Overstepping Boundaries?
As we head closer towards the projected peek SARS-COV2/COVID-19 pandemic here in the United States, we are seeing more and more stay-home orders coming from the government. Governors across the country have been ordering all non-essential small businesses to close up, public areas are closed and we’re at an unprecedented level of unemployment.
Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, enacted a stay-home edict for the entire state on Wednesday, April 1. Prior, only part of the state was shut down.
Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, finally ordered Florida shut down after receiving a ton of backlash for his decision to allow spring break partiers to invade. The University of Tampa announced five students who participated in spring break festivities has tested positive for SARS-COV2.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “Any individual who willfully violates the order may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.”
New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo has said that under the executive order, which took effect March 22, civil fines and mandatory closures will be issued to businesses that don’t comply.
Is the government overstepping boundaries by doing this?
Latest COVID-19 Numbers
Since my first update on the situation, the pandemic has affected the entire world. There is not a country not touched by SARS-COV2. At the time of this writing, we’re nearing 2,000,000 infected and closing in on 120k dead. Those are no small numbers. The US alone is sitting just under 25,000 dead.
Social distancing is being touted as a way to slow the spread of the disease to help lessen the death rate and not overwhelm the hospital systems.
Are these stay-home and shelter-in-place orders seen as a good thing or a bad thing? Is the government simply looking out for what’s best for the public? Or are they trying to take too much control?
Looking at it from an infection stand point, these stay-home orders could, essentially, save a lot of lives. There simply are not enough hospital beds and ventilators for the projected number of infected who will need them. If we do not maintain social distancing until this passes or a vaccine is found, the death rate will continue to increase. Look at China (the numbers they’re reporting are not true. If you believe the communist dictatorship there is no hope for you), Italy, Spain, and now the United States. We’re no longer at 10-20 deaths per day but hundreds and even thousands. Italy, France and Spain are in the same boat.
The shelter-in-place orders are supposed to keep us safe and healthy.
However, is the government overstepping boundaries by issuing these orders? Do they have the right to close down small businesses and issue fines or even jail time to those who do not obey? Should we be happy about police shutting down a kids birthday party because there were 47 people there, violating the no more than 10 people rule?
Should funerals be limited to only 10 people? Or even resorting to live streaming them? Same with weddings.
Authoritarianism at Its Worst
The situation has gotten worse, though. There are stories of those by themselves wake boarding and paddle-boarding being arrested. Maybe even worse is the story of the father being arrested in front of his little girl because they were playing in the park by themselves with no one else around.
We are a country that was built on freedom. We continually fight and protect those freedoms even while our overlords continue to try and think for us.
What are your thoughts? Is our government overstepping boundaries with their stay home orders? Should we fight back? Or should we comply and know that this is not going to last forever? While it’s hard right now, do we give up our individual rights for the greater good?
