Dear Editor:

Lately there have been calls to “liberate” ourselves from social distancing and the other protective measures imposed by the need to survive the covid-19 pandemic. Indeed we have a choice in this matter. We could decide for ourselves to forgo face masks, excessive hand-washing or social distancing.

In doing so we must ask, is this really true freedom or is it an exercise in irresponsibility? That is, is it possible to choose freely and not be responsible for the consequences? Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. Our actions effect not only ourselves as individuals but other people as well.

Today’s politics has undercut much of the moral underpinnings of our laws that protect us from wrongdoing and inequity. We live in an environment where individuals are free to act without moral constraint as long as we act within the law. Thus we all suffer the consequences of the irresponsible behavior of others.

When people irresponsibly dismiss expert advice in favor of the vision of authoritarian politicians for whom the pandemic represents an inconvenient economic problem, or turn to quack cures, our collective resolve and ability to fight this pandemic is weakened. To exercise a truly free choice means to take responsibility in seeking some sort of objective and verifiable truth rather than cherry picking the facts to support the belief in an irresponsible vision of some false reality. When one blindly follows an autocrat, one has already given up their freedom.

The freedom we want, the freedom worth fighting for is not freedom from responsibility. We are not free to steal, to hate, to act in any way to harm others. The freedom we crave is freedom from oppression, freedom from want and hunger, freedom of opportunity and expression. And now we need freedom from this disease that is ravaging our country.

The consequences of ignoring, denying, and downplaying expert advice is death for too many. The path to freedom is that of knowledge and patient courage. We can certainly rebuild our economy, but we can never bring back the dead.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay