by Inara Jain (staff writer)
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – in that order are the three most fundamental and unalienable rights one has, according to the United States Declaration of Independence. The crux of the American lifestyle and ideals is freedom. Historically, great progress has been made by activist groups in the name of freedom. Among many others, the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage, and Stonewall Riots are clear examples of progressive strides in the name of freedom. The freedom to be treated equally, the freedom to vote, and the freedom to love. However, the idea of freedom has changed vastly with the emergence of a new Republican party and radical new conservative ideals. As the summer progresses, we see more and more countries opening up, as travel becomes more common. This is only due to the high rates of vaccination in counties across the world. Countries such as Chile and Spain have vaccinated over 50% of their population. The United States is making significant progress as well, however obstacles such as right-wing conspiracy theorists are ever-present. During the Covid-19 pandemic, countless Americans have identified as “anti-maskers,” or “anti-vaxxers,” claiming an infringement upon their rights and freedom. An individual’s personal liberty does not include the freedom to endanger those around them. When protecting unalienable rights, does the right to protecting the lives of fellow citizens not come first and foremost? After conclusive evidence that masks and vaccines are highly effective in slowing the spread of the virus, conspiracy theorists and right-wing conformists have caused so much upheaval that governments and business have actually started creating policies against mask mandates and vaccination passports. The turmoil from these groups of people have caused a serious public health hazard in the middle of the pandemic. The truth is, no matter how glaringly obvious it may be, vaccination laws are not, and have never been, unconstitutional. In 1905, a law was established that required people to take the smallpox vaccine. This law was challenged by a minister, stating, as conservatives do today, that a requirement of inoculation was an infringement on personal liberty, bodily autonomy, and health. This case was taken to the Supreme Court where this argument was rejected and it was declared that, “Upon the principle of self-defense, of paramount necessity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members” (Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 1905). In order to protect public health, not only does the government have the right to require vaccinations, but the people have a responsibility to themselves and to others to receive one.
At a Glance 