Under the premise of “flatten the curve,” leaders across the globe are “flattening” basic freedoms as they use the threat of coronavirus to continue imposing more severe penalties on any citizen who dares to challenge their COVID-19 orders, edicts, commands, and proclamations.
The extreme decrees by leaders are so alarming that Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, stated last Friday, “We could have a parallel epidemic of authoritarian and repressive measures following close if not on the heels of a health epidemic.”
With each passing day, the list of countries in lockdown grows, above 90 as we go to press. The longer people are locked down, the more restrictions are placed on them from the powers that be in charge, inflicting more pain to those below.
For example, in India, a country with 1.3 billion, the world’s second largest population, though only four people had died from the virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s harsh curfew restrictions have created a massive humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, now unemployed since Modi’s shutdown order on 24 March, have no money or shelter… and there are no soup kitchens or public shelters available.
After Thailand enforced confinement of its citizens last Friday, now more than half the people on the planet, some four billion, are being forced to stay at home.
Supreme Authorities
Of the dozens of political leaders using the coronavirus pandemic as a rationale for imposing authoritarian rule, two of the most extreme cases are in Israel and Hungry.
In Israel, on 15 March, two days before his trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust was scheduled to begin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed that to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, Israeli courts would be shut down, incapacitating the nation’s parliament.
Also, he ordered the internal security agency to use cellphone data to track the movements of every citizen known or suspected to have coronavirus and identify anyone with whom they crossed paths.
Commenting on Netanyahu’s declarations, Elyakim Rubinstein, a former Supreme Court justice, said the confluence of events presented a “clear danger to Israeli democracy.”
Mr. Rubinstein said, “These are not good days… both because of the coronavirus and the almost inconceivable constitutional crisis.”
Israelis are confined to their homes, businesses are closed, and unemployment has spiked to over 24 percent. And, last Wednesday, the prime minister issued an order that all citizens must wear protective masks in public.
“Made For TV” Hysteria
To further justify his actions of control and to spread fear and terror, it was reported that Mr. Netanyahu shared a video clip during a conference call with members of his cabinet on 30 March, which he claimed was proof that Iranian authorities were piling bodies killed by coronavirus onto trucks and then dumping them into trash piles.
It turns out the clip was from a 2007 made-for-TV mini-series called “Pandemic.”
As of last Friday, 40 Israelis, out of a population of 8.6 million, have died from COVID-19… 0.0005 percent. As with the vast majority of virus victims, they were elderly with pre-existing chronic illnesses.
Birds of a Feather
In Hungary, the parliament voted on 30 March to give Prime Minister Viktor Orban complete authority to “rule by decree.” The bill has no end date. The decree allows Mr. Orban to suspend parliament, impose harsh fines and jail sentences on citizens not adhering to quarantine restrictions, and punish any journalist the government decides has not reported accurately.
As of last Friday, 26 Hungarians, out of a population of 9.6 million, have died from COVID-19… 0.0003 percent.
Using the virus to gain political power, and, as we noted, to put down revolts, the mandates are based on epidemiological models with wide variables. Around the world, the combination of lockdowns, edicts, bans, curfews, travel restrictions, social distancing requirements, and threats of imprisonment are now being imposed in over 90 countries.
Among them:
- In the United Kingdom, coronavirus legislation was rushed through parliament that gives the government the authority to detain any citizen and force them into isolation, ban all public gatherings, and close ports of entry with no time limit attached. Silkie Carlo, Director of the citizens rights group Big Brother Watch, called these new provisions “draconian.”
- In France, no one is allowed out of their homes without filling out a form explaining why they are going outside. Some 10,000 police have been ordered to issue fines to anyone not presenting a valid form.
- Spanish police have arrested nearly 2,000 and imposed fines on over 200,000 for violating the country’s “containment laws,” often with the help of online videos and photos posted by residents. As of Sunday, 4,313 people had died from coronavirus.
- In Norway, anyone breaking isolation rules can be fined up to $2,000 or spend 15 days in jail.
- In South Africa, three people were killed when police assaulted a crowd with whips and rubber bullets for not adhering to the government’s lockdown orders. As of Sunday, nine people, of a population of 59.1 million, have died from coronavirus.
- In Kenya, last week, a 13-year-old boy playing on the balcony of his home was shot and killed by police who were patrolling the neighborhood to enforce the coronavirus curfew. As of Sunday, four people, of a population of 53.5 million, have died from coronavirus.
- In Bolivia, where the interim president, Jeanine Áñez Chávez, has been promising to limit her role to that of a caretaker, has now increased her power and recently suspended the upcoming May election due to the coronavirus. As of Sunday, 11 people have died of the virus, of a population of 11.6 million.
In the United States, the “Land of the Free,” governors and mayors are coming up with a wide array bans, restrictions, and penalties.
