mandating life

 Ever wonder why we all want to live as long as possible? Is it because we are afraid we are gong to miss something? Or is it something else? I think it is because life is all we know. Death is a mysterious thing. We all fear, just a bit, the things we don't understand. That's true with just about everything. Remember going to the next grade in school and being just a bit scared. I always wondered if I was going to be able to cut the mustard, as the saying goes. Meeting someone new was the same way. Staying alive becomes almost an obsession for some. Taking care of ourselves is what we call that. Now we expect our government to provide the means for us to do that as well. Isn't that what state sponsored health care is all about? The right to life is a sacred thing, enshrined in our constitution, both the national one and our individual constitution. That right shall be protected at all cost! Hard to argue with that isn't it? 

 Well I don't like to bring the same subject up but abortion appears to be an exception to the rule in some people's thinking. I guess that is simply because it isn't their life being terminated. Those same folks may oppose the death sentence, you know, just in case there was a mistake. Sure the guy, or gal shot and killed someone else, that is fact beyond any shadow of a doubt, but we can't take another life, that just wouldn't be right. Hey, life is sacred! 

 Now if we even think about ending our own life that is a mental illness. If we indicate that we aren't really worried about dying, that is a mental illness. If you just choose to eat the pizza anyway, despite the Doctors advice, you will be met with, what's wrong with you? Yes, we are expected to do everything possible to stay alive. That is also the reason the government has become involved. It began with safety rules and has progressed all the way to mandates and the withholding of benefits, forced testing for a disease you may or may not have, being fired from your job and social insolation! All of that is for your own good, to keep you safe and alive! And you will stay safe and alive even if the government has to kill you to get you to comply! No more will mere civil penalties be imposed for safety violations like refusal to wear your seat belt, now it is total isolation. You can not move about freely in society without the proper papers. 

 But exceptions are being made. Religious exemption. Well now why is that? Where are those folks that constantly scream about separation of church and state? You can be exempted if your religion allows you to kill me? If you go unvaccinated isn't that what is being said about you? You are the problem you are perpetuating the pandemic! If your religion forbids getting the vaccine that means you can't spread the virus? Is that how that works? Or are going to say that it is only a small percentage of the population so it doesn't matter. Well and those people are socially distant from everyone else. Seems like a rather inconsistent policy to me. Is everyone mandated to get the vaccine or not! And if religious exemption is going to be used what is the religious test? Article Five of the Constitution specifically addresses the religious test issue. It shall never be applied to hold any office in the land! That has also been interpreted to mean you can't apply a religious test individually either. You can't refuse me services, office, privilege or employment based on my religious belief. In fact you have to make concessions for that belief. Like Muslims that refuse to handle pork products, you can't require they do as a condition of employment. I've already heard the vaccine proponents saying religious exemption may be used as a loophole. How are we supposed to "prove" our sincere religious beliefs? Do we have to? 

 I guess I wandered of the topic a bit, sorry about that, but that is what happens when thinking out loud. I'm just as interested in staying alive as the next guy. I do wonder why we worry about that as much as we do. There are times we are so worried about staying alive that we stop living. We freeze like a deer in the headlights. We seek help from any source we can. We demand that help too! But what about when the "help" starts making demands upon you? Are you always willing to comply? If we are all to do everything possible to stay alive, following all the rules, do we surrender our choices? That is to say, kick all the bad habits that lead to illness. Are you drinking alcohol? What about smoking? Eating fatty foods? Are you exercising daily? If you aren't following all the guidance provided by health authorities you are the problem! You are driving the cost of healthcare up. No exceptions or exemptions! That is why it is called a mandate. 

 Another thing to consider in all of this is mental health. What if I say this vaccine mandate is causing me emotional stress. Isn't that a valid reason to be exempted? If I can take a goat on the airplane for emotional support I certainly should be able to refuse a vaccine. That's the way I see it anyway. the constant, unending barrage of get the vaccine, get vaccinated, you are killing others, is causing me much emotional stress! You are effecting my health! If, as a man, I can go in the ladies room because I identify as a woman, can't I identify as a religious person objecting to a vaccine? Or is that an all or nothing thing? I mean if my religion forbids one type of medicine does it also have to forbid every type of medicine? What about emotional support? Can an animal provide my emotional support but refusal of a vaccine not? 

 The bottom line in all of this as far as I can tell is your emotional support. You have decided your only chance for survival is to have everyone vaccinated. My emotions, my feelings about that are not important! This is for the emotional good of the entire country! No, it is for your emotional support, not mine. Spin that anyway you like but that is the bottom line. This is about control, easing your fears, gaining that feeling of, I'm in control of this. Fact is, you are not. Fact is you are not in control of your life either, you will die one day and you have no control over that, unless you make a choice about that, Then if you do that it will be said you had a mental illness. That's how that works.