This was in the 31 March Washington Times. On that day, this virus killed 912 Americans.

I sympathize with those who have gotten sick from the coronavirus or even the normal flu that happens every year. That said, some of the precautions being mandated are tantamount to yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater — when there is no fire.

I believe two things have been exposed by the pandemonium caused by the coronavirus. The situation reminds me of all the warnings put out for a hurricane that either doesn’t hit or is not as damaging as was forecast. This, and situations like it, lead people to not take future warnings seriously. Second, everything that has been done, including shutdowns, cancellations and postponements, has shown what ringing a media-driven, government-supported alarm can lead the masses to do. To me, this is scarier than the virus. Just think what a media/government collusion could lead to. What could government use as a reason to curtail or disrupt all of society?

Those who say the government would never be able to suspend the U.S. Constitution or our freedoms are wrong. This is exactly what has been happening. Just ask those confined to cruise ships and quarantine facilities in the name of prevention, or those whose vacations were ended or cancelled. Wake up; we are only one alarm from a complete change of society.

DAVE DAHLKE

Port Orchard, Wash.