Today, all over America, fans will pour into stadiums to watch their favorite college teams.
In many locales —urban and rural, in Red and Blue states— fans will submit to a “clear bag” rule, and possibly even a scan or search of their person, as they enter the stadium.
At no time today, anywhere across our football-loving country, will anyone claim that it’s “tyranny,” or that the government is trying to control them, or that “clear bags aren’t safe.”
No politician today will hold a presser, to announce new laws outlawing clear bags.
No one asked to use a clear bag today will respond by saying “clear bags are political.”
Because once upon a time in America, we understood that our “absolute liberty” is sometimes balanced with the needs of the greater community.
Once upon a time, we understood that there is a price to participating in public events where others are gathered.
Once upon a time —regardless of our political party or jersey color, and even as we grumbled about such policies— we willingly did them to keep ourselves and others safe.