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My Point of View by Robert Hoffman

We just honored Juneteenth together on Monday, officially the first year in Minnesota, and it has been a federal holiday since 2021 though it is as important now as it was in 1889. The Republican Party stands as a symbol of American values, liberty and unwavering support for everyone. These principles are the bedrock of our rural communities and resonate with many Americans who fought and laid down their lives to protect them. However, it is disheartening to witness the opposition’s failure to acknowledge the significance of these ideals.

In recent times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed an erosion of individual liberties under the guise of common good and temporary safety.

We have increasingly been demanded the surrender of our freedoms, resulting in disastrous consequences for our society.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Let us reflect on the COVID-19 vaccines and the response from our state and federal elected officials. The weaponization of OSHA against industries and the attempt to impose sweeping vaccine mandates were alarming actions taken by the weak and out of touch Biden administration. The propagated narrative that acceptance of the vaccine was the only way to receive medical care, work, or participate in society. Dissenting opinions were dismissed as “misinformation,” while phrases like “follow the science” and “you’re on the wrong side of history” were repeated incessantly. Repeating something over and over does not make it so.

Recent studies have brought to light important considerations:

• The immunity provided by vaccination and natural infection is comparable.

• Both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals shed the virus, but the misconception of heightened immunity among the vaccinated may have contributed to increased transmission rates.

• COVID-related deaths have occurred among both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, with no statistically significant difference in outcomes.

• Vaccinating children without proper research or informed parental consent raises ethical concerns.

• Adverse effects of the vaccine, such as myocarditis, have been observed among young and otherwise healthy individuals, a population with low COVID complication rates.

Can we expect the political party that vigorously advocated for vaccines, media outlets that silenced alternative viewpoints and organizations that terminated employees for their vaccination choices to engage in honest dialogue now that the tide of scientific evidence is leaning toward conservative perspectives of individual choice and informed decision-making? Many of our elderly population spent their last days alone and afraid, with family being forced to make do with visits from outside their window. Neighbors were compelled to call the cops on kids breaking the lockdown and daring to play basketball.

The revelations surrounding government control over social media platforms, as exemplified by Elon Musk’s disclosure of “The Twitter Files,” demonstrate the extent to which federal bureaucrats influenced and manipulated information dissemination.

The handling of the Mexican border has been marked by a complete reversal of previous policies, leading to a national emergency and exposing the sheer incompetence of Vice President Harris and Washington bureaucrats. Border towns have become lawless and dangerous, posing significant challenges for our dedicated Border Patrol agents and now National Guard deployments.

The lockdowns implemented by governors inflicted severe damage on our local and global economies. The ripple effects are still being felt today, with soaring global poverty and food insecurity surpassing the deaths attributed to COVID-19. The lockdowns devastated businesses, disrupted supply chains, hindered educational progress for an entire generation of students, and set the stage for an inflationary crisis exacerbated by this inept administration. Treasury Chair Janet Yellen’s evasiveness and public deception regarding inflation are scandalous.

Moreover, the dismissal of the lab-leak theory in relation to the origins of COVID-19, only to backtrack as evidence mounts, further raises questions about their credibility and ability to provide sound judgment.

Our world security is worse than anytime in my lifetime, coming from the most secure just four years ago. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea all think our administration is a joke, more worried about hurting someone’s feelings than military strategy and power.

It is imperative to question whether the elected officials in the White House and in St Paul have been right about anything over the past few years now.

As members of the Freeborn County GOP, we stand united in our commitment to preserving individual liberties, advocating for transparency and demanding responsible governance, by and for everyone. It is through the unwavering defense of these principles that we can attract like-minded individuals, regardless of their political affiliation and together build stronger communities rooted in prosperity and progress.

Let us work hard together towards a brighter future for all Americans. We have a lot of work ahead and a mess to clean up. We’ll need to do this together. God bless everyone in our state and America!

Robert Hoffman is the chairman of the Freeborn County GOP Party.