“Try and make me!” The playground taunt from childhood was all about power and control. “Gimme the ball, kid!” an older, stronger boy tells a young, smaller playmate. It doesn’t really matter if the tough kid wants the ball or not. In fact, I remember that frequently the action following acquiring the ball was to send it flying as far away as possible, hopefully into a backyard protected by a fenced-in bulldog. The point is all about control, and we carry “You can’t make me!” into our adult lives, and some members of our culture equate it with freedom to do whatever the consequences.

This is especially evident currently concerning the COVID 19 vaccination. In the interest of the greater good, it behoves everyone to look out for everyone else. The vaccination not only protects the individual getting the shot, but everyone that person shared breath with.

It’s ok for you to say you’ll accept the personal consequences of getting sick and perhaps dying, but you can’t accept the consequences for my death or that of a health care worker or your young child. Your personal freedom to hit me in the face stops at the tip of my nose.

The folks who claim personal freedom to do what they want seem to forget the many ways they already are “made” to do things. Getting a driver’s license, graduating from school, military service, meeting expectations for employment, paying bills, to name only a few. True, you don’t have to do any of those things, but if you want electricity, someone will “make” you pay for it. And if you want freedom to travel to certain countries, you have to get shots, vaccinations. Sure, you can refuse and accept the consequences, but please don’t take me with you down your rabbit hole.