I don’t follow the organization known as “The Public Archive” which describes itself on social media as “black history in white times.” But something they posted recently made waves to the tune of thousands of impressions and responses from an ever-growing sector of our country’s population. And I admit that I’m confused.

Here’s what they posted:

Only in the US does "liberate" mean "go back to work." — The Public Archive (@public_archive) April 17, 2020

Wait, so work is now bad? Work is bondage? The right to earn a living is no longer of value? What precisely is the alternative? Socialism is, by definition, bondage to the government – is that preferable? It is an odd state of affairs when the opportunity to earn your keep is regarded as slavery and being a ward of the state is regarded as freedom. But that’s the lie socialists (like the Public Archive, apparently) have always pushed.

On the one hand I understand that it is usually in times of economic crisis that socialism, collectivism, communism – all statist religions and philosophies – flourish. The idea of a central “fairness” agency controlling the means of production and distribution doesn’t sound too good to people who are making a living for themselves, after all. It’s in times of want that the siren song of central planning lands softly upon the ears of those willing to exchange their liberty for what they think will be security – economic or otherwise.

So it would seem as though it makes total sense for the socialists to be making their move right about now given the uncertainty in our economy, and the loss of so many people’s livelihoods amidst the coronavirus pandemic. But here’s why I’m confused – the very same people who should be making the argument for more government are also the ones acknowledging how incompetent, inept, mistaken, and unreliable government has been and continues to be.

The CDC had one job once COVID-19 was identified as a serious threat. And they failed it, despite the millions of dollars given to it. Seems like an odd time to start arguing that we’d all be better off if those people had more control of our lives.

Further, consider what we are seeing right now across the country resembles the very features seen regularly in socialist countries:

It’s not about people wanting to go to Fuddruckers https://t.co/7O9wf0ccTx — Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) April 19, 2020

Remember how defenders of capitalism tried to scare people of socialism with the scenario of mass unemployment & bread lines.



Today massive food bank lines are seen all over the United States & almost 22 million filed for unemployment, only 1 month into the economic downturn.⁠ pic.twitter.com/bkscSmHGKC — redfish (@redfishstream) April 16, 2020

Now, notice that last example from the apparent socialist “redfish.” First, this isn’t the argument they think it is. Pointing out that the emergency circumstance of a global crisis produces the same travesty in a capitalist country that is the normal state of affairs in a socialist country isn’t exactly a winning point.

But digging deeper, consider that we are in the midst of a global pandemic in which the government has seized excessive powers and strangled the economy to prevent sickness. It has resulted, predictably, in these masses of unemployed people looking for food.

Is that not *precisely* what is being said by those who want to “liberate” from the government stranglehold on productivity to allow folks to start making a living again? Yet the socialists oppose that with snarky remarks about how it’s actually bondage to the slave-wages from billionaires.

Apparently they want you to believe making our current situation of government dependency the new normal would be a better idea. Only a fool could fall for it.