It seems, that COVID-19 is contagious – even highly contagious. But the rate of spread and contagion of the novel coronavirus pales in comparison to the rate of spread of panic and madness triggered by this pandemic.

Madness? First, the truth is NOT given by government agencies and the mainstream media – the establishment. Not just that, but the truth is being actively suppressed. Lies about prevention and treatment, spread by government, media, and business since March, are being promoted anew. Every effort is made to terrorize people into cowering in their homes, dependent on the “charity” and “kindness” of government for everything. Any and all news about the spread, research, actual illness rates (versus test results) and severity of illness is exaggerated. The establishment not only poohpoohs actual truth and attacks those who try to provide it, but works actively to prevent the truth from even being distributed. And to demonize those telling the truth.

It is, indeed, madness. But such actions are hardly new in world history. Perhaps this time, the efforts are stronger, more coordinated, and widespread. But the people of the world, and especially of the Fifty States, have suffered this sort of insanity for decades. Even for centuries.

Many lovers of liberty, like me and my family, have dealt with this problem for years. Much of what we know, believe, teach, and strongly support is condemned as wrong, idiotic, stupid, and worse. At least that is what government claims – together with the “establishment.” Facts? What are those? Whatever benefits the powers that be. The media and institutions are partners with government (at all levels) to promote this view. Anything which does not match their worldview is suppressed. Denigrated. Dismissed. Even when much of what government and its partners (minions) are currently promoting is, honestly, madness.

Certainly in the eyes of those who believe in, love, and try to practice liberty: live and let live, including living in accordance with Christ’s Golden Rule and the Zero Aggression Principle.

We’ve seen this before: certainly it was the case in Revolutionary France of the 1790s. And in these States leading up to the cataclysm of the War Between the States. But it really got going in the Progressive Era of the beginning of the 20th Century.

Past: many things: the dedication of the revolutionary leaders in France. The pure motives of the Republican Party in the Northern States, and the evil motives of everyone in the Southern States. The crusade against slavery, and then the crusade against Spanish imperialism: all propaganda and agitation.

But in the 20th Century it got worse and wasn’t just about politics and war. Versions of this same madness were cultivated and used against new “enemies” and in support of new “progressive” ideas. The evils of laissez faire capitalism – whether steelmakers or railroads or packing plants: evils created by government and then blamed on governments’ partners. Demon alcohol: the push for Prohibition. The advocacy of “federal” supremacy, with such things as Prohibition, women’s suffrage, and “democratic” election of Senators.

But again, not just warmongering or political rabblerousing were and are manifestations of this madness and its promotion as normal and necessary. The past: evolution and its related concepts including social Darwinism. Recently: manmade climate change. Today: Wuhan flu and how to combat pandemics. (All of which do have political dimensions, I believe.)

I realize that this article now steps on the toes of many libertarians and lovers of liberty. Although more and more libertarians are believers in God and the Bible, many are not. Although many libertarians understand what science is (and what it is not), there are some who are irrational. And perhaps most important, even though most libertarians do NOT believe what is spouted by the mainstream media and the governments of the world, there is still a nagging (almost instinctive) urge to believe what is said about matters of science and popular myths.

That way lies madness. More madness. Both government and media promote ideas, not because they are true or accurate, but because of highly-unenlightened self-interest. Interest in more power, more influence, more money. To sell themselves, their products, and their services. To suck people into their schemes.

What sort of fake science and popular myths am I writing about? These are just the major ones – the ones I want to rant about. I could add a dozen more, including much of what is taught in civics classes. And in courtrooms.

Just a few of these things, to which we must compare what the governments and the mainstream media are spouting today:

• No, juries are NOT merely to judge the facts of the case, but the law as well.
• No, the normal, average people of Germany, Russia, Japan – or Iraq, Iran, or Syria – are NOT monsters which must be killed in large numbers to “defend” ourselves.
• No, climate change is NOT proven to be a result of human actions.
• No, carbon dioxide is NOT a pollutant, whether produced by man or other natural causes.
• No, there is no proof that one species can mutate into another species.
• No, there is no proof that the universe (and this planet) are billions of years old.
• No, it is NOT the responsibility of government to educate people.
• No, slavery was not a creation of European (“white”) society and was not practiced solely by white people.
• No, COVID-19 is NOT an incredibly deadly threat to human survival.
• No, China is NOT capable of destroying our freedom, society, and economy – or dominate the world.

But these things have been and are promoted to justify the actions – the atrocities – of government. Past and future murderous and tyrannical actions of governments. Around the world.

What is the solution? Put simply, truth and action: tell the truth, teach the facts, and act to weaken the hold of government, mainstream media, and big crony-capitalist business. How?

Ah, that is the challenge. More later.