With your rights come social responsibilities

On the news we've seen coverage of the mass wedding in Brooklyn with thousands in attendance, ignoring limits on the size of gatherings. In addition, we see people refusing to wear a face mask and/or keep distance in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. And we see people ignoring sensible medical and scientific advice, claiming "I have my rights" or "Nobody can force me to do anything."

We live in a society where we do have individual rights, no debate there, but we also live in a society where with those rights come responsibilities. As a functioning member of society, it's a give and take; our rights do not take precedence over the rights of others, nor do our rights allow us to ignore the needs of society as a whole.

If we claim to be patriotic, we should be supportive of what is best for the entire nation, not just us. That kind of patriotism seems to be in short supply. Can you imagine the generation that fought and

won World War II claiming, "Nobody can make me do anything"?

So, to those who insist that their rights allow them to ignore the health needs of the nation, I suggest this solution: They can go ahead and not wear a mask or attend large gatherings unprotected. Fine. In exchange, we'll keep a list of those insisting on exercising such "rights." If one of those people get sick as a result, society can claim the right not to provide them with any health care supported by public funds. They have elected to opt out of societal norms, so there is no obligation for society to care for them.

Oh, and good luck finding health care that doesn't have a public funding component. Joseph Lalumia Hudson