Politicians around the country can’t help but panic at the thought of a second wave of coronavirus. It would put the lie to the idea that government action can stop the spread of a virus. So the would-be tyrants who rule us have started to float the idea of a second wave of lockdowns.
New York is at the forefront of this lockdown wave, with Governor Cuomo and New York City Mayor De Blasio announcing a series of lockdowns and partial lockdowns throughout New York City. Among the hardest hit neighborhoods are neighborhoods in Brooklyn whose inhabitants are primarily Jewish, mostly Orthodox and Hasidic Jews.
Many outside New York may not realize it, but Brooklyn is a heavily Jewish area. About one quarter of the borough’s inhabitants are Jewish, and many hail from the tightly-knit Hasidic community. The community has long shown a resistance to government overreach, especially from public health authorities, and frequently thumbs its nose at government health orders.
The newest round of lockdowns is affected the Jewish community in Brooklyn disproportionately, and as a result, Jewish neighborhoods are being forced to shut down once again. Synagogues are being fined for having too many worshipers, and Jewish residents are responding by launching protests, burning masks in the street, and refusing to abide by social distancing and mask regulations.
If there’s a community that understands government oppression, it’s the Jewish community. But will this round of protests grow stronger and inspire others around the country to rebel against the tyranny of emergency rule promulgated under the auspices of protecting public health, or will it remain isolated to Brooklyn and its Jewish community?
Yes, infection rates in these neighborhoods may be higher than in other areas of New York City but, just as in other areas of the country that have seen higher positive test rates and higher caseloads, hospitalizations and deaths haven’t increased at the same rate. As we saw with prominent recent coronavirus patients such as President Trump and Cam Newton, many who come down with COVID-19 don’t show symptoms or only present with mild symptoms, and evn those with symptoms often recover from the disease quickly and without significant complications, just like a cold.
As we said back in March, time would likely tell that COVID-19 would turn out to be more like a bad cold or flu. Certainly if health authorities spent as much time tracking cases of the common cold, contact tracing cold viruses, etc., we would likely find that the common cold is far more deadly than most people realize, and that COVID is far less deadly than people fear.
It’s now time for common sense to prevail, and for right-minded citizens to demand an end to unconstitutional emergency rule. If we fail to take back our rights to assembly, worship, etc., we have only ourselves to blame for losing them.