When the pandemic first started in the spring of 2020, there was almost universal praise and admiration for our first responders – EMS workers, firefighters, nurses and doctors. They were hailed as heroes and rightly so. These brave and selfless people went to work every day not knowing if they would personally succumb to the virus, or worse yet, bring it home to their loved ones or extended family. During this time not much was known about the virus or how to effectively treat it and the early prognoses were not good. Despite this, these folks put aside their own self-interest and served the needs of others before themselves.
When it became clear that remote learning was an unmitigated disaster, many policy makers and administrators realized that children needed to be back at school. Many teachers around the country returned to the classroom either part or full time. They were in not the same danger as the first responders, yet there was a heightened risk that they might be exposed to Covid-19 going to school each day and interacting closely for extended hours with the students in their classroom. Teachers were glad to make this sacrifice as they saw first-hand how students were suffering from both academic decline and psychological damage learning at home. Parents were so very grateful they no longer had to teach their children at home and expressed their thanks in a variety of ways.
It is important to note that there were no vaccines available for the public until January of 2021 and the rollout did not reach full capacity until the sometime that spring. This means that first responders worked for almost a full calendar year and teachers for about six months without the “protection” of a vaccine. Everyone seemed okay with this as long as their medical and familial needs were met. In other words, in the minds of those who needed something (medical care or the education of their child) their needs were more important than the health and safety of those providing those services.
Those who serve in these professions have always understood the risks and have never asked for accolades or any special treatment. I’m sure they were deeply touched when the public and media recognized their sacrifice and finally acknowledged it. But that was then. Now with vaccine mandates being universally administered at many municipalities, hospitals and school districts, the ire and vitriol targeted at those who refuse to take a vaccination is absolutely astounding.
Many are refusing the vaccine because of their deeply held personal religious beliefs invoking their conscience and saying no to these abortion tainted treatments. Others have valid medical concerns as they may have already had Covid and now have natural immunity or perhaps they are expecting and trying to protect their unborn child from any harm the vaccine may induce like miscarriage or birth defects. It has been a long-standing protocol within the medical field that once a person has had an illness, a vaccination is no longer required and great care has always been afforded to those who are expecting a child. One can only wonder what has happened to the medical profession.
The same admiring public who only six months ago who called them “heroes” is now ready to demonize and punish those who helped them in their greatest time of need. Many of these people will lose their livelihood or will subjected to weekly testing and most people seems okay with it. This attitude is all based on a selfish premise that you might get me sick. But we should not be surprised as our society has been totally denigrating into a “me first” mentality for decades. It began with sexual revolution and abortion on demand. The failure of couples to accept that they conceived a child and care for it is the origin of our selfish and self-centered culture. We have been propagandized by the pro-abortion lobby that my convenience, my needs, my desires, my wants, my dreams override the needs of another. That thinking has been solidified in the minds of our nation. Only when we end the sin of abortion will we return to a society that is truly selfless and holds up the needs of others above our own.