The first hero on the barricades for keeping American business open is Shelly Luther
1. Freedom of assembly for Americans is a guaranteed right in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, therefore, imposing social distancing and forbidding “non-essential” businesses to function is unconstitutional. Under these circumstances, protesting social distancing creates an “essential” gathering and cannot be prohibited by cities and states as long as standard and reasonable laws for protesting are followed. This is the civil liberties argument.
2. Closing the economy creates mass unemployment, which on its own brings a health emergency just as dangerous as COVID-19. For example, there is a direct correlation between opioid deaths and the destruction of the manufacturing base in the United States. Americans ought to be able to freely run their legal businesses, considering that others are operating theirs. This is the economic argument.
The first hero on the barricades for keeping American business open is Shelly Luther, who refused to shut her beauty salon in Dallas, was arrested, fined, and sent to jail by a judge before being freed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
According to an anonymous civil liberties attorney, to protest within the law in New York State, a person would probably have to wear a face mask and keep six feet between people. The attorney said to challenge that the executive orders violate the constitutional right to free assembly, the protests would still have to take place in a lawful manner.
Mass unemployment and destruction of businesses also create health emergencies
True to course, nine protesters were arrested Saturday afternoon outside New York City’s City Hall for not obeying social distancing guidelines, according to the New York Post. The New York Police Department said in the same story that 374 summonses have been issued between March 16 and May 5 for “violations of emergency procedures and acts liable to spread disease.”
Mass unemployment and the destruction of businesses also create health emergencies that must be prevented.
On Friday, CNN reported that the national public health group Well Being Trust predicted that as many as 75,000 Americans could die of drug and alcohol misuse and suicide as a result of the economic downturn caused by government closing American businesses during COVID-19. The Well Being Trust said that the unemployment crisis and stress caused by isolation could significantly increase the so-called “deaths of despair.”
“Unemployment during the Great Recession was associated with an increase in suicide deaths and drug overdose deaths,” the Well Being Trust said in Washington, DC. Employment and finding “meaningful work” is essential to mental health, which mirrors what people on the Right assert, that closing economy is just as dangerous as COVID-19.
Much of American society agrees with the health emergency declarations.
Anyone protesting must be smart by wearing a mask, keeping six feet apart, and knowing their message. That way these needed protests can eventually succeed in having these egregious executive orders rescinded.
