On Memorial Day, some prominent conservatives weaponized the deaths of generations of patriots to shame people who social distance or eschew public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Common themes included the suggestion that our heroic fallen did not make the ultimate sacrifice for the kind of people who cower in fear of a virus, or that anyone who has not begun a full-out rebellion against forced social distancing measures is disrespecting the memories of the 1.1 million service members who lost their lives in service to our country between 1775 and 1991, and the almost 7,000 who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq between October 2001 and October 2018.
Until now, I sat quietly by as my fellow conservatives spread misinformation and promoted false equivalencies in protest of stay-at-home orders, referring to all who dare comply as “sheep” who are “living in fear.” But exploiting a national holiday, that is devastating and emotional for many, to push a political agenda brought this social distancing conservative to her limit.
As the daughter of a veteran, I write often about veterans’ issues and military heroes. I find it deeply disgusting that anyone would co-opt the courageous sacrifices of those who lost their lives in service to our country to further their own goals.
Such remarks also demonstrate an incredible lack of awareness of the diverse political beliefs held by modern service members, not to mention the beliefs and motivations of those who served over the course of centuries. What does unite our fallen heroes is the fact that they fought for the freedom of their country and for the continued individual liberties of those who reside there.
The conservative movement is founded on these principles of freedom and liberty. Conservatives bullying people into some kind of misinformed rebellion are attempting a collectivism that abandons our founding principles.
This pandemic has had disastrous economic and social side effects, which the world will face for many years to come. Unfortunately, it seems to be having an equally deleterious effect on conservative values.
This is an opportunity for conservative Second Amendment supporters to remind people that arming oneself against the unknown, whether with a gun or a mask, is not an act of fear, but rather an act of love for not only our own lives, but those of our family members and our community. I would expect that pro-life conservatives would loudly lament the 100,000 unnecessary COVID-19 deaths.
I hoped that the conservatives wary of big government would be disgusted by the shame tactics of those who claim to know what’s best for the rest of us, but whose groupthink allows no room for individuals to act based on their own thoughts or circumstances.
Personally, I began cordoning myself off from society when the first COVID-19 cases arrived in my state of Michigan, long before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told me I must. I did this as a pregnant mother who desired to keep herself and her family safe from a disease whose impacts were not known.
Now, more is understood about the possible long-term effects for fetuses exposed to COVID-19 and of the possible increased severity of infection for infants. Despite my governor having blessed gatherings of 10 or fewer, I continue to self-isolate.
Members of my own political party insist this means I am living in fear. On the contrary, I have made my choices based on personal responsibility and the deep love I have for the unborn child in my care.
Most importantly, I do not force my choice upon others, or publicly shame those who participate in activities I consider unnecessarily risky. I simply ask that my decision is not constantly belittled based on the absurd notion that, out of terror, I have abdicated my liberty and freedom.
The coronavirus is a highly infectious disease with no cure. Infections aren’t just no big deal — they may result in sickness with lasting physical consequences, in long-term hospitalization, or in death. As a testament to the devastation COVID-19 wreaks on the body, those who have been hospitalized with the disease will no longer be eligible for military service.
Being wary of how our own behaviors could allow this novel disease to spread and claim even more innocent lives is not “living in fear.” Levelheaded people can simultaneously engage in common-sense practices to limit exposure to a devastating disease, question overly aggressive stay-at-home orders, and seek out ways to jump-start a severely diminished economy.
It is perhaps too much to ask that politics should take a back seat as the nation moves forward during this pandemic. At the very least, conservative commentators should refrain from shaming those who, on taking stock of their own circumstances, have decided to remain at home to reduce their risk of coming down with, or spreading, the coronavirus.
Be particularly wary of any pundits using our fallen heroes’ sacrifices as political fodder, purposely spreading misinformation and obfuscating data and science, and advocating mass-shaming groupthink to encourage people to engage in behaviors that could have serious and even deadly consequences.
Beth Bailey (@BWBailey85) is a freelance writer from the Detroit area.
