“One nation, under G-d, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The wonderful concepts expressed by these words in the Pledge of Allegiance once characterized the United States. Unfortunately, this no longer seems to be the case - certainly not to the extent it used to. In fact, America has become more polarized than at any time since the Civil War, and one of the issues fueling this division is vaccinations. It is generating very intense emotions, and apparently neither side sees any middle ground or room for compromise.
Everyone is a true believer on this issue. Those in favor can’t understand why anyone would be opposed. After all, the vax protects everyone who takes it from getting the virus and from spreading it. And even in the event of breakthrough cases, for the most part those who do get sick develop only mild symptoms.
Those opposed have a very different take on this. For starters, many oppose vaccines for religious reasons or because they fear side effects. One such idea is that the vax can damage a person’s DNA, cause sterility, or cause serious health issues. And at best, they say, it has only temporary benefits because the efficacy decreases in a matter of months, and even that is limited because there are breakthrough cases. Many more distrust statistics about the vaccine’s protection and safety, and others fear the vax has tracking chips that will enable the government to follow them. They don’t want to be vaccinated and they don’t want anyone ordering them to wear masks.
As a result of these opposing views, numerous people have been assaulted in airports and on planes for not wearing a mask or for wearing one on an airline but taking it off to eat a meal when it is served; others have been attacked for not wearing one when shopping or even when walking on the street.
Whose Decision?
Opposition to vaccines is not a new phenomenon. But what is new is that in this case, the government and agencies working with it are getting involved in the controversy and pressuring people to get it.
There are a growing number of reports of people in the US and abroad rebelling against being compelled to wear masks, as well as government-ordered quarantines, school closings, and related policies. They are, however, facing an uphill battle, as the government is pulling out all stops.
According to the Gateway Pundit, “A whistleblower alleged that DHS Chief Alejandro Mayorkas is threatening to terminate border patrol agents who don’t get the COVID vaccine by November.”
In other words, at the same time border patrol agents are being pressured to get the vax, there are thousands of unvaccinated migrants pouring into the country at the Southern border who are not being forced to take a vaccine or even to be tested.
And this is just a small sampling of the pressure being exerted. Biden will enforce his vax mandate by fining companies (with 100 employees or more) who don’t comply up to $700,000 - for each fine. Job postings requiring employees to be vaccinated before applying are on the rise, and more and more firms say they’ll terminate existing employees who refuse to get the jab.
And there is more still. Employees at New York hospitals refusing to be vaccinated are facing mass firings; a BLM leader is calling for a national “uprising” over what they deem “racist vax mandates;” and United Airlines (among other companies) is threatening to fire employees who aren’t vaccinated.
High-ranking executives and professors at universities have lost their jobs because they questioned the need for a vax. Even reading ideas like this has become taboo. YouTube has banned videos questioning the need for or safety of vaccines as “misleading” information and is deleting them; social media powerhouses such as Facebook and Twitter have taken the same steps. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get information about both sides of this issue. Likewise, it has become necessary to show proof of the vax before entering some restaurants, gyms, stores, theaters, and other public places - let alone schools and offices.
Paying A Political Price
As a result of this controversy, Americans’ trust of President Biden is dropping. Since Biden’s inauguration in January, there has been a 13% decline in the number of people who believe he is providing accurate information about the virus, according to a poll by Axios/Ipsos. The poll also found that people are losing confidence in both the federal government’s and mainstream media’s ability to deliver accurate information about the pandemic. Less than half of Americans now believe the government is providing accurate information about COVID.
Traditionally, most people have consulted with their doctor about the advisability of taking a vaccine for themselves or their children. The decision about what medicines and vaccines can be put into their bodies has always been seen as theirs - not the government’s.
Whether one likes it or not, this appears to be changing. Unless one lives and works in a remote area, having little or no contact with the outside world, he or she could come under increasing pressure to get vaxxed, wear masks, and comply with other regulations deemed necessary for their own safety as well as that of the overall society. And these pressures will be so intense that resisting them will be impossible.
In the very near future, people will have to make very important decisions about getting vaxxed or declining the jab - decisions that will affect their health, income, and job prospects. When they do, they should think very carefully because it could mark a turning point in their lives.
Sources: axios.com; drudgereport.com; gatewaypundit.com; theburningplatform.com
Gerald Harris is a financial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.