George Washington: "Individuals entering into society must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest."

Screenshot of FB Live Coverage of Michigan Protest

I watched the Michigan protests live last Wednesday and heard people complaining about losing their income and losing their businesses.

I understand those folks whose businesses are going under, whose jobs are gone and whose bills threaten to ruin them financially.  I understand those people who don't know how they'll pay for food. I understand their frustration with the closing off of much of the economy.  (No, I'm lucky that I don't feel it, but I understand it.)  It's rational to want your life to continue on normally, and even not care if some people die because of it.  After all, we allow people to drive cars knowing that some 30,000 or so people will die in car crashes every year.

But we've had 39,000 deaths in the last seven weeks or so and without the self-isolation that's been imposed, that number would be a lot higher.  And the people out protesting without social distancing and without masks are going to make the numbers higher than they should be.

But they have a point - there's a balance between individual freedom and the good of all.  As I believe

Screenshot of FB Live Coverage of Michigan Protest

that there is great deal of difference among Americans in how well they understand how much we all affected - for good and bad - by what others do.

For those who are loudly and self-righteously declaring their personal rights to do whatever they want, I'd like to direct them to the letter of transmittal of the draft US Constitution to the Congress, signed by George Washington, in which he wrote:

"Individuals entering into society must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as well on situation and circumstance, as on the object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between those rights which must be surrendered, and those which may be preserved;"

There are options available that include helping out those with small businesses and those who have lost their jobs without jeopardizing the health and lives of other Americans.  Congress has already passed legislation to give out cash to people below a certain level of income.  To help out small businesses.  To postpone the payment of rent and other debts.  If the protestors are concerned that so much of that went to friends and donors of members of Congress and the President, their protests are directed at the wrong targets.

The Bible tells us about Jubilee years where all debts are forgiven and people begin again.  This might be a good time for that.

If that's too extreme for some, we could simply freeze the economy for several months.  Turn it off and then start it up when it's safer.  No new debts would be accrued.  We'd start over again as if April through July (or whenever it's safe) never happened.