Freedom
I clearly recall one or more professors in my undergraduate philosophy classes reminding students more than once if one is going to talk about freedom one must talk both about freedom to and freedom from. I was remembering this lesson this morning as I read statements by Governor Stitt of Oklahoma and Mayor Bynum of Tulsa in an article on KTUL News by Cory Smith (March 11, 2021) entitled “Bynum not ready to join Stitt in lifting coronavirus restrictions.” He quotes Governor Stiff as saying:
“The standard for ‘normal’ cannot be zero cases, “Stiff said. “In Oklahoma, the standard for normal is freedom - the freedom to worship, the freedom to go to work and earn a paycheck, the freedom to visit your loved ones in nursing in homes, the freedom to send your kids to school in person, and the freedom to protect your family however you see fit. As long as I’m governor, I will protect the freedoms of Oklahomans.”
If any of the students had posited this rationale in class, the professors would have asked the rest of the class to identify the flaw in the rationale. They would have suggested that one cannot talk about freedom in isolation. We live in community, and for better or for worse, every action or inaction, which is itself an action, affects a multitude of people. Sometimes the effects are minimal. My decision to wash or not wash the dishes may not immediately affect anyone. On the other hand, the dirty dishes in the sink may attract bugs which may then decide to visit my neighbors.
Oklahoma has had 432 recorded cases of covid-19 and over 4700 deaths attributed to covid-19. A number of health officials have suggested that the number is actually probably much higher. The average is 119 deaths per 100,000 people. In the United States this is not the highest and it is not the lowest percentage. If one compares the United States as a whole with other so-called developed nations the death rate per 100,000 is much higher than several.
One can easily manipulate and misuse statistics. One can also clearly identify those countries such as New Zealand which have been very aggressive in restricting “the freedom” of its citizens to potentially infect others. The results are very clear. The freedom to protect each other and the freedom from infecting each other is clearly recognized and behavior has been accordingly modified.
Governor Stiff and many others are fond of talking about freedoms of the individual. In the quote attributed to him he talks about:
The freedom to worship. No one is suggesting that one
cannot worship the God of one’s understanding in the privacy of their home. One can safely do that. Many churches continue to live stream services to their congregations or anyone who wants to listen. What Governor Stitt means is the freedom to gather with other people in a worship service and, thus, the freedom to infect or be infected with the covid-19 virus.
The freedom to go to work. Again what he means is the
freedom to go to work with others - to congregate in often unsafe environments with others and, thus, to infect and be infected by others. It is no secret that the restrictions has unfairly affected some individuals and families. Some of us have been able to work remotely and have lost very little income. Many others, often disproportionally women, minorities and lower paid workers, have been affected more than many of we white, professional males who do not work in a hospital or other essential facilities.
The freedom to visit your loved ones in nursing homes. No
doubt the cost of restrictions on those in nursing homes,
prisons and other closed facilities has been high. Many
have died without any personal contact with loved ones.
The responsibility to accompany folks on the last stage of
journeys has fallen to health care professional who had the
freedom to be exhausted, to possibly infect or be
infected; to have their hearts broken over and over again.
“The freedom to go to school”? Remote learning has been tough on children, parents, teachers and other school staff. It has affected day care centers and all those whose business depends on schools being open and operating. Everyone is exhausted and, yet, most I know have cheerfully and willingly made the sacrifices required to deal with the pandemic.
The “freedom to protect one’s family”. A paycheck will protect one’s family. Not becoming homeless is good for one’s family. Being sick without sick pay, dying often without life insurance, orphaning children are a great price to pay for one’s freedom to work when it is not safe.
The bottom line is Governor Stitt and a great many people I know and love are fond of the freedom to ignore the fact that we live in community. We must address the freedom to and the freedom from. We must address how our freedom affects other people in the community. We are not individuals living in individual bubbles. If that were the case there would be no pandemic and no need to have a debate. To talk about freedom to ignores the other half of the debate.
It is true that we must do better than the stimulus check and other aid recently passed by Congress. We must do better in identifying and “ministering to” those who have been most affected by the pandemic. We must do better in honoring the fact that covid-19 is not concerned with our freedom to. Those germs are only interested in finding and landing on a receptive host.
