Think again if you thought arguments over the city’s private sector (and municipal employee) mandates were over.
Kyrie Irving addressed the regulations that had kept him from playing at home until Sunday night in his post-game remarks, stating he felt all vaccination mandates should be repealed and that his struggle for “freedom” should be everyone’s fight.
He employed rhetoric similar to that of the anti-vaccine movement, which frequently emphasizes its reluctance to get vaccinated in the phrases “freedom” and “liberty.”
Irving delivered an inspirational justification of his decision to continue his objection to getting vaccinated with Covid against his will during a news conference.
“The objective of this season was never merely to take a stand,” he explained. “It was basically to make sure I’m standing firm on what I believe in — freedom.”
“Freedom,” he said again. “I don’t believe it’s a word that gets defined enough in our culture, about the freedom to make choices, whether that goes over into aspects of our society that politicians control, the government controls, or things that people empower the powers that be, right, that control.”
He declared, “I’m standing for liberty.” “So, that’s in every aspect of my life, and no one is holding me captive.” Nobody has ever told me what I should do with my life. And I’m okay with it.”
“And if my image is ruined and people attempt to smear my name regularly because, you know, they aren’t things I forget,” he continued. “You know, I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything anyone has said to me.” I don’t read everything, but I do read some things that I feel unfairly place my family’s name in a position.”
He went on to say, “I’ve been mistreated.” “You know, people have said prejudiced things; they’ve gone against what we’ve said.”
It isn’t easy to imagine a more unselfish and moral statement from Kyrie Irving. Unlike many of his detractors, Irving not only talked the talk but also did the walk. He risked his livelihood for what he believed in. He faced sanctions, ostracism, and potentially league repercussions for refusing to conform to the mob mentality that characterized much of America’s totalitarian and ineffective Covid reaction.
Speaking of which, New York Mayor Eric Adams proved his detractors correct on Saturday, claiming that the city’s Covid regulations were always about politics rather than health.
Faced with a full-court press, Adams reiterated on Friday that he was correcting a loophole from the previous administration, which barred hometown athletes from playing home games if they weren’t vaccinated — but permitted unvaccinated visiting players to play.
The Democratic Party, it turns out, is no longer the party of equality. Or, for that matter, liberty. Kyrie Irving’s brave fight has made that political reality visible to the rest of the world.
The issue here is one of fault allocation. Irving is not being held out of games as a political prisoner of vaccination mandates for Eric Adams to gain prominence. The assortment of private and public vaccine laws in New York City is somewhat perplexing, but blaming them for keeping Irving off the floor ignores the fundamental truth that Irving may be immunized at any time and make his championship-contending team whole again. Irving has no power over New York City law, but he has the potential to overcome himself and receive a shot.
Suppose you meet Irving on his terms, which assumes that he is an individualistic person expressing his right not to follow society’s laws. In that case, you can’t blame anybody else for this scenario. If you’re going to base your anti-vaccine attitude on personal liberty, you can’t blame the repercussions of your acts on society.