- America’s favorite new politician, Andrew Cuomo, who, before the coronavirus, had an approval rating of 23 percent, ordered the people of New York to obey his strict social distancing rules or else pay a maximum fine of $1,000 for violating his orders.
- In our nation’s capital, Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued a stay-at-home order with violators subject to a fine of up to $5,000 or jail time up to 90 days. As of last Friday, there were a total of 11 deaths in the capital area.
- In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan issued a warning that anyone violating the state’s stay-at-home order could be looking at a year in prison and a $5,000 fine. His Honor stated, “We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home; we are directing them to do so.” Maryland residents can only leave home for food, medicine, and medical attention.
- Kentucky is raising the bar (and likely the jail bars) for authoritarian control. Angered that a number of residents refused to obey the governor’s strict stay-at-home order, Judge Angela Bisig has ordered ankle monitors with global positioning capability for any resident who has been exposed to someone with coronavirus who refuses to follow the stay-at-home protocols.
One resident, who is living with someone who tested positive but refused to follow the edict, has been forced to wear the device, normally used on people awaiting criminal trial or those who’ve served jail time and are now on parole.
- In New Jersey, last Tuesday, police in Lakewood Township shut down an engagement party and charged the homeowners with “reckless endangerment” for violating the state of emergency order of Governor Phillip Murphy.
- In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker announced last Friday a new “COVID-19 community tracing collaborative,” which includes a call center of about 1,000 people who will contact those citizens known to have contracted the coronavirus and request information about their movements.
- In Delaware, Governor John Carney issued an emergency coronavirus measure that “authorizes any Delaware law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle driving within the state simply because it is displaying out-of-state tags.” If they do not leave immediately, the out-of-stater will be forced into quarantine for 14 days.
- In Washington, Governor Jay Inslee created a “stay home, stay healthy” order. His majesty the Governor said, “Make no mistake, this order is enforceable by law and can be enforced.” If violated, citizens could be fined up to $5,000 and a year in jail.
Violating the emergency proclamation is a gross misdemeanor, which carries a sentence up to 364 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. It should be noted that just three weeks ago, nearly half of all coronavirus deaths so far in the U.S. can be traced to a single nursing home in Kirkland, WA.
- In Atlanta’s Fulton County, violating public health officials’ rules to shelter indoors is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to a year in jail.
- In the vast expanses of Alaska, the “Last Frontier” state, Governor Mike Dunleavy issued an order that anyone breaking the state’s stay-at-home order could face a year in prison and a fine up to $25,000.
One resident, who is living with someone who tested positive but refused to follow the edict, has been forced to wear the device, normally used on people awaiting criminal trial or those who’ve served jail time and are now on parole.
- In New Jersey, last Tuesday, police in Lakewood Township shut down an engagement party and charged the homeowners with “reckless endangerment” for violating the state of emergency order of Governor Phillip Murphy.
- In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker announced last Friday a new “COVID-19 community tracing collaborative,” which includes a call center of about 1,000 people who will contact those citizens known to have contracted the coronavirus and request information about their movements.
- In Delaware, Governor John Carney issued an emergency coronavirus measure that “authorizes any Delaware law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle driving within the state simply because it is displaying out-of-state tags.” If they do not leave immediately, the out-of-stater will be forced into quarantine for 14 days.
- In Washington, Governor Jay Inslee created a “stay home, stay healthy” order. His majesty the Governor said, “Make no mistake, this order is enforceable by law and can be enforced.” If violated, citizens could be fined up to $5,000 and a year in jail.
Violating the emergency proclamation is a gross misdemeanor, which carries a sentence up to 364 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. It should be noted that just three weeks ago, nearly half of all coronavirus deaths so far in the U.S. can be traced to a single nursing home in Kirkland, WA.
- In Atlanta’s Fulton County, violating public health officials’ rules to shelter indoors is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to a year in jail.
- In the vast expanses of Alaska, the “Last Frontier” state, Governor Mike Dunleavy issued an order that anyone breaking the state’s stay-at-home order could face a year in prison and a fine up to $25,000.
National Fear Facts
A Huffington Post/YouGov poll released last Thursday showed 87 percent are making the effort to stay at home when possible, with most saying they’ll continue to do so this month, regardless of any official limitations.
As stated by Benjamin Franklin, for “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety,” 79 percent of citizens in states that issued “shelter in place” dictates say their politicians made the right decision in doing so versus 9 percent who disagree.
TRENDPOST: Absent in mainstream media is any mention of violations of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and/or other nation’s disregard for their laws-of-the-land prohibiting politicians to issue decrees in violation of them.
For the subservient masses, when choosing between “Give me Liberty or Give me Death,” as proven by their unmitigated support of politicians they worship, their fear of Death is far greater than their loss of Liberty.