Alexandra Hudson

Guest Columnist

Alexandra Hudson is an Indianapolis-based writer, a 2019 Novak Fellow, and a Young Voices Contributor.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state, and local governments have gone to great lengths to curb transmission of the virus and the costs associated with its spread.

Legislators have passed anti-price gouging laws and a $2 trillion stimulus bill. On March 30, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, following the steps of many other state leaders, issued a statewide “stay at home” order. Tennesseans, he’d noted, hadn’t been heeding his initial "safer at home" order issued earlier last week in the way they were meant to.

That’s a shame, because with sweeping government action in emergency comes the threat of a lot less liberty later — and for what? We’re looking too much to the government to save us, but it can’t. If anything will, it’ll be regard for our fellow man.

Calamities such as COVID-19 illustrate that the decisions everyday Americans make with the common good in mind are far more optimal in preventing the virus’ spread, as they keep our freedoms intact. Daily acts of self-restraint for the sake of others are the bedrock of any free and flourishing society, but during times of national crisis they’re crucial. In short, we need civility.

Civility Tennessee: A campaign to promote civil discourse and civic participation

After all, no government can monitor our every action. And even if it could, most Americans wouldn’t want to be subject to such intense governmental scrutiny. This is why self-regulation is so essential.

Do we want to follow China's lead in surveillance of citizens?

Consider the extreme measures that China has taken to prevent the spread of the virus. In January, the Chinese government halted all movement into and out of Wuhan, the virus’s source city.

All 60 million people living in the surrounding area were forced to stay in their homes, flights and trains were canceled, and roads were blocked. At the peak of the lockdown, 760 million people, or about half of China’s population, were under forced quarantine. Despite these measures, cases continued to rise in February.

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The government then implemented even more drastic policies. In early March, China required all citizens to use software on their smartphones that would determine whether they were permitted to ride subways and enter public places, or if they’d instead be quarantined.

Once users grant the software access, it continually sends the person’s location, name, and identification code to the police, setting the stage for unprecedented surveillance of ordinary citizens.

Yet even such extreme acts are insufficient to perfectly prevent transmission.

In our quest to completely eradicate the virus, we should be wary of following in the Chinese government’s footsteps.

Civil liberties are hard to regain when they are suspended

History shows us that civil liberties, once curbed in times of crisis, are difficult to regain.

Individual, voluntary self-sacrifice and consideration of others, buying only what we need, staying in our homes instead of potentially transmitting the virus, and proactively helping others in this time of need, is essential in avoiding that fate.

We’re used to thinking of civility as table manners and dress codes, but it’s so much more than that. True civility is self-restraint for the sake of the community, for citizens to act morally even when they don’t have to.

Fraught moments like this help us realize a truth that’s easy to forget in times of comfort— our actions invariably affect others. Even if we aren’t at high risk, we must stay home to reduce transmission of COVID-19 to those who are. After all, there’s so much at stake: our health and our freedom.

Alexandra Hudson is an Indianapolis-based writer, a 2019 Novak Fellow, and a Young Voices Contributor.