The words of the United States Constitution’s preamble are the basis for many protests occurring nationally right now. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
America’s foundation is democracy and relies on the pillars of free will, opportunity and independence. This is the mindset of any “true American,” is it not? Throughout the years, the ideologies of these core-values have gone awry and have habitually been manifested in ignorance and entitlement. Today, we see this demonstrated in protests across the country.
On a global scale, communities, cultures and collectives are facing a fear-provoking pandemic no one saw coming. So now, individuals are seeking a way to have a say in when it ends. According to Human Rights Watch, citizens of Lebanon, who were already facing a stalling economy prior to COVID-19, are battling for food and financial relief. Lockdown regulations have been extended, and migrant workers in India are rallying together on behalf of the need for food, aid and work.
Meanwhile, residents of the U.S. are gathering to affirm their constitutional rights. Unfortunately, if the virus is still infecting countries encountering nationwide hunger and faulty economies without safeguards, I do not predict it to be yielding to somewhat unthoughtful signs that read, “Stop the fear. End the lockdown.” and “We will not be muzzled. We say no to mandatory masks!”
When claiming that governmental tyranny is occurring and freedom is being rebuked, we must consider what these claims actually entail. Political tyranny would include the government being cruel and oppressive, which it is not.
Having established the long-reigning rule of freedom that has persisted throughout the history of America, people are rebuking policies which were put in place to protect people. Freedom at this point might easily be considered as any slight adjustment to anything less than what the independent individual is accustomed to. Therefore, the plausibility of these accusations to gain back this familiar level of freedom must be considered.
Although the country is indeed confronted with a sagging economy that has led to high unemployment rates, among other hardships and anxieties, the structure of our government is keeping “The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave” afloat. The objective of a democracy is to enable its citizens a voice in the affairs of the country. Because of this, there are government initiatives that have been long in order to assist the less than ideal living conditions within the country. Think Social Security, unemployment benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), etc. Granted, these programs are also sometimes less than ideal and have their weaknesses, but the fact that we have such reliable sources is not something to take for granted.
The regulations that the government has implemented within the U.S. are in an attempt to minimize the spread of the excessively contagious disease that has been terminal to over 55,000 Americans. So even if some are protesting under the guise of economic toll on this country, in the grand scheme of things Americans have little to protest. Especially, in comparison to the citizens of India who are fighting to resume making the minimum wage of 37 cents per hour.
Americans are arguing against orders to prevent a lethal disease so they can exercise their “freedom.” But this given democratic freedom grants the privilege to protect yourself and your community. Be thankful for what you have and stay inside.
