By DANIEL SMITH
I like to think I am an optimist. Based on the overwhelming testimony I have heard against the proposed Anchorage Assembly ordinance AO 2021-91, I am optimistic that it will fail, as there are many things more dangerous than the Covid-19 virus, which has a 1.6% mortality rate for the entire population. For those under the age of 19, their Covid virus survival rate is 99.997% if untreated.
I want to believe the authors of the ordinance are just misinformed or unaware of these statistics. I’m clinging to the remote possibility that the writer of the ordinance will withdraw it before she rips this city to pieces, leaving a permanent scar on the history books that will be written about how Anchorage reacted to the Covid virus.
I am optimistic that there will be some acknowledgement of the physical and mental damage that has been done to our children who suffer through every day at Anchorage School District schools, wearing masks 6 to 7 hours a day. Perhaps they just need to be reminded of Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink’s position on mask problems when she summarized the ill effects of breathing through a warm moist mask for hours on end day after day.
I would like to think that the passing of this ordinance won’t eventually lead to mandatory vaccines when the masks don’t work, as we have seen in this community and around the world.
I would like to think that hospitals and employers in general will stop using coercion and threat of termination to compel doctors, nurses and everyone to accept an injection that does not stop the spread of infection.
I’m optimistic that mandatory vaccines won’t lead to vaccine passports required to travel, like is being done in Canada and many other places ,or to enjoy the things like dining out or going to any public space as New York or to put our children in public schools, like they are doing in Los Angeles.
I’m hopeful that lockdowns will not be reinstated when the mask mandate proves ineffective. I’m optimistic that our freedom will not be restricted as it has been in Australia, and that our police force will not use rubber bullets tear gas and mace in the name of health and to keep us from gathering in public, moving about freely and venturing more than three miles from our homes.
I’m extremely optimistic that science will prevail and the ineffectiveness of a mask to stop a virus will be recognized and that Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine will return to our pharmacies in Anchorage, as they are both proven therapies that keep Covid patients out of the hospital.
I’m really optimistic that natural immunity will be recognized for the superior protection that it provides against infection compared to current so called vaccinations and endless booster shots.
Being a generally positive person, I’m bothered a bit by the pessimism of this ordinance. This mask mandate has revealed an inherent distrust and dislike of the citizens of Anchorage by its authors. The authors might amend out the provisions that would turn neighbor against neighbor, but it is too late. In case there was any doubt, they have now been exposed for the pessimistic tyrants that they are. The authors are convinced that they know what’s best for the people who elected them to serve. I’m reluctantly optimistic that they will listen to the contrary view points expressed by their constituents.
If this was the only example of their behavior I would be more positive about the expected outcome of these assembly hearings and their intentions. But there are other measures and ordinances they put forth to transfer power from the executive branch to the legislative. They would vote themselves even more power than that, if they thought they could. I am unable to express much optimism that their thirst for power will be quenched any time soon. Ultimately however, I am optimistic that the security, integrity and faith in our election system will be restored and they will be replaced. I am optimistic because the majority of people in Anchorage elected Dave Bronson as our mayor!
The mask mandate is the first step down the slippery slope of tyranny. I would like to think that the Covid virus will someday go away and that elected officials and bureaucrats will stop using it as an opportunity for political gain. I continue to hold out hope that it will not lead to an irredeemable amount of authoritarianism.
Even if this ordinance passes, I am optimistic that the negativity behind its creation will fail. As I listened to the vast majority of testimony from the people of Anchorage against this ordinance, I am certain that this run at tyranny will fail, freedom will prevail and I am extremely confident the people of Anchorage will not comply with a medical device mandate issued by the tyrants who wrote it and those that might vote for it.
There are two kinds of people in the world, pessimists and optimists. The pessimist says “It can’t get any worse!” And the optimist replies. “Oh yes it can!” I guess by that definition I am indeed an optimist. I am sure that others are as well. Let’s stop the Anchorage authoritarians’ efforts right here and right now.
Dan Smith is a lifelong Alaskan and Anchorage resident. Public hearings on the mask decree continues at the Loussac Library on Monday, Oct. 4, at 6 pm.
