America First in an Age of “Lock me Up”

By Winston Holland, Host, World News Brief Podcast

I think this satire meme based on Patrick Henry’s legendary quote, “Give me liberty or give me death,” perfectly sums up where Americans were 245 years ago when these timeless words were first spoken and where we are now.

What’s troubling to think is that the simplest threat of a pandemic, pushed by those at the highest levels of our health care institutions and promulgated mercilessly by a compliant, obedient media, immediately elicits a complete surrender of personal liberties from tens of millions of Americans without any questions about the science or models used, without concerns about ulterior motives from those dictating our house arrest of any kind, and without a smidgen of fear of our First Amendment rights being eviscerated before our very American eyes without due process.

And then, while bracing their phones, snuggled up in their jammies on the couch, they will essentially call you a murderer for questioning the healthcare gods enforcing their draconian will over the people.

To quote the brilliant intro to the Lord of the Rings movie series, however, “But there were some who resisted.” More on that in a second.

Ponder it for a moment if you will. While many of us may know someone or perhaps multiple people who have been infected with Coronavirus or perhaps even died from it, what we do not see, as was the original concern per the thoroughly debunked Imperial College model, is millions of people dying from it.

“Imperial.” Rather apropos, wouldn’t you agree?

What we see is perhaps a much more severe flu (notice I said “perhaps,”), and have shut down the US economy (except for the big box Democrat donor stores, of course), destroying thousands of small businesses and leaving tens of millions of Americans out of work.

According to today’s report in the Wall Street Journal, “An additional three million workers in the U.S. applied for unemployment benefits last week, continuing a two-month trend of historically high claims. About 36.5 million Americans have filed applications in the past eight weeks.”

This is a great depression.

And this is the flu.

It has not cost “over 85,000” jobs and “millions of lives,” according to a current candidate for president. Let’s try this again.

How many “recorded” deaths in the US so far? According to Johns Hopkins University, as of this writing, the US has suffered 86,386 deaths from the virus. That is, of course, if you believe those numbers. I do not. And I don’t because of this reason here, here, here, here, and here, amongst others.

Even if we believe the current numbers (and notice I used the highly charged religiously affiliated word “believe”), this still is not even the Spanish Flu, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans and tens of millions worldwide. And it’s certainly not the Black Death killing an estimated 1 in 3 of its poor European victims.

Yes, I understand that at some point, such as when 1 in 3 are dying from a plague or a foreign country is literally invading our nation threatening our very existence, that life cannot go on as normal. Constitutional rights may be suspended to some extent under extremely severe circumstances because the existence of the very country that protects those rights may be destroyed. This is not that time.

Consider this recent study from Spain that reports that those with an essential profession were less affected by Covid-19 than those who stayed at home. Yes, you have that right, those in Spain who self-isolated were at a HIGHER RISK of Covid than those who worked.

Or consider another study that just came out of Germany that showed that “So far, not a single person with no previous illness has died of the virus in Hamburg. All those we have examined so far have died of cancer, a chronic lung disease, were heavy smokers or heavily obese, suffered from diabetes or had a cardiovascular disease.”

Or consider the fact that the WHO, who triggered this world lockdown by it’s grossly fraudulent prediction of a 3.4% death rate, is now saying that the now most vilified nation on earth, Sweden, may actually be used as an example going forward. Michael Ryan stated that “to reach a ‘new normal’, in many ways Sweden represents a future model.”

Huh.

And let me be abundantly clear: what I’m not saying is that this virus should not be taken seriously. I’m not saying that this was not a special case or somehow did not deserve special precautions such as shutting down international travel or encouraging a vulnerable set of the population to quarantine themselves. Not at all.

My point is this: even if this was the Spanish Flu, killing literally hundreds of thousands of Americans (which would be an unspeakable tragedy that should be fought against utilizing all available public and private resources), it would not give the US or any state, county, or local government the right to take away our ability to earn a living, peacefully assemble, or worse yet, deny our right to religious freedom.

But there were some who resisted.

The Washington Examiner reports:

“California Church United, a network of 3,000 California churches, representing 2.5 million members, announced it plans to open May 31, instead of waiting until the state implements phase 3, which includes allowing modified reopening of houses of worship. Many churches are reopening nationwide on May 31, a date specifically chosen because it falls on the Day of Pentecost, a significant date on the Christian calendar. Some plan to open Sunday, May 10.”

Also in California:

“A growing number of sheriffs also have said they will not enforce the state or local orders. The latest is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. His remarks before the County Board of Supervisors this week recorded on video have since gone viral on social media.” According to the Examiner.

