There is an unfortunate consistency behind the thinking of people who show up with guns to protest against face masks. These individuals are placing their own set of values over the good of the community, the nation, and society as a whole.
We Americans have enjoyed a high level of freedom for such a long period of time that many of us have forgotten about the sacrifices that secured those freedoms.
There were the individual personal sacrifices of lives in the wars and military operations needed to prevent the spread of authoritarianism around the world and away from our shores.
Just as important were the sacrifices made by millions of volunteers in our military who gave of their time on behalf of the country. Some of them lost limbs, sight, hearing, and emotional stability in the line of duty.
Then there was the sacrifice of the taxpayer, who not only funded the weaponry needed by the military, but also the capital needed to build or rebuild the infrastructure of our international friends and allies. These nations then became our political and economic partners. They helped us to maintain world peace and economic stability.
The fact is, when all is said and done, we’ve received much more than we gave, thanks to our willingness to put the good of the country and the planet ahead of our own self interests.
This is not to say that there are not those who profited unfairly by avoiding any or all of the above sacrifices, but fortunately they have been so few as to make little impact – at least until now.
There is a growing trend of individuals who want to change all of that. They believe they are their own judges, militias, legislators, and media sources and have the right to do what they want, no matter how it affects their neighbors, their community or the nation. They have no interest in being a part of America unless America follows only their rules and values. There is little or no concern about who gets hurt in the process.
This is the ideology behind protesting against mask mandates with firearms.
Face masks protect lives. The protesters don’t believe that, because they will only believe news sources that align with the views they choose to believe. But whether or not these anti-maskers believe that is beside the point. Wearing a mask would be a sign of respect and courtesy for the law and to the vast majority of the community and the country who believe the science behind mask usage. The armed protesters aren’t interested in respecting the mandate or the rights of others.
Bringing guns to a peaceful protest makes as much sense as bringing baloney to a vegan convention. It can only provoke trouble.
Gov. Chris Sununu has been an avid supporter of limitless gun rights and is now the target of many of these armed protesters. While our governor may be getting a “taste of his own medicine,” no individual, especially our duly elected governor, should feel threatened, or have his family threatened even tacitly. This is particularly true when the governor is standing up for a proven science and his duty to protect the health and safety of the citizens of New Hampshire.
This is an unusual time in the history of the United States. A major political party is willing to give up all of its conservative ideals in favor of a vain, self-serving autocrat who brags about what he takes from others and the country. He sets the example that “sacrifice is for suckers” and encourages others to follow his example. He and his followers are willing only to sacrifice democracy and the rule of law.
American history has been guided by imperfect men and women who put the good of the country ahead of their own personal happiness in order to secure a future for themselves and their neighbors. That is still the only way we can exist as a nation and enjoy our freedoms. It’s not about demanding our freedoms; it’s about earning them.
The true American is not the person who waves the flag in one hand and a gun in the other. It is the person who respects the nation’s laws and respects the rights of his neighbors.
(Dr. James Fieseher lives in Dover.)