I’ll be 84 years old next month so I write this from experience, not from history books which at times are not accurate. My parent’s generation was known as the “Greatest Generation,” and they were. The present generation should be called the “Cowardly Generation,” and they are.

If you think I’m “all fired up,” I am. 

It’s unconscionable what we have allowed to happen to our nation in the past three months. This virus, which is very dangerous, is no worse than many other dangers we face daily. Also, it’s inconceivable that we have allowed political and bureaucratic intellectuals to bring America to its knees. They have destroyed the best economy the world has ever known. 

For sure, our enemies are watching and plotting the next attack. We must understand, that without a strong economy, we can easily be overtaken by any of several rogue nations.

Sweden only partly sheltered; their restaurants, hair salons, elementary and middle schools remained open. Even so, their virus percentages were lower than Spain, Italy or the U.K.

As deadly as the coronavirus is, it is minor compared to what the “Greatest Generation” and their children faced; the most significant being the Great Depression and World War II.

Before vaccines were created, they had a fear of smallpox, diphtheria, typhoid fever, whooping-cough, tuberculosis and many other diseases. Polio was a terrible disease that killed and/or crippled thousands, mostly children, and it came around every year. 

With a population less than half of today’s, these diseases killed many hundreds of thousands each year in the U.S.; yet, to my knowledge, they never shut down businesses or sheltered the population.

After the Depression many were poor, causing real hunger. I know, because as a kid, there were times that I did not have enough to eat. Even so, we were proud, happy and free. However, the only hunger this spoiled generation knows is they may not like what they have to eat.

Also, a world war was raging and everyone had someone in their family or knew someone fighting who was killed. To put it in perspective, how many of your family, friends or acquaintances have died from COVID-19?

Through all this, they were happy and free, but this sheltered generation is neither happy nor free. The suicide rate is up, so is spousal abuse and child abuse and molestation. Cancers and many other diseases are going undiagnosed and untreated because people are afraid to go to hospitals or to their doctors. Depression and stress are up because people are scared, having lost their jobs, homes and businesses.

Without gyms, many are not exercising properly and scientists say we need environmental and human contact to keep our immunity strong.

Sheltering has and will cause more misery by far than the coronavirus. Almost everyone seems to have fear that is unrealistic. Money and politics have caused statistics to be distorted and unreliable. We can thank the media for fanning that flame. That’s because they have an agenda. It’s called sensationalism and the 2020 election.

What would the “Greatest Generation” think if they could see this cowardly generation hunkered down in fear, afraid to leave their shelters even after the ban was lifted? I’m sure they would be astonished and wonder what happened to the proud American spirit that we carried from the founding of our nation until recently.

This generation needs to wake up to the fact that danger is a part of living. We should not foolishly place ourselves in harm’s way, neither should we allow others to take our freedom. That’s because life without freedom is meaningless. Shame on the authorities over us, and shame on us for allowing it.

The Marine Corps taught me if an illegal order is given, it should not be followed. Such an order was given in the Vietnam war when Lt. William Calley ordered his men to shoot unarmed civilians, including women, children, and infants. The same principle applies when orders are given to policemen, sheriff’s deputies, etc. If an order violates a right under the U.S. Constitution, the policeman or deputy having sworn to uphold the constitution, should stand down and not follow that order.

This nation needs a rebirth of the spirit of freedom that our founding fathers had. We need to provide for our own safety and not allow politicians or bureaucrats to mandate what is best for us. Most assuredly, we must stand up to any policeman, sheriff deputy, mayor, governor or president that attempts to violate our constitutional right to freely assemble, freely worship or our right to the pursuit of happiness as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

Hoot Gibson, author of “Hoot’s Wisdom Nuggets You Cut I Choose” and “Hoot’s Wisdom Nuggets to Help You Become a Super Salesman,” lives in Valdosta. Email: 36hoot@gmail.com