“There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.”
A solution is achieved when it is no longer necessary to make a trade-off, even if the development of that solution entailed costs now past. The goal of achieving a solution is in fact what justifies the initial sacrifices or transitional conditions which might otherwise be considered unacceptable.” — Thomas Sowell.
For the first time in modern history, governments worldwide took it upon themselves to control the citizens of entire cities and states in the hopes of stemming the spread of disease. They never considered the trade-offs. Never did they think of the long-term cost. There was also scant evidence that this strategy would work.
Elected leaders made drastic decisions that affected the freedom of millions of people in profound ways. Why has there been no honest debate on this? Who is being held accountable? The was a presumption that containment of the virus was the only way forward. The government saw the unemployed and underserved as an afterthought. That’s unsustainable.
Governments are all too willing to deploy their powers to control their citizens in direct response to irrational fears.
There is no empirical/scientific case to support shutting down businesses, schools, and the rest of society following the non-lockdown successes in Georgia, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Dakotas, etc. Luckily, several other states have recently announced they will be ending lockdowns soon. Americans in those states will soon be free to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families.
With each passing day, more evidence reveals little, if any, of a difference between infection rates and deaths from COVID-19 in states that are completely open and ones that have draconian restrictions. Why are those states still closed? Also, with each dose of vaccine administered, there would seem to be less of a need for continued shutdowns.
People should be allowed to get out and enjoy the one life they have. Mental health will be significantly improved once people are given options to support themselves. Those who have natural immunity from a previous infection or immunity from COVID vaccines should feel free to live their lives in the way they choose as well.
We now have a precedent where any mayor of any town or any governor in America can, at any time, declare a state of emergency, cancel events, shut malls, shutter businesses, and close parks. Who is to stop them in the future from using the excuse of a “state of emergency” to close restaurants, schools, and churches and subsequently quarantining populations?
We have every reason to be concerned about government overreach. We should no longer allow any level of government to, at their whim, put people under de-facto house arrest, wreck financial markets, destroy countless jobs, hurt millions of students, and massively disrupt life as we know it.
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business and is a 28 year veteran of the fast-paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Also, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Spongebob Squarepants, The Musical, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
Originally published at https://claytoncraddock.substack.com.
