Balancing Act

Jana Mathia, Gazette Editor | Apr 09, 20200

Moderation in all things is a pretty good code to live by–even in politics. Or maybe it should be especially in politics. Citizens should constantly be checking themselves and their elected officials, regularly questioning actions and asking, "Is this going too far?"

Some cases are blatantly obvious. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban received authority to rule by decree indefinitely and without any parliamentary oversight to handle the COVID-19 crisis last week. It may be the strong-willed country girl talking here, but that doesn't seem to be a reasonable response. Seems to be taking it a bit too far.

On the other hand, officials and prominent citizens in Idaho are calling for pushback to the stay at home order, encouraging gatherings, continued business and overall disregard for social-distancing edicts, citing them as contrary to their Constitutional rights. Some are even suggesting they prepare for a fight to protect their rights. Again, seems to be taking it a bit too far.

If nothing else, these examples can prompt individuals to question how they and their leaders are responding to the crisis response. Are we giving leaders too much power to dictate where we go and who can work? Are we not giving them enough power by disregarding their requests and orders? There is nothing wrong with taking each edicts and asking, "is this too far?" and making rational decisions based on the evidence and reasoning.

While the shutdown orders have been understandable and sound so far, they do have to end at some point. School was cancelled for a few weeks; social-distancing was ordered for two weeks, now another month; now no one is going back to school for the rest of the semester.

Many things have been postponed, canceled, changed. Births, weddings and funerals and everything in between, all altered from what we have known. Good citizens are still nodding – it's not too far; given the environment, most measures are not unreasonable.

But it has to end at some point.

We can't let complacency or exhaustion keep us from being aware and engaged. Keep asking "is this too far?" Hopefully our elected officials will never take things too far nor become "power Hungary."

Jana Mathia,

Gazette Editor