Like beauty, freedom is in the eye of the beholder.
In the July 1 issue of The Forecaster, John Balentine asked me if I still desire freedom. I am pleased to assure John that indeed I do. Among the freedoms I desire is to live my 80-year-old life free from disease. As such, I intend to avoid unnecessary exposure to additional maladies as much as possible. When COVID-19 reared its ugly head, I read the scientific evidence that simply wearing a mask not only protected me from the virus but performed a service to my fellow citizens as well. There was no guarantee I would be COVID-free, but my mask surely lowered the odds that I would become infected or infect others.
I looked upon this decision as exercising my individual liberty to do so. When Gov. Mills agreed with me that mask-wearing was a good idea and imposed mandates, I was pleased to have her on board and looked to the Constitution of the United States to back her up. There it was.
“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.” Being required to wear a mask and helping to prevent the spread of a deadly disease did all of these things with the possible exception of “ensuring domestic Tranquility.” Not everyone agreed with us.
I guess this makes me a wussy, pseudo American for willingly making a small sacrifice for the common good. Over 600,000 dead Americans and those grieving their deaths would probably disagree, given the chance to be heard.
Tom Foley
Cumberland Foreside
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