Ted Nugent Warns US Citizens of Draconian orders and enforcement by The Government Over Coronavirus
An unmovable We the People shitkicker alert to any power abusing government punks that may want to play jackbooted thugs and violate their oath to the US Constitution,: BEWARE We The People Patriots who will NOT take your bullshit thuggery.
It’s Still America, Coronavirus or Not
Draconian orders and enforcement will undermine freedom & public support for social distancing etc
Americans by and large have willingly obeyed the government’s shelter-in-place and social-distancing orders, but that doesn’t seem to be enough for some public officials. They’re indulging their inner bully in ways that over time will erode public support for behavior that can reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
One problem is excessive enforcement. Some state and local officials tasked with implementing shelter-at-home orders appear either to misunderstand the edicts they are meant to carry out or to suffer from a lack of discernment. Police officers in Brighton, Colo., handcuffed a man for playing with his wife and six-year-old daughter on a nearly empty softball field—though the order police claimed he had violated barred only groups of five or more.
In public parks in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, police officers are prohibiting locals from sitting on park benches, even if they are alone. In Philadelphia, police officers dragged a man from a public bus for not wearing a mask. He had evidently refused to exit the bus when asked, but the officers’ conduct—given the offense—appears excessive.
In their defense these officers are carrying out the orders of elected officials, and in many cases those orders are unclear or worse. In Louisville, Ky., Mayor Greg Fischer prohibited Christian believers from gathering on Easter Sunday—including in “drive-thru” services in which worshippers remained in their vehicles. The mayor’s position was neither constitutionally nor epidemiologically sound.
A local congregation sued, arguing the mayor had violated their right to free exercise of religion. Federal Judge Justin Walker, in a cogent decision issued over the weekend, stayed the mayor’s hand. President Trump recently nominated Judge Walker to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, as noted in these columns. His defense of religious liberty won’t endear him to Senate Democrats.
Perhaps the most excessive decrees have come from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In addition to shutting down “non-essential” businesses, as many other governors have done, Gov. Whitmer has barred Michiganders from traveling to each other’s homes. “All public and private gatherings of any size are prohibited,” the Governor explained at a press conference. “People can still leave the house for outdoor activities,” she generously allowed, and outdoor activities “are still permitted as long as they’re taking place outside of six feet from anyone else.”
Michigan state officials also have imposed a series of heavy-handed restrictions, including bans on supposedly “non-essential” sections of supermarkets, which have accordingly been cordoned off. Under Gov. Whitmer’s order a Michigander can buy a bag of candy or a lottery ticket, but not a pack of seeds or a can of paint. He can enjoy a boat ride by himself or with his dog—but not if his boat has a motor. The logic of these seemingly arbitrary distinctions must elude most Americans.
As these limits on liberty drag on, the courts will be asked with growing frequency to rule on whether mayors and governors have the authority to decide which businesses must shut down and which may remain open, what products the latter may sell, and whether religious believers may be barred from gathering in a parking lot while remaining in their cars. Public-health emergencies give government officials wide latitude. But the First Amendment still bars government from prohibiting the free exercise of religion and still guarantees the right to free assembly.
Government officials would be better advised to govern with a lighter hand. The coronavirus threat isn’t going away until we have a vaccine or better treatments, and Americans will have to practice some form of social distancing and self-quarantine for many more months once the government allows the economy to reopen.
Decrees like those from the Michigan Governor’s office and their capricious enforcement run the risk of encouraging mass civil disobedience that will undermine the point of the orders. Better—for reasons of public health and American constitutionalism—to treat Americans as responsible citizens.
