Preface: In the early days antedating the American Revolution the Colonies were rife with disease, yellow fever, cholera, typhoid fever etc. To put things into perspective the average life expectancy during this time period was approximately 25 years or about one third of what it is today.
Our response should be prefaced by this article published in 2018 by CNBC where they cite the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States being medical malpractice and the iatrogenic effects of administered medications where John Hopkins Study that claims more than 250,000 people in the U.S. die every year from medical errors. Other reports claim the numbers to be as high as 440,000 annually. So when Mr. Lafferty takes liberty to belittle people who have aversions to “science” it would be instructive for him to start there.
The problem we are endeavoring to sift through is multifaceted because the CDC appears to have, in many instances, swapped out or changed the numbers of some illnesses which may have lead to inflated claims of Covid cases or deaths. Following the science also means paying attention to math as well. Also the manner in which Dr. Birx laid out the method that Covid cases/deaths would be recored in an early spring presser 2020.
She stated (verbatim) Quote: “....and let’s say the virus caused you to go to the ICU then you have a heart or kidney problem, some countries are recording that as a heart issue or a kidney issue and not a Covid-19 death, um right now we’re still recording it and we’ll, I mean the great thing about having forms that come in and a form that has the ability to mark it has Covid 19 infection, the intent is right now that those if someone dies w/Covid 19 we are counting that” - End quote *
To paraphrase: if a person contracted Covid but died from other complications the states were allowed to count it as a “Covid death”.
Incentives:
Why would states hospitals deliberately inflate Covid numbers? Because the Government cash cow would allot $30-40k (per case) to the states for Covid related treatments. Both parties appear to have appetites for pet projects they can color in the name of “general welfare”. That’s how they get their money. Subtle perversions of language in a constitutional clause.
Response:
A recent Greenwich Time opinion article featuring a local Greenwich Connecticut resident (Mr. David Lafferty) appears to have taken a rather pointed and calculated interest in the activities of a local group known as "The Greenwich Patriots". He appears to have wasted no time at what can only be described as an over intellectualized ad hominem attack peppered with anecdotes of American history, hyperbole and innuendo.
For the record and anyone who is interested, here is list of the concerns and grievances of the Greenwich Patriot Group which would include but not be limited to:
1.) Efficacy of Masks and the long term psychological and sociological effects on children.
2.) Efficacy of Vaccines and the underreporting by VAERS and corporate media of maladies and deaths that have occurred (from vaccines).
3.) The lack of Informed consent and a "do this or else" approach to Vaccine / Mask mandates. (Coupled with the unnecessary overreach of emergency powers by Gov. Lamont)
4.) The removal or ignorance of long standing laws that have set precedents for Religious, Moral Conscience and or Medical Exemptions.
5.) The way in which CDC has continuously skewed their numbers in addition to constantly changing their recommendations. (Shifting the goal post)
6.) The lack of consistency by unelected bureaucratic bodies.
7.) CRT and the graphic and pornographic content in teaching materials in which under aged children are being subjected to.
8.) The incoherent and confused method by which both Covid cases & deaths have been or are being recorded.
9.) The continued marginalization and silencing of other accomplished long standing studies, scientists, doctors and experts in their respective fields of study including virology etc.
10.) The overt and sudden dismissal and omission of long standing medications that have been in use for over 50 years.
These are among a few of the concerns from parents in the Greenwich community and members of the Greenwich Patriot Group Mr. Laffety, not "Whining about wearing masks and scaring people about getting vaccinated" as you erroneously assert.
There are several options available to the reader here: 1.) All of the claims by the Patriot Group are true. 2.) All of the claims are false 3.) Some are true and some are false.
This begs a much more profound question as to the nature of that which IS true and that which is not. The only other alternative is nihilism and that would appear to be where much of the nation is headed in no small part thanks to corporate media and people like Mr. Lafferty who sprinkles his use of logical fallacies in with American Historical anecdotes.
