Reclaiming Thanksgiving & Our Freedom

Blue State Restrictions By Power-Hungry Autocrats Must Be Challenged

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

These are the famous first words of the Declaration of Independence signed July 4, 1776.  And, although signed 244 years ago, its meaning is more important than ever during the age of COVID-19, never-ending lockdowns, and blue state tyrannical governors’ edicts.

To simplify, God gives us our rights, not elected officials.  These rights include life, freedom, and the ability to pursue happiness.  Can any of us currently living in blue states honestly say that what we are experiencing during lockdowns is actually living?  Are we truly free when on a whim governors can lockdown states, close businesses indefinitely, force mask wearing, and fine or jail individuals for disobeying a government official’s decree? Have you been able to truly pursue happiness during lockdowns and restrictions?  I would venture to guess many of you would agree with me that what we are experiencing is not living and not freedom; therefore, we are not able to pursue happiness.

Equal Protection Under the Law?

Interestingly, these same leftist governors who keep their law-abiding citizens locked down, support and even participate with BLM and Antifa thugs who often go maskless, get in people’s faces screaming profanities, assault anyone who doesn’t agree with them, loot stores, and burn down buildings.  I’m not a lawyer but I think this breaches the “equal protection” clause of the Constitution.  The clause can be found in the 14th amendment and it states, “...nor shall any State...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws,” which basically spells out that individuals in similar situations be treated equally by the law.  We are not being treated equally if we are not allowed to attend church, eat in a restaurant, drink in a bar, work out in a gym, or go to movie theaters, but BLM and Antifa can continue their--often illegal--antics in large metropolitan areas without any repercussions from law enforcement.

Absurdities

One can note the wholesale absurdity of these lockdowns and restrictions when one considers that last Friday (November 13th) a San Diego judge ordered that all strip clubs can resume “providing adult entertainment.”  The litigants argued that their business is legally protected by the first amendment free speech clause.  However, government officials have not lifted restrictions on church attendance and worship (in the form of singing) anywhere in the state of California.  If any entity has a right to claim first amendment guarantees, it’s churches. The first amendment states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

In other words, you have to look pretty hard to find a right to dance nude for others in this very important amendment.  However, notice that no laws should be created which prohibit people from attending church and worshipping as they please.  When governors and mayors issue edicts restricting “the free exercise” of religion, they are violating a fundamental doctrine of freedom in America.  After all, as we near the Thanksgiving holiday, let’s remember that the Pilgrims and Puritans came to America specifically for religious and political freedom.  Is it any wonder, then, that the founders enshrined the religious freedom clause in the very first amendment to the Constitution?

Thanksgiving Restrictions

Unfortunately, though, nothing is sacrosanct to these dictatorial government officials.  Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington state (where I currently reside) along with Governor Kate Brown of Oregon and California governor, Gavin Newsom, decided four days ago to issue “travel advisories” regarding Thanksgiving for residents of these three coastal states.  These three leftists, who never met a regulation they didn’t like and seem to revel in making their citizens’ lives miserable, urged their constituents to stay home and avoid all but necessary travel.  In Inslee’s words, “It’s just too dangerous.”  The governors further stipulated that for those who choose to travel, they should quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at their destination and then quarantine another 14 days when travelers arrive home again.  

I have to admit that my first reaction was anger.  How dare these three, mostly incompetent governors tell me, an American citizen, where and when I can travel and with whom I can spend my time!  Anger probably doesn’t aptly describe my initial attitude.  I have two adult sons living in Southern Oregon whom I haven’t seen since last Thanksgiving, and being a rule-follower most of the time, I first pondered how to tell my sons I wouldn’t be able to make it to the Thanksgiving festivities.  Then, my rational side took over, and I did some research. Here’s what I discovered.

Lockdown Governors Taken to Task

Two governors east of the Rockies have been slapped down by judges over their CoronaVirus restrictions.  For example, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe’s dictates were ruled unconstitutional due to their restrictions on liberty. In like manner, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s despotic executive orders were labeled unconstitutional by Michigan’s Supreme Court in early October.  But, that hasn’t stopped Whitmer from issuing new COVID-19 restrictions just two days ago. Let the audacity of her actions seep in for a moment.  Leftists are, by nature, authoritarian. One can almost envision the thought bubble above her head reading Screw the courts; I’m in charge! No one is going to tell me what I can do with my own state.  It’s sad, really, that so many of these so-called “public servants” are nothing of the kind.  They’ve forgotten they get their power by the consent of the people they govern.  They do not rule their own little fiefdoms (except in their minds).  In response, a growing number of legislators in Michigan have decided the governor has overstepped for the final time and will be calling for “Impeach Whitmer” hearings.  I salute these warriors of freedom in their efforts and wish them success.

Is It Really About Safety?

