They Are Not Protestors - They are Terrorists

Let's start by making two distinctions here: by definition, the word protesting means "the expression of disapproval of or objection to something" and the word terrorism is defined as "the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims".
For those who don't know why I'm defining two words that seem to have no correlation to each other - over the past week, there have been "protests" against the nationwide lockdowns due to the COVID 19 outbreak.

I know someone out there is going: "Well that's their right to protest as an American citizen!"
And you are 100 percent right. That is our right as American citizens to peaceably assemble. It is stated right there in the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law... prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

However, here's my issue; this disease has taken the lives of 41,356 people in the United States alone. It can live on hard surfaces for several days, including your clothes. It can be passed through the air as well, so breathing near someone, even if you don't feel any current symptoms, can be potentially life-threatening. I have a problem with people who are too selfish to realize that this is bigger than them, that this disease can affect anybody. I have a problem with people thinking that the government actually trying to protect us for once instead of facing a mass extinction "isn't fair" because "they're taking away our rights."

Now for the terrorism part. I know it may sound like a bit of stretch, especially because many of these protestors were just carrying signs and there was no violence involved. However, in states like Michigan, some protestors have gone as far as bringing their assault rifles to their protests. While it is legal for a person to carry a firearm in public "as long as the person is carrying the firearm with lawful intent and the firearm is not concealed", I don't really get what the point of bringing your guns to a peaceful (and quite frankly confusing) protest is. Are they attempting to intimidate to get their message across? Well it's hard to assay, and I don't want to assume but that was definitely my first thought when I stumbled upon the photo below.

Not to mention the fact that going against the CDC's orders regarding a deadly disease is basically saying that you don't care about the consequences for you and most importantly other people.

On March 26th, around the time that the seriousness of COVID-19 began to rise, an article was published in regards to a woman facing terrorism charges for breathing and coughing on fruit in the grocery store. The woman claimed she had the virus and was going to get everyone else sick. While this is an extreme case, and I'm sure all these lovely protestors don't have the disease because they seem to think they are immune, they still can carry the disease without displaying any symptoms and that's VERY dangerous to just disregard that.

And all I can sit and think is what's the difference between that women coughing on fruit and these people gathering in large crowds standing right next to each other, and breathing on each other... what's the difference? If breathing on fruit when you think you're sick is terrorism then what's the difference between disregarding what the government and the CDC say when it comes to gathering in large groups and practicing social distancing for the time being? What makes disregarding what officials advise you to do to keep EVERYONE safe any different than breathing/coughing on fruit?
I'm still trying to figure that out. I guess I'll have plenty of time to contemplate it as I stay home and follow directions to ensure the safety of the nation.

Social Media and My Online Presence

Photo Credits

Since quarantine has taken over our lives, I've had a lot of time to be on social media... and I mean A LOT. But with that, there have also been a lot of moments where I questioned if I should just delete every account I own because I was so sick of some of the thoughts I was having within my own head.

In a day and age where everything we do is shared on some app, I find myself wondering if that's something I really want to be apart of. But then the next day comes around, and I see a pretty girl I follow has posted a link to ask her anonymous questions, and I find myself thinking: "Hm, should I do that too?"

It's a toxic cycle between "I don't want to be like everybody else" and "I want to be just like everybody else." It's comparing your body, or your hair, or the number of followers you have to somebody you don't even know. It's oversharing on the internet because you see everybody else doing it, and nothing bad has happened to them.... yet.

I would say my online footprint is right in the middle on a scale from low to high. I don't have a personal website, but I have several social media accounts, as well as two different blogs. The social media sites I use are almost too much to count, but here's my attempt:

• Instagram: I have posted anywhere from selfies to family pictures to party pictures.
• Twitter: I typically post a lot of my opinions on here, and I don't hold back. It's also where I go to post something humorous that may have happened to me, but this is where I sometimes overshare. I also have my main personal blog linked to my Twitter so I can promote the things I write.
• Facebook: I don't go on this one often. I usually only go on to update my family members about what's going on in my life and sometimes I go on to watch wholesome videos of families.
• Pinterest: I recently just got this one, and almost wish I hadn't. Every time I go on there I wish for all these things that I don't have. Sometimes it makes me feel bad about my life instead of feeling grateful for it.
• Tik Tok: This one is fairly new, but it's taken over the world. This is probably now the app I spend the most time on because it always makes me laugh. This is also another site that makes me compare myself to others. It's also a place where I can very easily get myself in trouble for posting something that might be oversharing... because once it's out there, it's out there forever.
• Linkedin: This is my final one, and honestly the least toxic of them all. Of course, I use this one to promote my educational and professional work.

I truly do think that too much social media makes people feel lonely and depressed. I know most days I find myself wishing for a different life and a different body, and it's all because of something I looked at on Instagram or Tik Tok. Sometimes I truly get scared that it's controlling my life because no matter how much I say I hate it and don't want to use it anymore, I always come back the next day. Of course, there are benefits to social media, but in moderation. It's a great way to connect, and it's a source of entertainment... it shouldn't be the main source though.

First Amendment and the Pledge of Allegiance

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For my first few years of schooling, I distinctly remember how important it was to stand for the pledge of allegiance. It was ingrained in my mind that if you didn't stand and you didn't recite the words that you were being disrespectful to your nation. On top of that, if you didn't stand and you didn't recite the words you would get in trouble and be reprimanded in front of the whole class.

Somewhere along the line, I ended up in high school where it was normal to stand, but we all simultaneously decided to stand in silence, with our hands by our sides instead of on our chests. It was met with defiance at first until it wasn't anymore because one of my good friends claimed: "I'll stand to please you. But I will not recite those words because I don't believe them, and that is my right."

It was one of the first times I ever realized that I had every right to decide if I didn't want to go with the norm or the majority.

In elementary school, I didn't think twice about it. I didn't even realize what the words I was reciting really meant. It wasn't until I got older that I looked into the words. I've never been a religious person, and I haven't quite figured out what it is I truly believe in, but I wasn't a fan of the fact that I felt like in a way I was being forced to believe in something I didn't really believe in. On top of that, I didn't think putting religion into our nation's pledge of allegiance made much sense.

To this day, I am grateful for my friend speaking up because ever since then I have felt comfortable enough to do the same.

Often, people think this issue is new. They think millennials are to blame, and that we are disrespectful. We've seen it with kneeling at sporting events and simply refusing to stand in school.

But the truth of the matter is, this issue has always been around.

In the case of West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), Justice Robert Jackson was famously quoted for saying, "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein."

Some of the major issues that the Supreme Court have had to look at include two things:

1. Whether students can be compelled to recite the pledge without infringing on their First Amendment rights and...
2. Whether the inclusion of the phrase "under God" - added in 1954 - violates the establishment clause

I think both of these questions are very important to uncover, and it continues to be uncovered.

Where I stand on the issue? I don't think anybody should be forced to recite something they don't believe in, and I do think it goes against the establishment clause.

I truly look forward to the day that we come to a solid decision on the issue.