An essay reflecting on the past two years, by Alyssa R. Mills.
“What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.”
These profound words of Marcus Cicero are undeniably true and – I would argue – even more relevant today than when he himself spoke them. Over the past two years, governments across the world have systematically lied to the people, warping facts to fit their narrative, and brainwashing until everyone was senseless to the truth. We, as a society, have been willingly misled and, in doing so, have lost not only our sanity but also our morality. Our freedom, one of the most basic and fundamental human rights, has been taken away in the name of science.
I have been fortunate enough to partially escape the clutches of this totalitarian authority as I, not only have a loving and protective family but also have the privilege of being home educated, alongside my sister. At twelve years old I was taken out of secondary school (having attended for only a few months), due to severe depression and a complete rejection of the whole institution. My family and I could never have anticipated what would happen in the next few years and feel strongly that it was through Divine intervention that I was removed long before the “pandemic” began.
Many school-going friends of mine have recounted what it was like for them during the lockdowns. At the beginning, each student was required to attend zoom meetings in order to continue with their work; these, however, quickly stopped and they were all left without any guidance or direction from an adult. Locked in their rooms, they all became trapped in a dungeon of virtual reality, with apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram becoming their sole provider of entertainment. Endless days of scrolling, filling their minds with sewage, becoming more and more detached from reality, escalated their feelings of loneliness and depression.
When the schools were reopened, the social distancing measures which had been put in place were – for many students – unbearable. Regular testing not only meant continuous periods of quarantine, but also caused a great deal of disruption to their lessons. Unable to socialise properly with their peers, everyone was subjected to an even harsher form of isolation; they were separated and alone, their faces constantly hidden behind a mask. Constant reprimands and reminders not to look at people, not to talk to them, not to walk the wrong way down a corridor. This, they were told, is the new normal.
The impact of the lockdowns on children’s mental health and education has been catastrophic. It is reported that eight out of ten children and adolescents felt an increase in negative feelings due to the pandemic, as well as anxiety, loneliness, and stress. One in six children were reporting significant health problems and, by the winter of 2020, one in four young people felt “unable to cope”, to say nothing of the reduced verbal, motor, and overall cognitive performance of younger children (detailed reports by Collateral Global and The Hart Group). According to the RCPCH (the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health), pre-pandemic, suicide was one of the leading causes of death in children and young people. Information about the exact number of suicides over the lockdowns is incredibly difficult to come by, but all indications show that the numbers have risen dramatically.
In my small circle alone, I know of several school children between the ages of fourteen and sixteen who have either self-harmed or attempted suicide. For many of them, school had already caused them mental distress, and this was only amplified by the multiple lockdowns and social distancing measures. One of them, having attempted suicide at thirteen, has just been released from a year-long stay in a mental hospital.
There is a pandemic, a pandemic of children being destroyed by schools, the media, and by our government. They feel that there is no escape: the education system has become so corrupt, so perverted, that it is no longer about the care and education of children or the cultivation of young minds. They are being taught by radical ideologues who are indoctrinating them with their warped views and beliefs.
In March 2020, my life changed, as it did for everyone. However, I was fortunate enough to be shielded from most of the horror that our government had unleashed on us. My father still went to work, we still saw our family, and – most importantly – my sister and I continued to receive an excellent education. We had two very successful years of learning; our day-to-day lessons continued, and we were encouraged to grow and develop as individuals; any skills and talents which we displayed were promoted (playing the piano, learning how to crochet and sew, and – above all – our love of reading). Our days were filled with happiness and enjoyment. Any scepticism about home education felt by family or friends underwent a change after seeing the positive effects of it. Many began to recognise how important it is for parents to take back control of their child’s mental, physical, and educational needs.
It is truly by the Grace of God that some of us have been able to maintain our sanity and keep our hope during these trying times. Many priests were more concerned about physical rather than spiritual health and, because of being denied Holy Mass for so long (we were repulsed by the “online masses”), I will always remember the first service that my family and I went to after the first lockdown. Standing there, listening to the priest give an exceptional sermon which was a beautiful mixture of resilience, fortitude, and faith, filled us with the courage that we needed; and looking around us and seeing so many like-minded people who were awake to the lies, ready to fight for truth and their freedom, was like a breath of fresh air.
I can clearly remember kneeling in one of the pews, all of my pent-up anger coming out in a flood of tears. My mother and grandmother, too, were overcome with emotion. It had meant even more to us as we had had to cross over counties to be able to attend this particular mass; the media was filled with stories of police intimidation, so we felt like fugitives committing a great crime by “crossing tiers”.
“Morality does not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right.” (Venerable Fulton J. Sheen)
It seems clear to me that we live in a society that has erased God, a society which seems to be devoid of all morality and goodness. We are being governed, across the globe, by corrupt and evil people. And yet, I truly believe that, with God, anything is possible. Although we have struggled, although we have been fighting against a force which seems greater than us, we must continue to fight. We must never stop fighting for what is right and just. For, with God, we will succeed.
Alyssa is co-writer of the blog Joy as it Flies: https://www.joyasitflies.co.uk/