In Michigan, Breitbart News reports:

“Barbers and haircutters will be protesting on the capitol lawn in Michigan on Wednesday, saying they want to go back to work safely. “Operation Haircut” will take place from noon to 3:00 p.m., organizers said. “Michigan’s small business owners are patriotic and law-abiding citizens, but enough is enough.  Our Governor’s actions show every day that this is no longer about the China virus. Her actions show this is now about a progressive radical agenda,” Marian Sheridan, a co-founder of the Michigan Conservative Coalition, said in a news release. “Dope shops are open, abortion mills churn on, but barbershops are, somehow, unsafe.  Show us that ‘science’ Governor!”

In Pennsylvania, Breitbart News reports that:

Demonstrators are gathering in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Friday to protest what many have described as Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) “draconian” lockdown orders, preventing several counties from reopening their economies.

Wolf has come under fire this week after threatening counties and businesses that have weighed reopening without his permission. Thirteen counties, in addition to 24 last week, have been permitted to move into the yellow phase of reopening, which loosens restrictions, allowing for some nonessential businesses to operate at a limited capacity and people to meet in groups of up to 25. However, even under the yellow phase, restaurants and bars are limited to take out and delivery, and gyms and salons must remain closed.

While Wolf is expected to announce the next batch of counties that can move forward from the red phase, several remain in the most restrictive stage, which only permits life-essential businesses to operate. Some counties have considered moving ahead without the governor’s permission — a move Wolf referred to as a “cowardly act.”

“Elon Musk says he will move his Tesla plant to Texas or Nevada after the county health official closed his plant due to coronavirus,” reports The Gateway Pundit.

Elon said in several tweets that, “Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant “Interim Health Officer” of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!” and “Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be depend on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.”

In Wisconsin, Just the News reports:

“the Supreme Court of Wisconsin on Wednesday ruled that the administration of Gov. Tony Evers overstepped its authority in extending the state’s stay-at-home order until the end of May, the first instance of a court striking down a coronavirus-related lockdown policy.

The court ruled that Andrea Palm, the secretary of the state’s Health and Human Services, had violated state law when she extended the order to May 26. Chief Justice Patience Roggensack said in the ruling that Palm’s order was “unenforceable” because Palm did not follow the proper legal protocols in implementing it.

“Because Palm did not follow the law in creating Order 28, there can be no criminal penalties for violations of her order,” Roggensack wrote for the court, further arguing that Palm’s directive “confining all people to their homes, forbidding travel and closing businesses exceeded the statutory authority” under state law. “

Perhaps the most encouraging to me out of all of these stories is that you have 3,000 California pastors, representing some 2.5 million people, are standing up to the tyrannical left and rejecting their grossly Unconstitutional overreach by not allowing believers to assemble together, as the Scripture mandates.

“And do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the days drawing near,” (Heb. 10:24-25).

Remember, they did not have TV, the Internet, or even Facebook Live in the first century A.D. There was not some implication that this could be done in each other’s virtual presence. That thought would never have been conceived by the mind of the author. This was a command to meet in each other’s physical presence for worship and encouragement. That command remains for today, a command many states are attempting to prevent its citizens from following.

What I just shared is not the only piece of good news unfolding before our eyes, however.

A Real Clear Opinion Research Poll shows that 40% of parents are more likely to homeschool after the lockdown ends and 64% support school choice. The poll states:

“A RealClear Opinion Research survey of 2,122 registered voters shows that support for educational choice is strong, and that a significant portion of parents are more likely to pursue homeschooling opportunities after the lockdowns end. The results show that 40% of families are more likely to homeschool or virtual school after lockdowns, and that 64% support school choice and 69% support the federal Education Freedom Scholarships proposal.”

While it is far beyond the purview of this article to tell people how to educate their children, what’s important about this poll is that it shows an OVERWHELMING majority care about choice for their children’s education.

There were some who resisted.

Also, today in a Rose Garden ceremony, President Trump unequivocally stated that:

“Vaccine or no vaccine, we’re back,” Trump said.

Even though some places, such as Los Angelas County, are extending their “Safer at Home Orders,” which is newspeak for house arrest, now through August, a yearning for freedom still seems to exist in the USA and I believe will be victorious over the powers of tyranny.

Give me liberty or give me death.

America First does not mean “to heck with the rest of the world.” America First simply means preserving our Constitutional rights and the ingenious system by which our country was founded upon. Of course, we’ve had major societal issues such as slavery we have had to reverse along the way, which, by the way, our Constitutional process allowed us to remedy (by the way, find me one nation that has never had slavery in its history and I’ll find you a nation that was founded in the 20th century). Of course, our country is far from perfect. Of course, we need to be constantly “progressing” toward a nation that honors God.

But are our freedoms worth defending?

Are they, dare I say, worth fighting for?

Dying for?

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Winston Holland is the founder & CEO of CGM Radio and host of the World News Brief Podcast. Follow WNB on Facebook & Twitter. Email Winston at [email protected].

 

Updated: December 7, 2021 — 12:06 pm