Civil Liberty, Covid, & Consequences

When extreme events or global crises occur, Homeland Security responds. Naturally, the best place to learn and refine emergency response techniques is in another’s backyard. The response to public health emergencies utilizes the CDC’s Model State Emergency Health Powers Act, allowing public health officials to act in various ways without liability (Annas, 2002). All nations broaden their security measures when seeking to prevent, manage, and respond to extraordinary events. As threat actors’ capacities and capabilities increase, homeland security and emergency response teams do likewise (McConnell, Global leaders speak: Investigating specific strategies required to neutralize and successfully reduce radicalization and extremism, 2019).

Historically, one of the most used tools to respond to emergency issues is quarantine. As such, restrictions on civil liberties may serve as a deterrent for certain behaviors but is never a long-term solution. The world watched as fanatical leaders wielded their newfound powers without consideration to long-term effects, a trend that has continued for time immemorial. A more recent example of overreach is visible with California’s House Resolution 71, which requires unvaccinated legislators to inoculate against Covid or face suspension (Ganz, 2021).

Covid quarantines and vaccination requirements threaten civil liberties, and the data required to determine whether quarantining was successful in the prevention of spreading the disease is still forthcoming. What is known is that lockdowns and other extreme restrictions cannot be sustained for long periods without severe consequences. Is herd immunity best? Is prevention? Vaccination? What about the formidable case, Roe vs. Wade? Do Americans have the ability to choose for themselves what they do with their bodies without government restriction?

Covid-19 made its debut on the world stage. In the fall of 2019, unsuspecting governments and populations were struck by a global pandemic unleashed via China. Millions have died, although many millions more have lived. During the era of covid, all experienced quarantining, restrictions of freedom, and limited movement. Whether or not the limitation of personal freedoms is appropriate is still questionable. The tension between legal uses of constitutional rights to invoke or cancel another right must be balanced and negotiated in a manner that upholds the freedoms to the greatest extent possible.

Covid restrictions consistently reveal unethical discrimination and power abuses, inconsistent and incoherent policies, and destroyed any peace in a pluralistic society. The idea that one person’s ideology or rights trump another in all circumstances is fundamentally suspect. First Amendment rights are not absolute – and times do exist when the government must limit the rights of some to act on beliefs to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all. The United States Constitution includes the respect for and application of separation of power – a fundamental aspect of the rule of law. The lack of separation of powers for constitutional that be during covid has revealed the damage that can occur when a leader assumes all control and becomes extreme. Covid appears to be a flu superbug and recovering from the consequences of the disease involves countless health, social, economic, physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional concerns.

All terrorism prevention and counter plans are central to emergency management techniques, responses, and preparedness. The delicate balance between individual rights to govern self and mandates imposed by government swayed violently between the poles bringing mass hysteria, disruption, and fear. Essentially, COVID-19 is a fully weaponized bioweapon, especially concerning how the narratives, ideologies, and civil freedom restrictions have occurred. When coupled with leaders coveting power and fame, federalism’s dark side is revealed.

With the never-ending flipping and flopping between extremes (to quarantine or not, mask or not), the news media fear-mongering polarization, and self-proclaimed “I AM Science” tzar Dr. Fauci reveal the instability and insanity of weaponized emotion leading to mobilization. Complicating the messy space is the data gaps demonstrating limited information snapshots of a specific moment in time based on the varying information sought, gathering systems, meaning-making abilities, accuracy, and reporting.

Each nation’s detection, testing, tracing, isolation, and support systems vary wildly. Best practices and practical solutions vary based on the goals, objectives, implementation, and metrics assigned to determine success. Only time will tell whether the quarantines during 2019-2022 effectively saved lives and the true cost associated.

Fear gripped the world with the advent of Covid, and the narratives hold today. Perhaps the actual cost of the pandemic will not be known for decades although some consequences are easily identified and experienced: (a) masked mandates drive terrorism, (b) criminal activists are celebrated and go unpunished, (c) fear is fueled, (d) mental illness is magnified, (e) common sense is eliminated, (f) democracy is damned, (g) small businesses are shuttered, (h) wealth generation continues for the obscenely wealthy, (i) communications are heavily monitored, controlled and canceled, (j) purchasing power decreased dramatically, (k) inflation increased tremendously, (l) many overstimulated egos increased, (m) voices counter to the mainline narratives were classified as mis, dis, or mal information, (n) individuals postured as science, (o) data disconnect and impractical ever-changing marks became normalized, (p) independent fact checkers became extinct, (q) nonsensical public policies became the tools of tyrants, (r) data distortion and falsification are generally accepted, (s) inadequate metrics to understand the disease and outcomes were implemented, (t) links between society and economy were cut, (u) failure to learn from past experiences prevented appropriate assessments to gauge implementation of practical solutions, and (v) social connections and bonds were minimized or severed, furthering distance between friends, family, and neighbors in a world that technically is more connected than ever.

The failure of the American population, government, and individuals to assess choices and outcomes objectively, dispassionately, and critically is astounding. Americans' tolerance toward illusory safety at the cost of liberty is astonishing. Government must not overstep boundaries, and a system of checks and balances is critical to maintaining a free society.

Anything goes when utilized in the name of terrorism. The definition of a terrorist continues to expand. For example, a recent NTAS bulletin revealed that individuals who engage in the proliferation of “false or misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in the U.S. government institutions” fall within the category of mis, dis, and mal information (MDM) and are considered threat actors (Homeland Security, 2022). As information changed quickly over the past few years, at some point, anyone who spoke out against the prevailing narrative of the day could be considered a threat actor or terrorist. The net is broad and all-inclusive; none can escape.

All terror attacks reveal a weakness in public health governance. Mello (2022) stated that the government exercised its powers unevenly, leading to inappropriate, inefficient, and ineffective responses. The hypocrisy of leaders (California’s House Resolution 71, Pelosi, Newsome, and AOC) going about their lives while ensuring we could not reveal the adage with absolute power comes absolute corruption. The lack of checks and balances essential to American freedoms and governance produced compliance in some cases and utter chaos in others. Riots, bloodshed, and destruction of life, liberty, and property reached a historical high.

The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights are a model for the world. The rights are fundamental to a sustainable society. The restriction of civil liberties in the name of public health must be used sparingly and for short periods. As stated before, Dr. McConnell asserts the best solution to crises of any nature lies in prevention – teaching and reinforcing the idea of correct principles and allowing individuals to govern themselves.

References

Annas, G. (2002). Bioterrorism, public health, and civil liberties. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356(17), 1337-1342.

Ganz, J. (2021, Aug 26). California assembly members could face suspension without proof of Covid vaccine. New York Daily News. Retrieved from https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-california-assembly-vaccine-proof-suspension-20210826-rs7zrpwck5altke3imlprtbley-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2MHdwukCv1s1cFWI7wCJWECNPbVVvn_u6_b5rHfSmGBB4AS9HXidEZNcM

Homeland Security. (2022, Feb 7). National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin. Retrieved from DHS: https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-february-07-2022

McConnell, L. (2019, Nov 5). Global leaders speak: Investigating specific strategies required to neutralize and successfully reduce radicalization and extremism. ProQuest Dissertation and Theses.

Mello, M. M. (2020). Thinking globally, acting locally — the U.S. response to covid-19.?The New England Journal of Medicine,?382(22) doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2006740