Quarantine Is Imprisonment: How The Coronavirus Demonstrates The Ever Present Threat To Liberty

Image via Dorothea Lange [Public domain] / Wikimedia Commons 

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” is one of the most ironic famous Presidential lines in American history considering it was uttered by Franklin Delano Roosevelt at his first inaugural address in 1933. He was referencing the lingering depression and the nation’s rise from financial ruin. Ten years later, out of fear and panic from the public, the media and government officials; FDR would imprison American citizens (born in America) of Japanese heritage who had committed no crimes. He would do so in the name of public safety. And the public demanded it of him. In fact, any American who was found to be 1/16th Japanese in heritage was eligible for imprisonment by the United States government. With the exception of slavery – this was the darkest moment in American history and FDR is without contest the closet thing to a dictator America has every elected. And America today stands on the precipice of repeating its darkest history. 

Today instead of threats of foreign invasion and spys we have the threat of illness looming at our front doors. COVID-19 better known as “Coronavirus” (though coronavirus has many strains) was introduced to the media in February of 2020 when the Chinese government reported tens of thousands of cases and a couple of thousand deaths particularly in the Wuhan district of their nation. Immediately – nations across the globe began testing for the virus. Because the symptoms of the virus manifest almost identically to influenza, it is impossible to know whether or not the virus was prevalent before the media became aware of it since most patients wouldn’t have gone to the doctor and those who did – doctors were not testing for it. 

Since the virus was discovered by the press – they have reported the new case occurrences and death tolls every single day with the clear intention of inciting panic. They have succeeded. After a month of anxiety and overreaction inducing needless quarantines and billions of dollars in federal money – the people of the United States have caved to fear. Pressure from the public has caused the government to close our schools, restrict travel for law abiding citizens, and close access to public buildings. Following suit, our private businesses are closing doors, events have been canceled and postponed. A ship full of law abiding citizens, the vast majority of whom were not ill, was not allowed to dock at a port in California therefore forcibly quarantining its passengers in an act that was tantamount to taking them hostage. 

Photo: Scott Strazzante, AP

Quarantine is a fancy word for imprisonment. If you switch out the word it makes you consider more carefully whether or not a government should have the right to enforce such measures or if individuals should be voluntarily imposing it upon themselves. 

Across the globe (particularly socialist nations), things have quickly taken an even darker turn. In Italy – the government has imposed mandatory home imprisonment where individuals must have papers proving they are on their way to work if they’re seen in the streets. Any violators face three months in prison. All the while, the socialist healthcare system of Italy has made the decision not to treat the elderly and to simply let them die (which explains higher death rate than the civilized world). There are reports of individuals trapped inside their homes under force of the law with corpses. 

This action taken by Italy (but not limited to Italy) is a violation of human rights and an abomination to liberty. Restricting movement, imposing prisons, setting curfews and monitoring gatherings are all the tell tale signs of fascism. Facism never rises in peace it always comes when citizens are the most afraid and think they need it the most. 

In America – we see this attempt to steal liberty from the left and the media constantly. Every time someone outside of inner city Chicago fires a weapon the democrats and the media insist on rounding up everyone’s guns and increasing background checks to keep everyone “safe.” This is no different. There is no amount of liberty which should be traded for safety because the trade is false and you will end up without either. 

Think skeptically about this crisis. Look at all the information. Consider how we would be reacting if the media reported a new number of deaths every single day on any number of diseases. What if the media reported the number of individuals shot every single day and racked up the death toll in order to advocate for gun control? If we allow this manipulation to stand we allow the government and the media to take from us any amount of liberty they choose so long as we are sufficiently scared. 

Be brave. Use common sense. Oppose mandatory quarantines. Oppose domestic travel restrictions for citizens of the United States.