Slavery has deep roots in the United States. Slave states enacted measures such as a Certificate of Freedom to slaves set free or bought out of slavery. Sound familiar? It should. Vaccine passports have been criticized mainly for violating medical privacy, and they would halt freedom of movement in society for those who aren’t vaccinated. Mandating someone to show papers of vaccination is a new form of Certificate of Freedom papers.
Boston Mayor Kim Janey compared the Certificate of Freedom papers to the Vaccine Passport to the press when asked about enacting it in Boston. The Mayor explained the process during slavery and post-slavery to verify Black American freedom. The process was used in court for employment, housing, and public life.
Janey retracted part of her statement during a press conference, but the fact remains that she was fundamentally correct in her comparison. Whether it’s freedom status or vaccination status, it’s oppression either way and shouldn’t be allowed. Plus, the fourth amendment protects the search of your person and papers.
She says that vaccine passports would shut out nearly 40% of east Boston and 60% of Mattapan. Instead of shutting out people’s populations, Janey said that the Boston effort to get more people vaccinated would knock on doors and gain community trust. Unfortunately, President Joe Biden and other governors and staffers aren’t able to gain public confidence. Instead, they’ve chosen to blame unvaccinated people and try to force people to get vaccinated.
Thankfully, leaders, regardless of the political party, are standing up against the greater narrative and refusing to force vaccinations on people. More Americans would hear stories like this, like Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC), who aren’t enacting mask mandates for schools.
Regardless of what the government says, the individual has the final say. Individual liberty still exists in this country and will not go.
