As I started to quote the immortal words of Patrick Henry, it struck me that liberty is not something that is given, but something is earned. No governor, with the rich taste of tyranny on his lips, is going to monogamously going to say, “Just kidding about the whole gulag thing! April fools!”
So with the inspiration of our great forefathers, I do declare that I am taking back my liberty.
16 December 2020
To Governor Charles D. Baker:
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to retake their Liberty.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.[1]
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Citizens of the Commonwealth; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present Governor Charles Baker and his administration is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over this Commonwealth, using and abusing the powers granted to the Executive branch in Chapter S31, Acts 1950, Ch.639[2] and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 17, Section 2A. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has failed to uphold the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of assemblage, by supporting social justice protests[3] and placing restrictions on private gatherings[4] and worship services[5].
He attempted to subdue the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment by ignoring the declaration from the federal government establishing the gun industry as “essential”, shutting down locally-owned gun dealers and shooting ranges[6] on 31 March 2020 through 7 May 2020[7].
He has failed to uphold the Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendment[8] by suppressing small businesses, restaurants, bars, and other places of commerce yet allowing commercial corporations to function uninhibited throughout of the pandemic. His designation of specific industries to certain reopening “phases” is equally nonsensical, for example, allowing the casinos gaming floors to reopen in Stage 3, but moving outdoor theme parks and amusement parks to Stage 4[9].
He has forbidden the Citizens to pursue their livelihoods uninhibited, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained[10]. When so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them[11].
He has issued guidelines utterly devoid of common sense, such as forbidding eating establishments to serve drinks without also serving food[12], prohibiting standing to eat food at the bar while simultaneously prohibiting seated patrons from eating at the bar[13], placing additional burdens on the bar and tavern owners throughout the Commonwealth.
He has failed to abide by the laws, guidelines, and provisions of MGL Title XVI, Chapter 111, Section 92. [14]
He has further failed to protect the Citizens’ pursual of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness by instituting a blanket curfew.[15]
He has contributed to the United States’ current mental health crisis, including a 40% increase in adults self-reporting anxiety, depression, stress-related symptoms, new or increased substance abuse, and suicidal ideation[16].
He has contributed to an anticipated rise in cancer diagnoses and deaths, as lockdowns prevented Citizens from receiving regular screenings and preventive health services[17].
He has contributed to a rise in opioid abuse and opioid deaths due to his lockdowns and social distancing mandates[18].
He has contributed to the 1 in 4 young adults (age 18-24) who have thought about killing themselves in the last 30 days because of Covid-related restrictions[19].
He has endangered Citizens’ lives with his lockdown orders, contributing to a 200% increase in domestic violence cases at Brigham and Women’s hospital alone[20].
He has, for that purpose obstructing natural travel between States enacted onerous travel restrictions in a violation of the privacy of the Citizens[21].
He has enabled a multitude of unelected officials, and sent hither swarms of public health employees to harass our people[22].
He has continued to enforce a mask mandate, even though no scientific evidence exists to support such an order[23][24].
He has continued to rely upon, and count positive RT-PCR tests in the “Dashboard of Public Health Indicators”, even though the PCR tests can yield a high false positivity rate due to their high amplification[25] [26].
For taking away, through Emergency Order, our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments; rendering We the People voiceless by continually bypassing the General Court in favor of Executive Orders [27].
For conspiring with the General Court to attempt to codify these restrictions to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness into law[28].
He destroyed the lives of our people[29] [30] [31].
He is at this creating further orders to restrict the actions of the Citizenry in response to the coronavirus pandemic[32]. He has simultaneously said that “Our health care system is keeping up[33],” while using hospital capacity as an excuse to execute restrictive lockdown measures.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, encouraged neighbor to report on neighbor[34], and has endeavored, perhaps unwittingly, to bring a cold civil war[35] to the Commonwealth.
