Burning and looting are okay but forgoing a face mask is not

To The Daily Sun,

Received a letter the other day, addressed from a local postal and package business. Think it may have been sent to others as well. With a desire to spread good news, it references God’s desire to help and His ability to do so.

In the past a visit to speak in person may have sounded a knock on the door, but then today would have violated the government's social distancing "rule."

That God would be the Christian God which bestowed free will — unlike others which require submission. Not that Christians themselves have a good track record on that. Humans have the ability to think for themselves, unlike other life forms and creatures, we can decide for ourselves. That ability is God’s gift to humankind, that is the help which was bestowed a very long time ago. We’re told we can pray to the Lord for help, guidance, thus surrendering our will. With eight billion people asking for this or that a shattered world would result; who would that extra minute be given to only to stop the world from turning to satisfy that one request?

Two hundred third two years ago our nation was secured and a Bill of Rights followed which limited the federal government, and the state governments as well, to ensure the individuals freedom to decide and act, but not without consequences when it effected others and their rights in written law. The grand point was that the people (citizens) decided through elections who would populate the chairs of government, not those in government. So it was George Washington who stood before the Continental Congress December 23, 1783 and surrendered his commission as commanding general to return to his home as a fellow citizen. An act which stunned to world and secured our liberties.

I’ve never assumed to know the will of God, though it seems to be common in the present and human history.

Nor is the will of others known, assumed perhaps with exceptions. Such is life; we may look back to evaluate our assumptions, such as with those elected officials. Assume they will stand and serve by the oath of office they take. That pretty much is just a formality. The civil unrest the letter spoke of is bought and paid for, with governors, mayors allowing the gatherings in the streets for weeks on end but not in the churches, burning and looting without arrests, but fines for not wearing a mask.

We are told a vaccine is in the works; (https://www.livescience.com/cat-coronavirus-drugs-treat-human-COVID-19.html), is available but not approved. Such information which our CDC or other agencies could “inform” us (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/biotech/story/2020-08-05/common-cold-viruses-can-spark-response-against-the-coronavirus-san-diego-la-jolla-institute-for-immunology-scientists-report), but don’t. Why not give details of what’s happening, what is being studied?

With two-plus trillion dollars, individuals who were infected could stay at home (even who weren’t physically sick) with pay, the rest could go on; superior care to the old in nursing homes, disinfecting the subways and trains, taking temperatures.

Free will doesn’t mean we’ll choose to do the right thing, especially a politician in an election year.

Gerald Brooks

Meredith