A convoy of pickup trucks proudly bearing flags and bumper stickers declaring “My Body, My Choice” rolled into downtown Springfield today as hundreds of everyday Americans gathered to protest vaccine mandates, saying these new government rules blatantly overstep their rights to bodily autonomy.
The “Freedom First!” protest, organized by the “We the People, But Only Some of Us” coalition, saw rally-goers passionately condemning any form of governmental interference with their bodies — while also issuing a strong reminder that this only applies to issues where they feel bodily autonomy is justified.
“This whole mandate thing is an unprecedented government invasion of our personal choices,” said Larry Tucker, a Springfield electrician, as he gestured with a pocket Constitution in one hand and a half-empty red solo cup in the other. “If I want to refuse a vaccine, that’s my God-given right. The government has no business making health decisions for me.”
Tucker paused, however, when the conversation turned to abortion rights, clarifying that “the whole ‘my body’ argument doesn’t apply there,” because, as he elaborated, “that’s just a whole different thing.”
Pressed for an explanation, Tucker squinted thoughtfully before responding, “Look, a pre-American is involved, and it’s not the same thing. But a vaccine mandate — now that’s a personal choice. That’s something the government needs to stay out of.” His remarks were met with enthusiastic applause and a chant of “Freedom! Freedom!” from the crowd.
This sentiment was echoed by rally speaker Patty Henderson, a retired school secretary who calls herself a “freedom fighter” on Facebook and has gone viral for her videos of tearing up mask mandate notices. Henderson argues that masks, like vaccines, are a “deeply personal” decision, while quickly adding that her belief in personal decisions only extends “as far as what’s right.”
“Some folks don’t understand the difference,” she said, shaking her head at a protester who wore a shirt reading “Keep Your Laws Off My Uterus.” Henderson explained that, unlike vaccines or masks, abortion is a matter of “upholding American values.” She clarified that while mandates for vaccines and masks represent a form of government tyranny, abortion restrictions are about “preserving the freedoms our founding fathers intended.” When asked to elaborate on these freedoms, Henderson replied, “You know, the important ones.”
The rally concluded with a keynote address from Roy Tillman, the self-described “common sense American” behind the state’s “Hands Off Our Rights, Except Some Rights” initiative. Tillman noted that the average American’s right to choose not to wear a mask or get vaccinated is under “unprecedented attack.” He then outlined his organization’s plans to fight a recent court decision permitting state-funded abortion services in neighboring counties.
“Make no mistake,” Tillman said, pointing dramatically toward the courthouse, “we are at a crossroads in America. The government wants to control what goes in our bodies, while also controlling what comes out.” A murmur of confusion passed through the crowd before he clarified, “and only we can decide what that means.”
Tillman concluded by reading aloud from a prepared statement, emphasizing the coalition’s official stance: “We’re the land of the free, home of the brave, and no one, not even the government, has the right to interfere with our bodily autonomy — as long as it’s in the ways we want.”
The rally closed with a song led by local church choir leader Donna Bailey, featuring a rendition of the classic “Don’t Tread on Me.” The lyrics were slightly updated to add a verse referencing the “evil clutches” of public health officials, whom the crowd booed enthusiastically.
Asked later if the protesters saw any irony in holding up signs for “bodily autonomy” in one protest and seeking abortion restrictions in the next, Tillman looked visibly puzzled. “Listen, it’s a matter of what’s right,” he said firmly. “Freedom has its limits, and that limit is personal choices we disagree with.”
As the trucks began to depart, one protester offered a final comment: “At the end of the day, it’s just about common sense.” When asked if she could define what that meant, she shrugged and responded, “Oh, you know it when you see it.”
