For the past two years, we New Yorkers have suffered under some of the most repressive and draconian COVID mandates of any state in the USA.  Thankfully, that's finally about to change.

Our benighted leaders, including Cuomo and de Blasio, who ruled us during these dark times, were the worst our citizens have ever had to endure.  In my community outside New York City, like our fellow blue state sufferers across America, we have been locked out of our schools, gyms, churches, businesses, and entertainment venues.  Our children have been forced to endure Zoom classes, masking, social distancing, and other psychological torture that may affect them forever.  Even today, our feckless legislators in Albany have their own agenda, one that bears little resemblance to the wants and needs of their constituents.

All that being said, freedom and liberty have just made a comeback in the Empire State because Governor Hochul has finally announced that the hated mask mandate is now being lifted in our schools.

Make no mistake: this is a huge victory for the many resistance groups that have worked tirelessly to defend our most fundamental civil rights.  I am talking about Moms for Liberty, Unmask NY, NY State United, and a host of others whose efforts have been outstanding.

Image: Throwing away a mask by Marco Verch.  CC BY 2.0.

While most of the residents of ultra-liberal, communist New York City and vicinity meekly submitted to this tyranny, those of us in the rest of the state vowed to rebel and started to organize in our towns and villages.  We refused to wear the slave masks, we attended school board meetings, we demonstrated, we filed lawsuits, and we resisted in every way that we could, and did so on a daily basis.  We are also hoping to be able to remove our un-elected governor Hochul come this November with our grassroots activism.

This is no small thing in a state that is controlled by a Democrat supermajority and the almighty teachers' union, two groups that united to impose their will on the citizens.  Even as this fake mandate (it was never a law) is being lifted, the politicians are still working nonstop to hold on to their power.  It remains to be seen what their next moves will be.  Regardless of what they come up with, we are prepared to continue our fight wherever it takes us.

This is a proud day for New York and for liberty-loving citizens throughout the country.  If we were able to take back our freedom in this deep blue Democrat enclave, it goes to show that it can be done anywhere.  Never give up, and remember the words of Thomas Paine: "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

Irene Heron is a pseudonym.