link to original reddit post by /u/TheGrapestShowman

I work in a small restaurant. It's mostly closeted-authoritarians, CNN-junkies, and immigrants. Some got the jab, some didn't. At the start, management only said once that they would like for everyone to get the vaccine, but haven't brought it up since.

Over the last few weeks, there has been an openly discussed and growing sentiment for vaccine mandates. My message to them has been the same; as long as it's not mandatory, I don't care. Get it, don't get it, it's not my choice.

Then the 100 employee bit comes out. We were all sitting around in our pre-shift meeting. As the topic came up, I mention that it is wrong to withhold the means to live from otherwise peaceful people, regardless of how few.

"Fuck you, what are you talking about? I want the FREEDOM to live without an epidemic. These people are literally spreading the plague."

The rest of the group got quiet and looked away, as they were not used to such direct confrontation. We usually kept it pretty light, even for political conversation.

"Each person has the right to bodily autonomy. My body, my choice. So long as how I exercise my rights has no bearing on you, you have no right to tell me how to do it."

"Oh, so you must hate the abortion ban in Texas", sarcastically.

"Yes, my body, my choice. While I recognize the nuance of the abortion debate, I can appreciate that the government should have no role in the decision of what I can and can't do with my body."

"Well", she paused to fiercely blow air from her nose, "you're against gender reassignment surgery, so how does that work?"

"What I'm against is the government putting people in cages for peaceful actions. You shouldn't be thrown in a cage for doing as you please with your body, regardless of who does it or why. In order to do something with my body, I do not at any point need to justify that action to anyone. If I want to eat nothing but pancakes, smoke crack, and travel the country in a hot air balloon, I should be able to do that."

Looking somewhat unnerved by my tirade, "I thought you were a libertarian?"

"I am."