Stripping away our rights, little by little

THE EDITOR: Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith complains that people are "always trying to dictate where the police should utilise their resources." But people give Griffith this advice simply because he doesn't seem to have a clue about what should be prioritised. He is always complaining about lack of resources but has enough to send a dozen officers to tell Jenny Sharma it's 10.15 pm because "it's my job to protect the nation during a pandemic?"

What pandemic? Griffith must look around and use his brain. Does he see any evidence of a pandemic? It's only in the hype/news, not in reality.

One of my textbooks for English literature was Animal Farm. I wasn't very good at literature but I do remember the gradual stripping away of the rights of the animals by a self-selected few. The book started with the premise, "All animals are equal." Later it became, "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others." Before you know it the "low" animals had no rights at all.

In the same vein, people’s rights are being stripped away, one by one. You know they have gone too far when you can't have a sip of wine with your dinner without being harassed by a dozen police. (When it comes to solving real crime, it's the dozing police.)

People, if you sit quietly and allow this to happen because it doesn't affect you, when they come for you, there'll be no one to speak for you. It's time we raise our voices in protest against these ridiculous regulations being used to subjugate citizens under the pretense of "protecting you from the virus.”

Another example. Why does anyone think it's a good idea to force golfers to wear masks while playing golf? For whose protection? From what? Again, it's one of those little rights that's being taken away so that, eventually, we will come to think of it as "normal." This, even though the golf course is one of those places where you are naturally physically distanced.

I assume that one reason some people play golf is to enjoy the outdoors, to breathe in fresh air. Wearing a mask forces them to breathe in the foul air they are trying to exhale. How can that be a good thing?

There have been 140 deaths purportedly from covid19. That's 0.01 per cent of a population of 1.4 million. Deal with the few who get sick. Leave the other 99.99 per cent to live our lives as we see fit. We can do without the "protection" that has ruined more lives and more livelihoods than any virus ever could.

CK KELLY

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