I get it. And I am not unsympathetic to the notion.

But this is like 9/11. In fact, by Wednesday the US death toll will exceed that of September 11. And the fatalities have barely started here (your country and mine). Yet this was entirely preventable, and the escalation can still be headed off. It's hard to protect people from themselves, but sometimes it has to be better to try.

Were the restrictions in the 5 days following 9/11 justified? Would you have agreed to those beginning the day before that tragedy? I don't think many would object, in hindsight. We have the benefit of seeing what happened in China, Italy, and now Spain. Why volunteer to be next? I think that Einstein had something to say about that :-)

That's all I'm saying.

In the beginning. We fought for our freedoms. Many have died for those freedoms. And will continue to do so. That principal is still with us today. It's instilled into our DNA. Those on the outside find it hard to understand. It what makes us Americans. How many people fly the flag? Almost everyone in my neighborhood does.

Not so much anymore. Some see the US much differently than you or I or those before us. Sad, but true. See the kids coming out of academia. I dont know what they're teaching these kids, but it really makes me wish for the draft or mandatory military service.

All the kids in my neighborhood went into the service after high school. There was only 2 that didn't.

Ben Franklin said that. And his *** invented lightning so...

Don't make me post the opening scene from "The Newsroom" ;-)

Tens of thousands of Canadians have done the same, and will again tomorrow. That blood is sacred here as well, and our freedoms hard won.

But there must be something in us (most of us) that makes us different from our southern neighbours, I guess. Because we haven't really needed to enforce infringements upon freedoms very much here (yet, at least) to fight this disease.

Of course, having a larger land mass and 10% of your population does help us with "social distancing" LOL.

It is not preventable on any realistic level. These "plagues" are going to crop up every now and then. Some people will always be overly optimistic and slow to respond (if they respond at all). Unfortunately, those people are often in charge of the response.

Fixed that for ya. ;)

I don't agree that it is necessarily better to try. People should have the right to do with themselves as they see fit. If Mother Nature thinks what they do is wrong, she will handle it.
Of course, when what they do harm to someone else, they should be stopped, but protecting them from themselves is ultimately counter-productive.

I'm not saying the US (and other countries) shouldn't be locked down for a while to limit damage - I think that would be a good idea. I was just pointing out that the US legal system does not allow that except in a declared national emergency. We have the emergency, just not the declaration. :(

Sorry I don't believe in that. You don't need to waive a flag to be American, you can be American by believing in its value and do your part. Waving a flag is like some rapper wearing goldchains to show they have money or pornstars with the cross necklace.

Come to my neighborhood. Small town America.

All these tags! :rofl2:

Yeah, what's with those?

Been a looonnnnggggg time since I watched that movie. Had to re-watch the opening on Youtube.
Your are correct, sir. The US is not perfect. Far from it. The US is comprised of humans with all the accompanying foibles.
The US has done a lot of wrong things in its' short history. A lot. Too many to enumerate here.
But the US has also done many good things. With CA's help we jumped in to kick the Nazis out of Europe. During foreign disasters, the US is always near the front of the line to provide support. Etc, etc, etc.
I have to totally agree that The Constitution is a masterpiece. Was/is it perfect? Nope, but it's pretty close (IMNSHO) and it has provisions to change towards something a little closer to perfect (or away from it, but you take the good with the bad).
As individual Americans, we run the same gamut as every other group of humans - some of us are saints, others are pure evil, and all points in between. From what I've seen, most of us are decent, compassionate folks.

I do not always agree with my government (and it seems like I agree less and less as time goes by) but I am always proud to be an American.

And I am so thankful that they did. :tiphat:

Y'all have a different culture up there. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. The culture in NYC, LA, etc is a lot different than it is here in S AR.

And probably has a lot to do with the cultural differences, especially when compared to the larger US cities. I'm guessing most rural Americans and rural Canadians have a lot in common - once you get past the weird accents. It's them city folks that mess everything up. :)

So now Liberal Sanctuary States are going door to door to rid them of other Liberal State Refugees.

Illegal Aliens are free to stay of course...

You can’t make this stuff up! Using the national guard to go door to door looking for NY’rs = good!

Letting ICE go door to door looking for illegal aliens = bad!

I can't fly any flags at my apartment community, but I do have a noticeable American Flag sticker on my car (driver side). What REALLY bothers me is when people post it the wrong way on the passenger side of the car.

The disease not, but the severity of the contagion yes.

Exhibit 1, Singapore.
2/3 the population of NYC in half the area, and in the shadow of China (lots of travel, trade, and expat community). Total of 879 cases, 1/4 of which are recovered, with only 3 deaths. First case was January 23.

Taiwan, as well (although politics prevent its status being reported independently from those of of mainland China since WHO amalgamated all Chinese data earlier this month) had its first case by January 21 and only 50 cases / 1 death by March 15.

Neither state is in lockdown. In fact, it has been business as usual for most citizens.

Compare to the New York experience. The lives saved came at the cost of a temporary loss of liberty, for sure. But not that much, because their governments reacted very quickly to the Chinese reports. There are temperature tests everywhere, incoming flights were screened from early January, those with the virus are under house arrest with GPS phone tracking and follow-up by police. The military was tasked with procuring or producing medical PPE. The travel and health care databases were merged and that shared with doctors and pharmacists who were asked to monitor and report suspected cases based on treatment or medication purchases (yes, the ACLU is apoplectic about now). But you can still go to a restaurant or a movie, or get your hair cut.

The point is, these lost freedoms (and more) are probably coming America's way. As you said, the state of emergency need only be declared. I suspect that the loved ones of most of the current and future victims probably aren't touting the "live free or die" mantra today. :-(