Originally Posted by JBF

Regardless of where the virus came from, the culture of fear has been manufactured. It's a tool used to gain power and control. This pandemic takes it to the next level but it's been going on for a long time.
Who is trying to gain power and control? What is this culture of manufactured fear?

Nobody has suggested taking away others rights and freedom other than those sitting in your corner. If you want to stay at home, avoid travelling, wear a mask - fine do it, it's your right to choose to do those things for yourself. But mandating these things for everyone by law, removing others ability to make their own personal risk assessment and choices, forcibly taking away their freedoms - that's wrong
The only reason for mandates is because there are so many that resist doing the right thing on their own. My point was your rights end where mine begin. It is an infringement on my rights and freedom. In a broad sense mandates are laws. No different than laws against speeding, driving drunk, shooting someone, breaking into a house etc. I don't like mandates either but I think those not getting vaccinated or not following the guidelines will ever do so on their own. It is very likely the only way the pandemic will get under control is by mandates. If you don't want mandates all that is necessary is to get vaccinated and follow the guidelines. Not doing so will likely result in the very mandates you are against.

As for 'being part of the problem or part of the solution', is anything ever that black and white? And who says we have to 'stop the spread of covid', who says we can ever hope to 'control the virus'. We've been living with these viruses for thousands of years, they are quite literally a fact of life. They eventually become more transmissible and less lethal - a seriously deadly virus is not a particularly successful virus. By interfering with it's natural development we're probably just making this worse and dragging it out for longer.