The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a mockery of freedom. For more than a year, the federal government (and several state governments) forced Americans to hunker down in isolation, all in the name of combatting a virus that isn’t as deadly as we once thought. For the majority of Americans under the age of 65 (without certain co-morbidities) COVID-19 is about as lethal as the flu. However, the government’s draconian measures and the media’s unending fearmongering made many Americans think COVID-19 was akin to the bubonic plague.

Unfortunately, information about the COVID-19 virus, its origins, and risk factors have been contorted and manipulated into mistruths by our government and Fourth Estate.

On June 22, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke at a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing titled, “Vaccines: America’s Shot at Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Dr. Paul had this to say, “I agree with you that misinformation is leading to vaccine hesitancy, and that probably the largest area of misinformation is coming from the government regarding natural immunity.”

Dr. Paul also said there is evidence that shows natural immunity is possibly more effective than the vaccine and conservative estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show more than 100 million Americans have natural immunity. In other words, we may be well past herd immunity, which calls into question the campaign to vaccinate all Americans, even those with natural immunity, and children.

Individuals should decide what is best for themselves and their families, not the government. This is especially true given the fact that many Americans harbor reservations over the vaccine, which is still under emergency use authorization and has caused heart issues among hundreds of American adolescents.

During a recent press conference, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was questioned about whether he has or hasn’t gotten the vaccine. Rep. Massie responded, “I am not vaccinated. And until there is some science, by the way, I have a Master’s of Science degree from MIT. I’m not a virologist but I can read data. Everybody just needs to read and don’t put your head in the sand. Look at the data. I’m not going to get the vaccine until there’s data that shows that it will improve upon the immunity that’s been conferred to me as a result of a natural infection that I had.”

This comes as the calls for mass vaccination of all Americans becomes ever louder. For example, Massie stood up for our military by introducing HR 3680, which would prohibit any requirement that members of the U.S. military must be vaccinated.

Rep. Massie has been a strong protector of civil liberties and long-standing skeptic toward any decision the so-called elites try to force on the general public. If the elites are going left, it can be almost guaranteed Rep. Massie will go right, and for good reason. A healthy dose of skepticism is important.

Unfortunately, our society, which is coaxed by the liberal mainstream media, has been brainwashed to the point there is little critical thinking and a lack of logical reasoning surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and all that comes with it.

Not to mention the overflow of mistruths from our government. Currently, we still don’t know the “official” origin of the virus, but we do know that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has lied about U.S. tax dollars funding gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

As defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Gain-of-function (GOF) research involves experimentation that aims or is expected to (and/or, perhaps, actually does) increase the transmissibility and/or virulence of pathogens. Such research, when conducted by responsible scientists, usually aims to improve understanding of disease-causing agents, their interaction with human hosts, and/or their potential to cause pandemics.”

There is overwhelming evidence the U.S. government did support gain-of-function research in China according to U.S. State Department reports showing that the U.S. government “engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017.”

Yet, the federal government expects the general public to follow their lead on this virus. Our government is either stupid or evil. I sure hope it is the former.

There is no doubt the U.S. government has made an abundant number of mistakes during the pandemic, which resulted in economic mayhem and social turmoil. Following the train wreck of misinformation from the government during the pandemic, it is no question that the American people are hesitant to heed their advice. We the people, not the federal or state governments, should be in charge of our health care decisions, especially when it comes to an experimental vaccine that is still under scrutiny.

Christina Herrin ([email protected])is a government relations manager at The Heartland Institute, a nonpartisan, free-market think tank headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois.