[0xcde4c3db]

> The COVID vaccine was an example of very heavy-handed enforcement

Do you have some concrete examples of this? I recall a lot of hyperventilating about the possibility of "vaccine passports" (complete with "mark of the beast" references), and a handful of instances where people got angry about COVID vaccination being folded into (decades-old) policies covering mandatory vaccinations for school/work, but not much beyond that. I carried a mask in case places had mask policies, but it never even occurred to me that I might need to prove that I was vaccinated.

[Nevermark]

Hawaii required vaccinations to visit from the mainland.

At one point, Hawaii State had one set of rules, and the Big Island another, which was ridiculous. But worse, when preparing for the former according to all the official instructions and forms there was no mention of the latter.

A multi-island visit of myself and two loved ones turned into quite a disaster as a result of the confusing redundant duplicative restrictions. Despite great pre-trip efforts to have all documentation (vaccines taken, State acknowledgment forms completed and returned as accepted, etc.)

We were not informed of the Big Islands special requirements until we arrived on the Big Island. If we left the airport for any reason we would immediately have gone into a two week quarantine - despite having all our vaccines.

It required a lot of pushing and pressing to let us get our luggage and buy and take last minute flights to Oahu (also gettting last minute accommodations) without being forced to leave the airport and go straight into quarantine. Because our luggage, as is usual when you arrive at what you believe to be your destination, was now outside departure security.

I was angry beyond all reason by the time we got out of there alive. Complete incompetent mess.

[malcolmgreaves]

You’re complaining that you wanted to go to someone else’s home for your own personal enjoyment during a deadly pandemic and they made you take precautions so you didn’t end up killing or severely harming people?

Why do you value your fun time over people’s safety?

[ghaff]

I certainly attended IT industry events that required showing your vaccination card. To say nothing of my company requiring proof at one point. So, yes, there were times you needed to prove you were vaccinated.

ADDED: Add to this the fact that at least at one point, vaccines were seen as much more of a magical talisman to prevent population spread than they turned out to really be in spite of having at least a degree of effectiveness in mitigating individual severity.

[lesuorac]

> industry events ... my company

Neither of them are the government.

Private individuals made private decisions about who they may associate with. If anything people should be protesting the existence of the first amendment.

[chrisdhal]

The state of Minnesota, under Tim Walz, had all sorts of heavy handed, government mandated rules about things. According to the decree, people couldn't visit relatives, couldn't go to funerals, in reality, could not go out at all. It was ridiculous and over zealous.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/25/minnesotas-covid19-...

[gregwebs]

8,000 Troops got kicked out of the military for not getting the vaccine and are going to be invited back now. https://www.army.mil/article/283143/dod_prepares_invitation_...

[malcolmgreaves]

If you actually knew about the military, you’d understand that they make you get vaccinated for everything. Combat readiness of the forces is paramount. It probably seems foreign to you, but the military is an organization that eschews selfish individualism for the good of the collective and their mission.

[drivingmenuts]

This administration just pardoned a whole pile of traitors and war criminals. 8000 anti-vaxxers is small potatoes.

[osigurdson]

>> hyperventilating about the possibility of "vaccine passports"

There is a very bright line between people who think such measures are fine and those that do not.

[ghaff]

It's not that bright. I'd want to know the specifics/relative risks/effectiveness/etc. to know how I felt.

[notahacker]

Much of the US right was also making loud noises about non-vaccine miracle cures and expressing scepticism about the vaccine before it was even approved...

And yeah, the irony is that throwing money at vaccine rollouts was one of the few good things the last Trump administration did, but trying to talk about it was about the only thing that could get him booed by his own fanbase

[zmgsabst]

States, eg WA, had policies that prevented activities unless you were vaccinated.

[tzs]

As someone else said, generally the requirements in Washington that state government imposed on non-government entities was masking. Vaccination was encouraged but not required. It was required for various government employees.

Washington ended up being one of the 10 states with the least COVID deaths per capita.

[UncleMeat]

They consistently had "or wear a mask" options.