Liberals Display Their Ignorance While Texas Displays its Sphere
Texas Governor Greg Abbot has finally rescinded his despotic executive orders which kept Texas's businesses either closed or at reduced capacity. On March 10, Texan businesses will finally have the freedom to fully reopen. While this action is better late than never, significant irreparable damage has already been done to the Texan populace. Far too many small businesses have already been destroyed, taking with them the livelihoods and dreams of the business owners. In the midst of the unquestionably authoritarian COVID-19 lockdowns, Texas also saw a pandemic of suicides. It is still too early to understand the full human cost of Governor Abbot's lockdowns, but news reports from throughout 2020 paint a depressing picture. Hundreds upon hundreds of Texans attempted to kill themselves as a direct consequence of Governor Abbot's orders - he must never be allowed to forget that.
The same executive order which allows businesses to reopen also eliminates the statewide mask mandate. On March 10, Texans will no longer be required by the Governor to wear masks in public spaces or in businesses which do not have mask requirement policies. Other state governors, blue checkmarks on Twitter, and mainstream media personalities are livid that the Texans people will be free to choose the best way to protect themselves. In an all-to-common display of unity with the authoritarians, President Biden decried the decision to allow freedom as "neanderthal thinking."
It remains unclear if neanderthal thinking ranks higher or lower than malarkey on the "Biden Scale."
Since the mask mandate was withdrawn, conservative message boards have been flooded with social media screen captures comprised of upset liberals and their ignorance in full bloom. It should be obvious, although Texans are no longer required to wear masks, they remain free to do so at their discretion. Even Governor Abbot suggests Texans continue wearing masks well into the future. If a retailer or other business feel the best way to protect their employees is requiring customers to wear masks, that is their choice. This is freedom. Many retailers such as Target, CVS, and HEB are acting upon that freedom and have implemented policies which require employees and customers to wear masks in their stores. If a different business (such as a restaurant) decides masks are not beneficial, they should be free to serve customers without a face covering. This is also freedom, and is just as worthy of our protection.
If an individual is worried about the safety of an establishment, that individual is free to patronize another. The individual may also choose to wear a mask when none is required. It is a remarkable display of ignorance for the twitterati to not understand this simple concept.
The least surprising, but nevertheless most amiable, reaction to Texas's reopening has come from Mississippi. Following Texas's lead, Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi fully reopened his state - effective immediately. This is a real display of Texas's influence over her neighbors and other regional states. Mississippi is dwarfed by Texas, both economically and by population, and has little other choice than to follow Texas's lead and reopen. If a newly opened Texas cannot source product or material from a closed Mississippi, that work will go elsewhere and Mississippians will lose income.
For anyone questioning whether Texas will secede on its own, here is your answer. Texas dominates its region. Southern and Plains States will not be able to survive in the Union without Texas. Any Southern or Plains State which remains in the union would be economically and politically squeezed by vindictive Coastal States. Jobs would be lost, taxes would be high, and all federal representation would be eliminated. The people of these states would effectively become slaves of the authoritarian elites. This would be the price of rebellion. (Of course, this neglects the fact a State remaining loyal to the Union cannot also be in rebellion, but facts haven't stopped the authoritarians from spreading the current-day sedition hoax.)
Truth be told since regional economies are so intertwined, Texas would face economic difficulties as a union unto itself. Even if that wasn't the case, there is no doubt Texans would appreciate their friends joining them in the new union, too.