He has ignored his own “reopening Massachusetts” guidelines, promising a “return to normalcy” when the “development of vaccines and/or treatments enable resumption of “new normal””. The first batch of vaccinations was delivered to Massachusetts on 14 December 2020[36] . Instead of prioritizing those most at risk of death of COVID-19 (those with one or more comorbidity, adults over 65 years of age, he has chosen to prioritize criminals. He is preventing the vaccine from reaching the general public until late spring, 2021[37].
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the humblest terms: Our repeated Petitions[38] [39] have been answered only by repeated injury. A Governor whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our brethren in Washington DC. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by the Executive of the Commonwealth, as the citizens of other states have warned of the Executives in their States, to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us39. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here, generations ago. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity. We have conjured them by our common kindred ties to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounce them, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, Citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of this Commonwealth, solemnly publish and declare, That these Citizens are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent people; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the Executive Orders stemming from the Emergency Order issued on 10 March 2020, and do declare all “Governor’s COVID-19 Orders” and “Reopening Massachusetts” null and void, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent People may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
[1] https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
[2] https://www.mass.gov/lists/emergency-preparedness-laws-and-regulations
[3] https://www.masslive.com/boston/2020/05/gov-charlie-baker-understands-protests-in-massachusetts-after-death-of-george-floyd-i-cant-imagine-why-people-wouldnt-want-to-get-out-on-the-streets.html
[4] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-state-of-emergency#limits-on-gatherings-
[5] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-places-of-worship
[6] https://www.mass.gov/doc/march-31-2020-essential-services-extension-order/download
[7] https://gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/MA-order.pdf
[8] https://constitutionallawreporter.com/amendment-14-01/equal-protection-clause/#EPRational
[9] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-when-can-my-business-reopen
[10] https://www.mass.gov/doc/may-18-2020-re-opening-massachusetts-order/download
[11] https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-order-58/download
[12] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-restaurants#phase-ii-step-1-downloads-and-translations- (Paragraph 5)
[13] https://www.mass.gov/doc/restaurants-protocol-summary-english/download
[14] https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter111/Section92
[15] https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-order-57/download
[16] https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/12/health/mental-health-second-wave-coronavirus-wellness/index.html
[17] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768946
[18] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/health_policy/Provisional-Drug-Overdose-Deaths-by-Quarter-Demographic-Characteristics-Q1-2020.pdf
[19] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm
[20] https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-08-18/radiology-study-suggests-horrifying-rise-in-domestic-violence-during-pandemic
[21] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
[22] https://www.mass.gov/doc/revised-gatherings-order-august-7-2020/download (Section 6)
[23] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25903751/
[24] https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817
[25] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30453-7/fulltext
[26] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/health/coronavirus-testing.html
[27] https://www.mass.gov/news/declaration-of-a-state-of-emergency-to-respond-to-covid-19
[28] https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/HD5116
[29] https://www.aier.org/article/cost-of-us-lockdowns-a-preliminary-report/
[30] https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/06/11/coronavirus-stores-close-massachusetts-quarantine-economy-unemployment-dorothys-boutique/
[31] https://www.boston25news.com/news/health/thousands-massachusetts-restaurants-stay-closed-permanently/RT2I2PFWXNG5PIT7NGFZYSX2XY/
[32] https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-order-57/download
[33] https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus/2020/04/21/massachusetts-ventilator-icu-bed-ration-guidance-revised-coronavirus
[34] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-covid-19-compliance
[35] Try a couple of experiments: 1. Put up a post challenging the science of the lockdowns, and then walk into a store massless. Time how long it takes a store employee or a Kustomer Karen to chase you down and call you “irresponsible”, selfish”, or “Grandma-killer”.
[36] https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/12/14/covid-19-coronavirus-vaccine-massachusetts-boston-medical-center-shipment/
[37] https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine-in-massachusetts
[38] https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/05/04/coronavirus-protest-gathering-massachusetts-statehouse-reopen-economy/
[39] https://www.change.org/search?q=massachusetts&offset=0
Often attributed to Voltaire, English Evelyn B. Hall biographer coined that famous phrase back in 1906 in her work, “The Friends of Voltaire”. Nothing sums up my feelings regarding yesterday’s events in Charlottesville better.
who brought the blonde 