COVID flick.
There are two important possible scenarios that could materialize in response to another push for mandates. First, the American public can decide that it has learned its lesson and refuse to go along with more restrictions. Or, people could once again comply with mask mandates and other measures because they are still afraid of the coronavirus and retaliation from the government and society.
The emergence of a new variant called BA.2.86 or "Eris" has prompted media to publish reports warning of potential upticks in COVID cases and deaths. This is already leading to national debate on restrictions.
It won't be long before the seasons change and Fall is ushered in. That usually means cooler weather, football, and the leaves changing color. This is 2023, though, so it also means it's time for yet another round of COVID-19 panic, and sure enough, the latest iteration of a "Winter of severe illness and death" is being prepped.
To illustrate that, a deluge of mainstream press stories has dropped recently promoting a new variant that goes by the official moniker BA.2.86. It has been nicknamed Eris, named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord. You know, just to give it that little bit of extra sizzle.
Several institutions have already jumped on the hysteria. Lionsgate Studio in Hollywood recently announced that it was reinstating its mask mandate for employees. Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, New York, resurrected its mask mandate on August 17. Morris Brown College in Atlanta did the same.
When the pandemic was still a thing, the mask became an iconic symbol indicating where people stood on the matter. It was a political litmus test of sorts, especially in the few areas where people were not required to wear them. If someone still wore a mask in these areas, it wasn't difficult to ascertain what side of the political divide they were on. Some chose liberty, and others chose "safety."
It seems the nation might be on the verge of seeing a repeat of this. But there is a chance that the outcome of this conflict might turn out differently this time.
There is a high possibility that the American public will channel Hall & Oates in the face of potential mask mandates and say, "I Can't Go For That." If a wide swath of people choose not to comply, then it will show that they have realized that these measures are not only unnecessary but a violation of their liberty.
In response, the government could relent, realizing that the people are not going to allow them to force face diapers and other restrictions on them for a virus that isn't nearly as deadly as the Faucis of the world claimed. This would be the desirable outcome. However, it is not out of the question to speculate that the state might just react to noncompliance with harsher measures enforced by law enforcement. If the government decides to play hardball, it could result in people being thrown in cages for refusing to wear a mask. This could eventually lead to protests -- some of which could become violent.
On the other hand, the notion that people would simply throw up their hands and go along with the mandates is also plausible. If the elites, through government action and media fearmongering, manage to persuade most Americans that they are all going to die if they don't put that piece of cloth on their faces, we might just see a repeat of what occurred over the past few years.
This would be a more dangerous scenario from a liberty perspective. Acquiescing to the government again, even after all the information that has come out about the ineffectiveness of masking, would send a message to the ruling class: We will do whatever you say. This would only embolden the authoritarian element in our upper echelons of society to go even further in other disasters.
While some institutions are reinstating mask mandates, it does not necessarily mean that the left will attempt to drag the nation through another full-on panic. Perhaps this will be as bad as it gets. But we cannot ignore the possibility that another hysteria is in the works. Hopefully, Americans will choose liberty this time around.