For years, the free world has looked at Australia as a Western, first-world developed country despite its geographic location. That, due to the fact that Australia, just like every other country in the Western hemisphere, was built on solely one principle foundation: freedom. Since the pandemic started, Australia shocked the world with its “zero cases” COVID-19 strategy. However, as time passed, the Australian government understood that the strategy had completely failed, deemed “not a sustainable way to live in this country” by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Even after this declaration, there is footage of Australia’s insane COVID-19 charges and arrests, scenes that remind us of the Soviet crackdown on Czechoslovakian protests in 1968. As if this was not enough, Deputy Premier of New South Wales John Barilaro shocked the free world when he said: “The 70 percent road map does apply to the whole state so there will be individuals in regional and rural New South Wales who choose not to be vaccinated who will lose their freedoms on 11 October”. The 70 percent road map was defined as the vaccination rate in which the Australian government would allow the reopening of the country.
Moreover, it seems like Australia is “well utilizing” its military resources, as the Daily Wire reports, with the Australian Defense Force being used to crack down on peaceful protesters who demand freedom. An American taxpayer would, in fact, demand that the $1.71 billion in annual sales to the Australian army, as reported by the Department of State, would be used to assist the U.S. marines and allies in combating a greater threat in the region: The Chinese Communist Party and its takeover of islands and territories. But, in fact, that is not happening. The Australian government continues cracking down on peaceful protests and arresting citizens for smoking a cigarette, going to the gym, or even having lunch with their loved ones. Shocking footage of a man being arrested, allegedly for smoking a cigarette outside his house without his mask, an allegation which was denied by the official police report according to which, the man was arrested for allegedly escaping from one of the officers during the arrest, show the draconian nature of such crackdowns.
Many law-abiding, citizens in Australia would have liked to see the same approach against illegal immigration and the unprecedented youth crime wave over the last year. However, that did not happen. What indeed happened was the crackdown on freedoms and anti-COVID protests as well the establishment of a mask-o-tyranny in a country that is considered a democracy. For years, the U.S. has been engaged in cracking down on regimes that oppress their people and deny them their basic freedoms, and I believe that we should do the same this time. West or East, when basic values of human decency are violated, sanctions or other options should be on the table. As former President Reagan once said: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
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