Kansas City Star Endorses Rant Against Freedom: WTF?!?!

Today's light & low-rent issue of the Kansas City Star contains one of the worst screeds we've ever seen in "professional" newspaper. 

We've seen arguments against freedom throughout the course of the pandemic and they offer a dystopian view of Democracy wherein un-elected officials announce edicts that can't be challenged by voters. In turn, the outrage against this arrogance elicits reactionary rhetoric that ignores that VERY REAL danger of COVID-19. Meanwhile, more people get sick and die as pundits & politicos battle for power & ratings. 

Bottom line . . . Attacking freedom, personal or otherwise, is a losing argument that only convinces our most strident progressive friends who value winning political debates over effective communication about public health.

Accordingly . . .

Here's the word salad money line from somebody who might or might not have overdosed on MSNBC commentary last year . . .

"The message that seems to be ignored in this current debate is that prioritizing personal freedom results in natural consequences of spreading the virus though society, with resultant preventable illnesses and deaths. People may have an easier time ignoring or denying these natural consequences when the link is invisible and the victims are not known. What is easy to ignore or deny is the natural consequence that unvaccinated people who do not wear a mask may not, themselves, get seriously ill or die, but they will spread COVID to someone else in our society who will get seriously ill and die.  

"Leadership has a responsibility to lead, however, as well as to represent society. It is sometimes a challenge to recognize when leadership is called for over representation. It should not, however, be such a challenge to recognize when the good of society outweighs a personal freedom, when a personal freedom naturally results in inadvertent, avoidable harm to others — even death."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

With COVID, 'personal freedom' threatens societal good. Leaders, you need to step up

OPINION AND COMMENTARY In looking at COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates, there is an apparent conflict between personal freedom and the good of society. There have been such conflicts forever, of course. That's why society recognizes the need to pass laws, to adjudicate such conflicts between personal freedom and the good of society.