April 19th, 1775, is the date most widely regarded as the first official battle of the American Revolution. “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” a title not exclusive to the battle, fired in Concord, marked the first fight where the British were beaten.
Fighting had occured in Lexington earlier in the day, 8 Colonist Minutemen were killed for one British minor injury. The “shot” heard around the world wasn’t the first fired in anger, it was the first that set Imperial Great Britain back. It was an American Colonist victory and a British defeat.
Unexpected.
They were coming for our guns, so we shot them.
That’s a sentiment, unfortunately, not as far from the forefront of our minds as it comfortably should be… you know, since we Constitutionally Enshrined the bearing of weapons as a natural inalienable human right.
In a COVID-19 world where restrictions and recommendations from healthcare workers and the government vary from cautious to ridiculous, ‘don’t use a motorboat but a paddle boat or canoe is ok’ for example…
No, seriously.
Under the governor’s revised “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 2020-42, physical outdoor activity, such as kayaking, canoeing and sailing, remains permissible. However, the use of a motorboat, jet ski or similar watercraft (includes gas and electric motors) is not permitted for the duration of the Executive Order, which is currently set to expire at 11:59 p.m. April 30. Prohibition on the use of motorized watercraft is reflected in the governor’s Frequently Asked Questions document that explains and interprets Executive Order 2020-42.
So staying away from each other on motorized watercraft, bad. You’ll get the Rona! Staying away from each other on non-motorized watercraft good because… physical activity?
Instead of writing something sensible like, ‘Outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, biking, boating, are permitted but not in a gathering of more than 10. Social distancing needs to be maintained between individuals and groups. Groups should remain as small as possible, keep distance, and anyone showing symptoms or who has a known exposure should not participate until their 14 day isolate quarantine is through for virus incubation and/or they have recovered. Please follow medical provider instructions.’
Nope, governments across the nation have taken it upon themselves to make lists of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ activities that don’t seem to stand up under scrutiny of any sort. They contain confusing and contradictory measures that often seem to slip into the realms of “social justice” best practices or whatever said governor feels they like.
They do not make efforts to be reasonable or minimally disruptive, which would also have the benefit of showing respect for individual rights and be clearer and understandable. That is half the problem with the current crop of restrictions, the double speak undermines their urgency.
In response people are… unhappy.
What happens when your instructions don’t make sense on top of severely hurting your small businesses and laid off workers? Who are having all kinds of trouble getting the promised relief out of the tax pool, the promised exchange for shutting down was that Government was footing brunt of the bill… something that might get interesting come 2020 tax season.
People get sick of it.
Now, Detroit area has a high infection rate (thanks New York, glad we could share), but what people have noticed is that instead of a measured and considered use of their emergency powers governments have used it to do all kinds of things.
Like gun control things. Remember all that noise in Virginia? Remember the sanctuary counties and boogaloo memes?
Governor Northam got through and signed them into law, to the adjulations of his Bloomberg funded congressional body. 7 of 8, including Universal Background Checks (which we know are anything but) and Extreme Risk Protection Orders. That’s right, you can be red flagged in Virginia now and extrajudicially punished and have your property seized. Way to go Commonwealth law makers, keep up that treading on during a national medical crisis. This is certainly the best time to push through such controversial and arguably constitutionally prohibited agenda items, while all the opposition is distracted in quarantine.
And now, with rumors that California may “indefinitely suspend” firearm sales there are serious legal fights on deck that we must be engaged in. If not, they aren’t going to stay legal fights… They didn’t 245 years ago.
Now, all things being fair. Let me address a quick word to the folks doing the civil disobedience thing. Key word is civil, don’t devolve into a roving pack of assholes to give the politicos who have their heads firmly lodged in their own any legitimate arguments. Even as we make our displeasure known and highlight that COVID-19 is not the only problem the states and nation are facing, be civil about it all.
Putting pressure on our representation to unjam critical relief, to clarify directives, and to balance the necessity of curbing a nasty virus with the other real threats of financial ruin. I am genuinely curious if enough data exists to determine the number of people who will be killed by the economic hault, I doubt it since we’re having a damn hard time getting COVID numbers right with sloppy record keeping. Sloppy data won’t help anyone in fighting another infection, it may even make it harder.
Happy Monday, Readers.
