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The lockdowns and other measures - American and Euro alike - were unjustified by the threat, were ineffective, and violated various principles that should have been considered too important to throw overboard in a panic. They were obviously wrong in multiple ways, many of which were indeed obvious as soon as the lockdowns began, and some of which were obvious even beforehand.
Not obvious: Covid was largely harmless.
Obvious as soon as the measures started: Their implementation has more holes than substance and you may as well not bother.
Obvious from the get-go: Liberal societies shouldn't suspend civil liberties based on nebulous suspicions.
That these measures were kept up for years, kept coming back even when it was evident they weren't accomplishing anything other than damage, and that people were vilified for not going along is more than enough food for a very high level of anger.
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