Mr. Lafferty appears to have given himself a great deal of latitude with respect to marginalizing the grievances of the Local Greenwich Patriot Group and asserting that they are somehow incongruent, or inconsistent with American History. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater Mr. Lafferty isn’t an argument. Apparently children's lives only matter if it's on the "virtuous" terms of Dr. Fauci who’s now questionable integrity and word salads appears to have made him the subject of potential criminal charges; at least to those with a conscience.
Lafferty begins his odious comparison by recalling icons of American History, then proceeds to paint the Greenwich Patriots as a group of petulant children who need to be admonished, ostracized, and put in their place. Also, that they are not to be compared to the men and women of the 17th or 18th centuries.
These sentiments have been echoed ad nauseum by pundits in corporate media on twitter and by other "woke" masses of so called "authoritarians" on social media who have no reservations about "disappearing" people with whom they disagree.
Where have we seen this happen before? Perhaps during the 1930's when FDR began weaponizing the IRS against his political opponents. Huey Long comes to mind. Another interesting historical caveat is Adolf Hitler pursued a similar course of action with his political rivals. Lest we forget, politics is war albeit in the form of ideas and intellect rather than the cloak and dagger. When people (or groups) can no longer win the intellectual war of reason they resort to methods and means to incapacitate their "enemies" capability to fight.
Lafferty's approach has employed several logical fallacies; argumentum ad verecundiam (appeal to authority), straw man, tu quoque (informal fallacy that intends to discredit the opponent's argument by attacking the opponent's own personal behaviors and actions as being inconsistent with their argument).
Lafferty appears to have a cursory knowledge of American history and also claims to understand the finer points of “Patriotism” conveniently from his keyboard. The group seeking a redress of grievances are some how (to him) and others in Greewich invalid, insignificant, and not in the least worthy to be comparable to the original American Patriots or Martys. His position is one of mockery and condescension and little else.
One might ask why did the colonists defy the "authority" of England in the first place? Which begs yet another question; to whom or what belongs ANY kind of authority? This is an ontological question but is Constitutionally answered in a single word; CONSENT. As such it behooves us to revisit what is intended back of the statement; "Consent of The Governed".
Historical Perspective Leading Up To The American Revolt.
If we go back some 500-600 years before the Revolution we can look at another historical icon, that of John Wycliffe who defied the Vatican and the Holy See by putting pen to paper and giving us the first English Bible. It could easily be argued Wycliffe was really the first "Protestant" antedating Martin Luther by some two hundred fifty years. Wycliffe was excommunicated from the Church and also from Oxford University. Thirty years after his death his bones were exhumed and burned at the behest of the Vatican and his ashes scattered to the Thames. The English Bible was outlawed by the Vatican and it became criminal to own, posses, or read the English Bible. Yes, men and women were indeed put to death for owning a book. The English bible spawned generations of critical thinkers which eventually gave us men like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison, Joeseph Huey, and yes, Connecticut men like Sherman, Huntington, Williams and Wolcott.
Patriots, including people of faith, oppose ultimatums Mr. Lafferty. Especially ones that are framed as false binary choices i.e. "Do this or else". If you are ok with that then it is you who have a very myopic view of Patriotism.
(Argumentum Ad Verecundiam) - Appeal to Authority: Lafferty's appeal to authority fallacy begins by using anecdotes of our Nations History and juxtaposes that with what can only be described as a very ill informed perspective of grievances that the Greenwich Patriots are endeavoring to call attention to, suggesting that there is little to no correlation, even superficially.
American Patriotism began by pointing out the moral inconsistencies of the authoritarians of the time. Is this consistent with what the Greenwich Patriots are doing? If you're looking at the forest from Mr. Lafferty's perspective of course not. Patriotism (in the Judeo/Christian American sense) lead inexorably to the conclusions found in our Bill of Rights, Constitution and Declaration of Independence that men and women were custodians of Divine authority.... Not the authors of it. Persons of faith or the spiritually imbued tend to be naturally inclined to know when they are being lied to, or when the specter of tyranny begins to appear. People more inclined to a secular world view have historically conceded power to men.