Written March 15, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
I clearly recall one or more professors in my undergraduate philosophy classes reminding students more than once if one is going to talk about freedom one must talk both about freedom to and freedom from. I was remembering this lesson this morning as I read statements by Governor Stitt of Oklahoma and Mayor Bynum of Tulsa in an article on KTUL News by Cory Smith (March 11, 2021) entitled “Bynum not ready to join Stitt in lifting coronavirus restrictions.” He quotes Governor Stiff as saying:
“The standard for ‘normal’ cannot be zero cases, “Stiff said. “In Oklahoma, the standard for normal is freedom - the freedom to worship, the freedom to go to work and earn a paycheck, the freedom to visit your loved ones in nursing in homes, the freedom to send your kids to school in person, and the freedom to protect your family however you see fit. As long as I’m governor, I will protect the freedoms of Oklahomans.”
If any of the students had posited this rationale in class, the professors would have asked the rest of the class to identify the flaw in the rationale. They would have suggested that one cannot talk about freedom in isolation. We live in community, and for better or for worse, every action or inaction, which is itself an action, affects a multitude of people. Sometimes the effects are minimal. My decision to wash or not wash the dishes may not immediately affect anyone. On the other hand, the dirty dishes in the sink may attract bugs which may then decide to visit my neighbors.
Oklahoma has had 432 recorded cases of covid-19 and over 4700 deaths attributed to covid-19. A number of health officials have suggested that the number is actually probably much higher. The average is 119 deaths per 100,000 people. In the United States this is not the highest and it is not the lowest percentage. If one compares the United States as a whole with other so-called developed nations the death rate per 100,000 is much higher than several.
One can easily manipulate and misuse statistics. One can also clearly identify those countries such as New Zealand which have been very aggressive in restricting “the freedom” of its citizens to potentially infect others. The results are very clear. The freedom to protect each other and the freedom from infecting each other is clearly recognized and behavior has been accordingly modified.
Governor Stiff and many others are fond of talking about freedoms of the individual. In the quote attributed to him he talks about:
The freedom to worship. No one is suggesting that one
cannot worship the God of one’s understanding in the privacy of their home. One can safely do that. Many churches continue to live stream services to their congregations or anyone who wants to listen. What Governor Stitt means is the freedom to gather with other people in a worship service and, thus, the freedom to infect or be infected with the covid-19 virus.
The freedom to go to work. Again what he means is the
freedom to go to work with others - to congregate in often unsafe environments with others and, thus, to infect and be infected by others. It is no secret that the restrictions has unfairly affected some individuals and families. Some of us have been able to work remotely and have lost very little income. Many others, often disproportionally women, minorities and lower paid workers, have been affected more than many of we white, professional males who do not work in a hospital or other essential facilities.
The freedom to visit your loved ones in nursing homes. No
doubt the cost of restrictions on those in nursing homes,
prisons and other closed facilities has been high. Many
have died without any personal contact with loved ones.
The responsibility to accompany folks on the last stage of
journeys has fallen to health care professional who had the
freedom to be exhausted, to possibly infect or be
infected; to have their hearts broken over and over again.
“The freedom to go to school”? Remote learning has been tough on children, parents, teachers and other school staff. It has affected day care centers and all those whose business depends on schools being open and operating. Everyone is exhausted and, yet, most I know have cheerfully and willingly made the sacrifices required to deal with the pandemic.
The “freedom to protect one’s family”. A paycheck will protect one’s family. Not becoming homeless is good for one’s family. Being sick without sick pay, dying often without life insurance, orphaning children are a great price to pay for one’s freedom to work when it is not safe.
The bottom line is Governor Stitt and a great many people I know and love are fond of the freedom to ignore the fact that we live in community. We must address the freedom to and the freedom from. We must address how our freedom affects other people in the community. We are not individuals living in individual bubbles. If that were the case there would be no pandemic and no need to have a debate. To talk about freedom to ignores the other half of the debate.
It is true that we must do better than the stimulus check and other aid recently passed by Congress. We must do better in identifying and “ministering to” those who have been most affected by the pandemic. We must do better in honoring the fact that covid-19 is not concerned with our freedom to. Those germs are only interested in finding and landing on a receptive host.
Written March 15, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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