By Laura Cortez-Estrada
Dear Mr. Ducey,
I had a lot of hope for you as the governor of Arizona. That hope and faith in you only increased when I read that you were protecting our second amendment rights by deeming gun and ammo shops as essential businesses and were going to keep them open during the statewide lockdown.
However that was all short lived when I found out that you will be extending the lockdown until May 15th.
I am disappointed in you, Governor Ducey, and the continuance of your stay at home order. You are jeopardizing the livelihoods of not just small business owners but the future of their children and grand children.
When the residents of Arizona voted for you, they voted for you because they thought you had their best interests at heart and that you would fulfill your duties as the governor by protecting the residents of Arizona from unjust rules and laws and ensure their constitutional rights were being upheld. When you were sworn in as the governor of Arizona, you took an oath to uphold the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
In this moment our constitutional rights are coming under attack, we are losing our livelihoods and jeopardizing the future of America, by jeopardizing the well-being and future of our children. You have chosen to run in fear of being ridiculed and attacked from the liberal left instead of looking at the data within your own state and deciding the American people and their way of life is more important than the fear of any virus is and can be. You are a weak man and a coward. How many people must go bankrupt and lose their businesses before you stand up for us? How many must die from suicide before you stand up for us? How many must fall victim to abuse before you stand up for us? How many must use their life’s savings before you stand up for us? How many must go on government assistance and unemployment before you stand up for us?
How many?
Throughout the state of Arizona and the nation, hospitals are laying off nurses and doctors because they are not experiencing the high volume of COVID-19 patients that were first projected, small businesses are not receiving the promised relief funds and are on the verge of losing all they have worked for, many families are using their life’s savings so they can just put food on the table after being laid off, many are struggling with the loss of a job and dealing with a new cancer diagnosis and have had to cut costs and try to live on one income, many small businesses will no longer be able to open their doors once the states have been fully reopened, and many are facing homelessness because they are not able to pay bills after losing their jobs. All around us the residents of Arizona are suffering, but it is not because of COVID-19, no they are suffering from something far worse. They are suffering because of the unrealistic fear of a virus that has only killed .00004% of the population in Arizona.
Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
We have reached a point in our society where citizens are willing to give up their essential liberties for a little temporary safety. They are also demanding that we all do the same. This a form of socialism at its finest and if we do not take a stand against the infringement of our essential liberties at this very moment, I fear all hope of winning future battles will be lost. If an army has been defeated, how often will it rise again? Will this not be the case if we give up our essential liberties in this moment? If we lay down our arms and give into to the fear of a virus that has killed no more citizens than a World War or a flu season has, then we are no better than an army who has surrendered.
Patrick Henry believed in the liberty of the people and believed in standing up for those liberties, his famous words were, “give me Liberty, or give me death”. He was also one our founding fathers and the one who lit the flame under the feet of the Virginians to take a stand against tyranny, during the stamp act.
George Washington after heavy defeats, was now facing the prospect of losing the war. 1400 hessian soldiers planned to attempt a final attack on Washington and the continental army that would surely have wiped out the Continental Army and ended the war of independence, with great Britain as the winners.
Washington after being forced across the Delaware, was faced with a difficult decision. Make a surprise attack on Trenton and take back the city after defeating the Hessians, surrender, or wait for the Hessians to come to him. Most of his soldiers were weak and ill, they were starving from a lack of food, they had inadequate clothing for the harsh winter, and they were running low on ammunition.
Washington could have accepted defeat in that moment. He could have laid down his arms and surrendered to the British. But, instead he chose to move 2400 soldiers across the Delaware and then march 19 miles to the town of Trenton in a surprise attack on the Hessians. Losing was not an option. His plan worked and he was able to capture the town of Trenton without having a single casualty or wounded soldier. 10 days later he lured British soldiers into Princeton, in a key battle that he also won. Had he lost these battles we would not be the United States today. That is why we need to fight now and we need to fight hard to uphold the freedom and liberties our founding fathers so believed in and were so willing to fight for, even if it meant certain defeat.
We are facing a battle of similar importance in our country now. We need to make the choice to surrender or to continue our fight for liberty.
What will it be Mr. Ducey? Will you accompany us in this battle? Will you stand up for us as you have sworn to do when you accepted the office of governor? or will accept defeat and relinquish your rights to the Liberal left. The liberal left who do not believe in our God given rights to freedom, who believe in strong government control, who want to see the United States Citizens dependent on the government for safety and security. This is the Tyranny we need to fight before it is too late. Now is the time to fight not only for the United States citizens but also for the freedoms our founding fathers believed in and that so many have died defending.
Now is the time Mr. Ducey. Do not let us down. Fight for us and we will fight for you.