We’ve all heard the axiom; “the road to hell is paved with good intent”. Whether members of the opposing political party are well intended or not is ambiguous at best but then again a tree is always known by its fruit. One needn't look further than that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan or to a Commander in Chief who can barely form a complete sentence let alone stand up for any length of time. This is the Party of real "Patriots" Mr. Lafferty ? Working hard to contain the laughter is an understatement from this desk.
People rising up against their Government doesn't have to take the form of violence but when you deny people a voice because you seek to invalidate any an or all attempts to have civil discourse by taking a "we're right and you're wrong" approach, you've unwittingly given people few if any alternatives. When the people are left fewer avenues by which to redress a Government that choses rather to use heavy handed measures to make citizens comply and fall into line, in this case; from a perceived urgent communal health issue which has not panned out as such in addition to other grievances; and this is somehow seen by Lafferty as unreasonable, childish, unpatriotic or unworthy of an audience, then you have limited the options by which people can address their complaints, and that never leads to anything good for either side.
King George was clearly out of touch with the colonists not least of which was because he was on another continent so it's no wonder he was oblivious to their plights. Suffice to say Kings have a long history of regarding their subjects as "petulant children". The irony here is many professed "liberals, leftists, progressives, Democrats" or what ever other fashionable monikers they decorate their party with have been on their high horse ever since their Alzheimers patient moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. And when is the last time you saw a Democrat (not a politician) display or wear an American Flag? The groups they seem to be content in advocating or aligning with have spent a great deal of time burning Flags instead of saluting them and if a tree is known by its fruit then there little else to say on the matter of Patriotism the Democrat party or even Mr. Lafferty.
Lafferty's arguments seem to be centered around what has been proliferated by the “authority” of his orthodoxy. That being, the corporate media; (CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS, PBS, NPR) and a few of the alphabet bureaucracies. Perhaps even Dr. Fauci as well.
This is the gauntlet which the laymen Patriot is meant to navigate. It is the proverbial "Goliath". This is the camp in which Mr. Lafferty and many members of the Greenwich Connecticut community have pitched their tents and the hill on which they would appear to be ready to "die" .. so to speak.
Many Patriots (like the original Patriots) he purports to understand appealed to divine authority and divine law which is the FINAL authority in all things pertaining to human affairs including health and how to treat ones fellow man regardless of their race, creed, or culture. That’s what real Patriots do Mr. Lafferty. Name calling doesn't require as much work as thinking does. But if name calling, scoffing and mockery are the "weapons" of your warfare I'd say you have a rude awakening.
As for taking a jab at those who wish to remain anonymous seems Mr. Lafferty has never heard of: "Silence Dogood", "Publius", "A Citizen of America" , "A Citizen of New Haven" (Connecticut's Roger Sherman), "Ceasar", "A Federalist" and many others.
What does Patriotism look like to you Mr. Lafferty ? Is it hiding behind your keyboard, yucking it up with your cadre of sycophants, spewing your verbal assaults and belittling people because they have genuine concerns about the future of their children and their country? Or, are those just all paranoid delusions from people you've decided to pigeon hole, marginalize and mock because, "you're right, and they're wrong? Being a Patriot requires a lot more than character assassination from the comfort of your desk and the Greenwich Times Mr. Lafferty.
Conclusions: Lastly, with respect to masks, disease and such. Who among us that have been born will not have to face death? Mortal birth is coupled with a death sentence it’s a sobering truth to be sure.
All of us each day decides what risks he is wiling to live with. Many of us drive cars every single day and face the prospect of being injured or killed. Are we now going to confiscate all of the keys to everyones car indefinitely lest we can determine who is or isn't a threat to us ? That is essentially the horn of the argument from which Lafferty and all the medically minded masses have hung their hats on.
And where is all the sanctimonious outrage over all the preventable medical deaths that occur each year Mr. Lafferty? The silence has been rather deafening on that issue. Let's guess, that unless blame can be ascribed to "deplorables".. "What difference does it make?". Eh, Mr. Lafferty ?