Stand Now or Bow Later

By Ashlee Dunagan

On May 11, the Orange County Board of Supervisors (CA) voted 4-1 to table a contracted plan to create a digital vaccine verification system for use throughout Orange County. Supervisor Katrina Foley cast the dissenting vote. Supervisor Foley claims, “A supermajority of the community that we serve support having a convenient digital record so they can go about living their lives.”

I do not know what the “supermajority” of people in Orange County support, only that I have not personally spoken with anyone who likes the idea, nor did I hear anyone speak at the OC Supervisors meeting who was in support of it.

It seems that Supervisor Foley unwittingly hit on two major issues for those that oppose digital vaccine verification. First, no one should need a convenient way to prove vaccination to “go about living their lives.”

We have never needed to show our papers during any other pandemic, most of which were more severe than this one, so we must ask, “Why now?” Second, America—comprised of a representative government—is one of the few countries on earth where the rights of the minority are protected. It seems rather disingenuous (to say the least) that politicians who, for instance, believe LGBTQ rights should never be infringed upon in any way, are suddenly so concerned with the rights of the “supermajority.”

Most of the people present (700+) at the OC Board of Supervisors meeting protested the violation of fundamental medical privacy and the potential coercion vaccine passports could create.

The proposed contract stated, “[T]he parties intend that no work done under this contract be used now or in the future to create a vaccine ‘passport’ to limit travel or access to county government services.”

It further increases the budget for this system from $3.8 to $5 million, which of course, is taxpayer money, much of it federal tax dollars, and it does nothing to prohibit vaccine discrimination by private companies. Regardless of the intent of the board members, the wording seems very clear: they are fully aware of the system’s potential to be used as a vaccine passport.

While this has occurred in Orange County, California, make no mistake, versions of the same plan are being contemplated in many states and counties around the country. We have learned from the mask mandates that some businesses will have no problem discriminating against people who do not get the vaccine, even for medical and religious reasons.

Politicians and bureaucrats, particularly Dr. Anthony Fauci, are taking a relative laissez-faire attitude toward businesses imposing vaccine requirements. This new “hands-off” approach is very interesting, considering these are the same individuals who demonstrated no regard for private businesses that wished to remain open and serve customers under their terms over the past year. Suddenly the free will of businesses shall not be infringed upon by the government; they are completely within their rights to discriminate against the unvaccinated despite Constitutional, Federal, and in many cases, state and local laws to the contrary.

It appears the federal, state, and local governments are prepared to negate the rule of law altogether. This should be disturbing to every American. As a representative republic, our government is established by the people and for the people.

As citizens, we expect that our elected officials will honor the laws that protect personal medical information. Furthermore, dismissing those who oppose such an intrusion into their private lives as “anti-vaxxers,” as some government officials have done, is a type of government bullying. While many do not wish to get the vaccine, the main concern is creating a system that can undoubtedly be used to discriminate, segregate, and track American citizens. We must demand that the implementation of any vaccine verification system or discrimination based on vaccine status be made illegal not just in Orange County but the entire country. Thankfully, several states have already had the foresight and good sense to take such steps. We cannot afford to start down a road that has such dangerous implications. We know that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

The data is clear. COVID-19 has a 98+% survival rate for the majority of the population, with our elderly and those suffering from cardiovascular disease and diabetes being by far the most vulnerable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Keep in mind that deaths related to COVID-19 have been closely watched globally, but we can be confident that many infections have gone unreported. Many have been infected unknowingly due to a lack of symptoms. Others did have symptoms, but their symptoms were so minor they did not bother to get tested. Or testing was simply unavailable or too difficult to obtain. At this point, the United States has developed several treatment protocols for this virus and for those who have more severe cases. The vaccines have not been approved by the FDA but are being administered to the population under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Those getting the vaccine are therefore effectively enrolling in a medical trial. And the vaccine manufacturers are immune from liability should the vaccinated suffer any adverse effects.

We should be operating under full disclosure of the facts; that is what constitutes the legal definition of Informed Consent.

Many have recovered from this virus and now have natural immunity thanks to our immune systems creating antibodies and memory T-cells against future infections. Young people and children are at virtually no risk from this virus. Children are rarely carriers or spreaders of this virus. And our hospitals are not in jeopardy of being overrun.

The push to vaccinate every American is unnecessary and unscientific. It should be questioned and based on the data, not fearmongering. It is also worth noting that Dr. Anthony Fauci, during Congressional testimony, admitted roughly 40-50% of CDC and FDA employees have opted not to get vaccinated. We can safely assume that these individuals understand the pros and cons of the vaccine better than does the general population.

Those who do wish to get the vaccine should be free to do so, and those who do not should be equally free to reject it.

Who would have thought we would be here as a nation 15 months ago. But here we are. We do not despair but acknowledge that we make up the greatest nation ever created on this earth, offering the most freedoms to its citizens. We must preserve our ability to continue to live as free people. We must continue to cherish our inalienable rights granted to us by our Creator. And we must fight to protect these rights for the generations to come. As American citizens, we cannot tolerate state-sanctioned discrimination or coercion. We will either stand now, or we will bow later!      

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