According to America's "most closely watched forecast model," the United States is projected to experience almost 100,000 additional COVID-19 deaths between now and December 1.  However, "experts" say that figure could be halved if everyone wore a mask in public spaces.  (I say we'd all be better off if the number of "experts" were halved.)

The experts whine that we'd all be safer and better off if Americans changed their ways.  

Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, opined that "[w]e can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks.  That's how important behaviors are."  A veritable plethora of studies begs to differ with Professor Mokdad and other pro-mask extremists.

Seattle's Dr. Gaby Sauza was vaccinated this past winter yet still contracted the coronavirus after attending an outdoor wedding in Vermont, even though everyone attending the soirée had to submit photos of their vaccination cards.  Other celebrants tested positive as well.  She says this proves that even the vaccinated should be wary and take precautions and notes that "[i]n retrospect, absolutely, I do wish I had worn a mask."  

Sauza credits the vaccine with keeping her infection manageable, though she suffered through several days of body aches, fevers, night sweats, fatigue, coughing, and chest pain.  Hmmm.  Many unvaccinated folks who get COVID are asymptomatic or barely aware that something is amiss.  And if everyone who attended the wedding and caught the dreaded virus was vaccinated and spent most of the time outdoors, a better conclusion might be that the vaccines aren't all they're cracked up to be.

If we all have to be locked down, masked up, and socially distanced so as to limit the deleterious effects of our otherwise risky behavior, shouldn't we be consistent about it?  Should we not apply leftists' own cherished concept of "equity" to the overarching goal of lessening the risk to all and sundry?

If the unvaccinated pose a measurable threat to others, surely drug addicts, smokers (except for pot-smokers, of course), the obese, and those who drive cars pose similar or greater threats.  Used hypodermic needles and human feces now cover the ground of public spaces in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other large American cities.  Second- or third-hand smoke clings to the bodies and apparel of smokers wherever they go.  The obese block our views when walking down a sidewalk or crossing a boulevard.  They are a potential danger on seesaws and elevators.  And they are more likely to contract — and therefore transmit — the coronavirus.

As for the callous folks who still insist on driving internal combustion vehicles, far more people die in car accidents annually than from most other causes.  Add to that the damage they do to the planet by spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and...well, you get the point.  For that matter, promiscuous people are more likely to spread sexually transmitted diseases than boring old monogamous males and females.

In "fairness," should not government, media, and business entities be allowed to tell druggies, smokers, the obese, and automobile operators that they can't hold a job, go to the movies, eat at a restaurant, or live a normal life unless they, too, change their evil ways?  What about their deeply held beliefs, religious or otherwise?  As Arnold Schwarzenegger says, "screw your freedom!"

Businesses and government bodies should not be able to compel us to tell them our medical history or our sexual preferences and proclivities.  Or force us to change them.  I thought that point was settled.

 Government inquisitor: "Are you, perhaps, unvaccinated?  Overweight?  A driver?  A promiscuous pansexual?"

Citizen: "That's none of your damn business!"

Government inquisitor: "You pay my salary, but I rule you.  That's how it works now.  Never forget that, peon!"      

With apologies to Santana, this is what our ruling class is telling us:

You've got to change your evil ways, baby
Or we'll keep hatin' you
You've got to change, baby
And every word that we say is true
You've got to mask-up, stay home, and not hit the town
You've got us freakin', you antivaxxers are bringin' us down
This can't go on...
We say you've got to change, baby

Just stay at home, baby
If you go out, we might catch a cold
You hang around, baby
With rubes and rednecks and a who knows who
We're gettin' tired of resistance and won't mess around
Take the vaccine now or we will put you in the ground
This can't go on...
We say you've got to change!

Photo credit: Nick Youngson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Alpha Stock Images.

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