Ironically, if you listen to a few of these governors and mayors, they claim they are locking their states down for the public’s safety and are following the science.  Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.  According to the Epoch Times, in mid-October 34,000 medical doctors and health scientists from around the world (including three epidemiologists from Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford) signed a declaration “against lockdowns put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.”  They claim the measures are causing irreparable damage, citing increases in suicide, cardiovascular disease, drug and alcohol abuse, and deteriorating mental health.  These doctors and health workers say the focus should not be on lockdowns, but instead should be on minimizing mortality until herd immunity (when a population becomes immune to an infectious disease) is reached.  Oh, did I mention that just a month ago the World Health Organization urged nations to stop using lockdowns to contain the disease?  Didn’t think you’d heard that.  Fake news anyone?  

Hypocrisy Abounds

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t cover the hypocrisy of those who issue these lockdowns and restrictions.  Let’s begin with Dr. Fauci who first told us in February of this year that we didn’t need to wear masks to fend off COVID-19 before he told us we needed to mask up all the time.  He felt the disease was so infectious he warned Americans to maintain social distancing and wear masks at all times.  Yet, while attending a baseball game last spring, the cameras caught the good doctor sitting much closer than the guidelines dictate and going maskless.  What does Dr. Fauci know that we don’t?

How about Governor Andrew Cuomo?  He has kept New York solidly locked down with many small businesses suffering and closing, yet he and his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, have been spotted regularly unmasked in New York City.  Then, there’s Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who issued harsh restrictions on the city she has been elected to serve, but chose to abandon her own restrictions when it suited her.  At the beginning of the pandemic shutdown in April, Mayor Lightfoot shut down all barber shops and salons calling them non-essential, but in defiance of her own edict decided she was more important than her constituents and needed a cut.  In her words, “I’m the public face of this city.  I’m on national media and I’m out in the public eye.”  Okay, but if this disease is really so communicable, shouldn’t Lightfoot be a little fearful of contracting the disease or at least a little cautious?  What do Governor Cuomo and Mayor Lightfoot know that the rest of us don’t?

What about California Governor Gavin Newsom?  After once again locking down his state last week, advising citizens to stay home for Thanksgiving, and issuing mandates on the number of people who can attend family festivities, he attended a large birthday bash for a lobbyist at a very exclusive restaurant in the Napa Valley.  This is a middle finger in the face of all Californians, and the only reason he apologized is because he was caught.  Most mature individuals know that their actions need to match their convictions, but it suddenly dawned on Governor Lockdown that he needs to walk the talk.  Spare me!  Once again, however, I must ask:  What does Newsom know that we don’t?

There are so many other examples of hypocrisy by the very autocrats that choose to restrict our freedoms, but I will end with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  By now I think everyone has seen the famous video of the maskless Speaker having her hair washed and styled in a San Francisco salon despite restrictions forbidding the city’s citizens from getting their hair done (unless outdoors). What does the Speaker know about this virus that we don’t know?

What They Know But Don’t Want You To Know

I think these hubris-filled potentates fully understand something they have made many too fearful to consider. First, the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases are just that, cases--not deaths. Additionally, the population of the United States is roughly 330,000,000.  And, although every death from this virus is devastating to loved ones, only .073% of the population has succumbed to the disease. 242,000 American souls have passed on, and that’s tragic, but the risk factors do not call for the wholesale lockdown of many states.  We weigh risks every day and then decide if we will accept these risks to experience activities like meaningful work, sports, driving, and flying among other pursuits. This disease is very contagious, but the chances of survival should you acquire the illness are in the 99th percentile, if you are not elderly (80s & 90s), dealing with a chronic illness like diabetes, or overweight.  I will be 64 in two weeks, and I like my odds.

So, as we approach Thanksgiving (and the many restrictions placed on us by power-hungry government officials) let’s remember some important points.  1) Only legislators make laws, not executives of cities or states, 2) city and state executives can only make recommendations, not laws, 3) cases are not deaths, 4) COVID deaths thus far in our country have not even reached one tenth of one percent, 5) should you contract the illness, your chances of survival are greater than 99%, and 6) the very people trying to lock us down, flout their own dictates.

Reclaiming Our Freedom

This blog’s purpose is to explain how we God-fearing, Constitution-loving Americans can reclaim our culture and history, but today I’m asking you to reclaim the freedom God has given you.  I am going to follow the example of fellow Washingtonian and noted Broadway star, Chad Kimball.  After Governor Jay Inslee issued new constraints on freedom, including proclaiming that church services should disallow singing, Kimball publicly and politely disagreed saying:

Respectfully, I will never allow a Governor, or anyone, to stop me from SINGING, let alone sing in worship to my God. Folks, absolute POWER corrupts ABSOLUTELY. This is not about safety. It’s about POWER. I will respectfully disobey these unlawful orders.

This Thanksgiving I will be giving thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for dying on the cross to save me--a sinner--from eternal separation from Him. I will also give God thanks for my family, my friends, my health, my intellect, and this great country which currently is under siege not just from this contagious virus, but from an army of Democrat despots running cities and states who seek power above service to their citizens. 

Let’s turn back to God and pray for divine justice and healing for our country.  In II Chronicles God makes us a promise:

If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This land is worth healing and saving from those who would shred our Constitution and install themselves as our overseers.  Lee Greenwood’s song rings true today just as it did when he first wrote it thirty-seven years ago.

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today

Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

God bless the USA