Mask Mandate the “Greatest Moral Test of a Generation”? Happy 4th of July.

“Not only did Central District Health fail the greatest moral test of a generation [when they established the mask mandate in response to the pandemic] they also failed the scientific test, as none of the doomsday predictions ever came true,” Davidson said in a written statement. “It’s political: Ada GOP commissioners drop doctor from health board”, Idaho Statesman, July 1, 2021

Greatest moral test of a generation? Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson wouldn’t know a moral test if it bit him on his arse. I’ve let a lot of things go since he demonstrated his morals as the President of the Ada County Republicans. This one I will not. Not on this 4th of July.

I’ve been a Republican since I was 18, an affiliation that grows more difficult to claim each time one of these jokers is quoted in the paper.

The 4th of July reminds us what it is to be an American, to contend for the entire nation, for something much larger than ourselves and our personal prosperity. Out of all the serious issues out there, this is what he believes this generation should contend for before all else? I’m mortified.

Right and wrong decisions are guided by a person’s morals which are based on their values. Mr. Davidson’s highest value then is being his own authority, something that flows from his Libertarian background and something he’s been working hard to demonstrate since long before he was elected.

To call something “the greatest moral test of a generation” is telling of his values. And unfortunately, he’s not alone.

But what if the Greatest Generation, those who were shaped by the Depression and fought in World War II, had agreed with Davidson? That their own freedoms were of greater import than those who were losing theirs to Hitler? They’re called the Greatest Generation because they passed their moral test. What will they call this generation?

Government tells us what to do all the time. That doesn’t make it right or wrong, but fighting over whether or not we can be compelled to wear masks is the wrong hill to die on.

With freedom comes responsibility to our Maker, our country, and others. This value is at the core of who we are, who we have fought and died to be throughout our history.

Dr. Epperly didn’t lose his seat on Central District Health because he was on the wrong side of science so much as he was on the wrong side of math – two votes on the Board of County Commissioners. The Statesman quoted Davidson:

“We were a little too cavalier with this pandemic restricting freedoms,” Davidson added in an interview. “It’s really just the government-imposed mandates that I took issue with. That has now shown to be largely irrelevant during this pandemic. Dr. Epperly was the main voice on the committee, and now that his term is over, we decided not to reappoint.”

Dr. Epperly’s chief sin was that he was an authority standing in Ada GOP commissioners’ way. In Ryan Davidson’s way.

Greater tests than Davidson’s await our generation. What will we do? What will we do?