Bob Joseph, Jr.: Health mandates are really designed to maintain our freedom

To The Daily Sun,

Science versus fantasy: These two forces are driving against each other. Inevitably, science will win. The pandemic is real. Climate change is real. Those who deny will become the victims of their own ignorance. Those who are sickened by this virus include the deniers who become converted as their illness progresses. Climate change has impacted the West Coast and slowly is impacting the East Coast as the winds bring the deadly smoke from those fires. In turn, this creates added risk for becoming infected with Covid-19 because this smoke reduces the resistance as it creates inflammation within our lungs.

N.H. can help to promote safety during these times with a mask and social distance mandate. Contrary to those who feel this impinges on their freedoms, your resistance to these mandates impinges on our right to remain healthy. This indicates a severe impact on our communities and our families. In the interest of conserving public health, safety, and welfare, at times these steps are mandatory in order to improve our overall health. Mandates are designed to maintain our freedoms, not to the contrary.

What good is this "freedom not to wear" if people die from this rudeness? Freedom is a responsibility that is shared. Lack of this responsibility is life threatening to the remaining community members. Yes,"we can live free or die," but in this case, these deniers are saying "Live free and die!" One must consider the ramification and consequences of not complying with this mandate, including the deniers own lives. It is not a matter of choice, it is a matter of doing what is best in the interest of the community's survival.

Those who are immunocompromised, such as this writer, have rights, too. Our rights supersede the "freedom of choice" advocated by the deniers. The more who comply, the sooner we can end this Covid-19 pandemic. Get that vaccine. Protect yourselves, your family and loved ones, protect everyone. Working together, we can do this.

Bob Joseph, Jr.

New Hampton