While the threat of COVID-19 remains very real, there are many Americans who have found themselves alarmed by some of the more authoritarian precautions being taken in our land of the free.
Tonight, around our nation, cities and towns will be enforcing mandatory and so-called “voluntary” curfews. Businesses have been shuttered. Hell, even some streets have been closed.
On the deeper, dingier parts of the internet there is talk of a “boogaloo” or of martial law coming to our cities. While this speculation may be nothing more than some mildly annoying sensationalism, in Los Angeles, things certainly seem to be headed in a spooky direction.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti threatened “non-essential” businesses Tuesday that if they do not obey the city’s “stay at home” order to close during the pandemic crises, he will cut off their water and their electricity.
Speaking at his daily briefing, the mayor described his new enforcement initiative (via KTLA 5):
The mayor went on to announce the “business ambassadors program” — an effort to get nonessential businesses to close.
“This behavior is irresponsible and selfish,” he said of those that remain open.
He said the Department of Water and Power will shut off services for the businesses that don’t comply with the “safer at home” ordinance.
Neighborhood prosecutors will implement safety measures and will contact the businesses before issuing further action, according to Garcetti.
“The easiest way to avoid a visit is to follow the rules,” he said.
The only weapon that the human race has to use against coronavirus is “social distancing”, in which we will work to starve the virus by ending its spread.
Obviously, some locales are taking this more seriously than others.
