Commentary: Oklahoma Diners Give CNN Reporter a Crash Course on Freedom

“My body, my choice.”

The slogan has been used a million times in a million ways, most notably as justification for abortion.

But applying the idea behind this slogan to the highly controversial COVID-19 vaccines proved to be a source of upset when CNN visited Boise City, Oklahoma, this month.

“Does anybody in this restaurant think it’s a good idea to take the vaccine?” reporter Gary Tuchman asked. “Raise your hand if you think it’s a good idea.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi38rObhm3E

All residents inside the rural diner sat in awkward silence, keeping their arms lowered at their sides.

This populace’s hesitancy to get the COVID-19 vaccine became apparent in an instant.

“Not one person here thinks it’s a good idea?” Tuchman asked in disbelief. “Complete quiet.”

The awkwardness quickly intensified when the reporter interviewed smaller groups, couples and individuals to clarify their decisions.

To his surprise, these diners weren’t afraid to speak their minds, and there’s nothing this CNN reporter could say to change these citizens’ minds.

“I don’t trust the government and I don’t trust Biden,” one resident said.

“They just started rolling them out,” another said.

No matter where Tuchman took his story, he failed to find enthusiasm for the COVID-19 vaccines.

The video depicts only one resident who acknowledged getting the shot.

When Tuchman asked this resident to give the reason behind his decision, he succinctly said, “My wife.”

The situation proves two things CNN refuses to acknowledge: Free and independent thinkers exist, and they have a right to voice their opinions, no matter how controversial.

Whether we agree with the conclusions these diners draw in the video, we must understand this is the type of speech and expression the First Amendment intends to protect.

These citizens won’t be changing their routine because of what CNN thinks, especially in lieu of inconsistencies in coronavirus reporting.

People question how protective the vaccine can be if, even after the second dose, they are asked to continue mask-wearing and social distancing.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul took on Dr. Anthony Fauci in a recent Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the federal coronavirus response, asking many of these questions.

“You’re telling everybody to wear a mask, whether they’ve had an infection or a vaccine.

“What I’m saying is they have immunity, and everybody agrees they have immunity,” Paul said, according to CNBC.

“What studies do you have that people that have had the vaccine or have had the infection are spreading the infection? If we’re not spreading the infection, isn’t it just theater? If you’ve had a vaccine and you’re wearing two masks, isn’t that theater?”

Fauci responded to Paul’s questions, citing COVID-19 variants and “in-vitro examination of memory immunity” as reasons to continue with virus protocol, according to The Washington Post.

Is the COVID-19 issue politically motivated? By evidence of the discourse surrounding its presence, it appears so.

And if the virus is politically motivated, as many of us suspect, it might not be going away anytime soon.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.