Word Warriors

   Watch for the Republican Party to accelerate its campaign to persuade the world that the events of Jan. 6 were a peaceful demonstration by Trump supporters, and whatever incidents of unruly behavior did occur were perpetrated by minority civil rights protestors and Democratic supporters of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
   TV programs now show a split screen of a Republican defender of the Trumpistas on one side and video of the riotous attack on the Capitol on the other side.
   None of this, however, stops Trump supporters from pointing to problems involving civil rights demonstrators, no matter now minor. As if protesting, "They did it first," excuses the behavior of the rioters.

Word Play

    "Biomedical security state." That's the phrase used by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida to attack the federal plan encouraging an anti-virus injection mandate.
   As if preventive medicine is a bad thing.
   One primary function of government is to secure the safety of the people. So why would the governor attack the idea as representing something to be avoided because it endangers American liberty and the freedom of choice?
   The term "security state" has encountered negative connotations, implying that government oversteps its legitimate responsibilities. But there is a long history of governments around the world mandating health measures to bring health and safety to its citizens.
   Even the ex-president, for all his ranting about the foolishness of virus warnings during the covid pandemic, was inoculated early on, but said nothing about it, instead continuing his attack.
   Now, his supporters on the Faux News network praise him for allegedly bringing the covid vaccine to the public.
   Contrast that with state officials in some parts of the country who insist that mandating the vaccine is a civil rights violation.
   People have a responsibility to care for their own health, but they also have an obligation not to spread sickness to others.

Denial Pandemic

 Your civil rights end where my nose begins. -- Pug Mahoney

   It's no surprise that the death toll from virus infections has tripled as people deny the existence of covid and its recent variant.
   However, the good news is that Americans are now rushing to get vaccinated.
   The bad news is that for many of them, it's too late.
   Even so, governors in several states refuse to mandate mask wearing to help reduce infections. Others assail requirements that inoculations are necessary to help protect others.
   "It's an assault on civil liberties," they say.
   But for many decades, there have been government requirements that people be inoculated against diseases. These included measles, mumps, polio and many others. In addition, government has passed many laws to regulate people's actions as a way to prevent disease and death, not least of which is a ban on driving while intoxicated.
   The idea of civil liberties is crucial in maintaining American democracy. But there are limits to dangerous behavior, and government is right to enforce these limits.