Newaygo County Public Opinion

Letter: "This is Not a Political Battle"

11/22/2020

November 21, 2020

Editor,

I can’t imagine how difficult it’s been to operate a restaurant with periodic closures during 2020. At times, I expect the challenges of covering expenses, keeping staff employed, and maintaining customers have seemed impossible.

This morning, I read about a protest at Jimmy’s Roadhouse in Newaygo. Hundreds of people gathered there to defy the Michigan Department of HHS order to close indoor dining again. Pictures and videos of the event showed the majority of people physically close and not wearing masks.

My initial reaction to the protest was anger. This turned to frustration. Then, I felt sad about the apparent disregard for what we need to fight the virus together.

I don’t like to voice my opinion in a public forum or encourage conflict. However, based on the potential impact of this protest, I want to speak up. In the words of Albert Einstein, “If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity.”

Michigan added 9,779 new COVID cases on November 20, the most in a single day since the start of the pandemic. West Michigan health system officials have warned hospitals are reaching capacity and staff is being pushed to their limits. In Newaygo County, total cumulative cases have increased almost 240% in the past month (from 539 to 1,286).

I think it’s important to remember the virus is our enemy. We must stand together in this war. This is not a political battle or a threat to our personal freedoms. Science is providing facts to help us fight the virus. Organizations are gathering data to communicate the crisis our community is facing.

What happened to the Golden Rule of “treating others as you want to be treated”? What happened to treating people with respect? What happened to being concerned about the health and well being of others?

Everywhere I go, I see reminders to wear a mask, wash my hands, and stay physically distant. I can’t control the behaviors of the people who protested at Jimmy’s Roadhouse on Friday night. However, I can make different choices.

I will support local small businesses that are following State orders. I will do whatever I can to keep my family, friends, and community safe and healthy. I will be kind and considerate of others. I will stay physically distant…and wear a mask.

Be well, Cheryl McGrath

7 Comments

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Cindy LaBelle

11/22/2020 04:19:06 pm

The group that protested at Jimmy’s Roadhouse On Friday are obviously frustrated by the changes our society is requiring us to make in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I am frustrated and yearn to be back doing my normal activities with others in my circle of family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. My sister-in-law died from Covid-19 last week, so I know it can be a killer.
Many say the same of cancer and heart disease, which is true.

Not being able to go to a favorite restaurant in my town, seems like a modest inconvenience. It may sound selfish, I do not want to get sick, least of all be hospitalized or die. I can avoid going to restaurants and feed myself at home by microwave a frozen dinner, eat cold cereal, fry an egg or two, eat fruit, make a sandwich, and consume chips and other snacks or actually cook something.. Beer, wine, and liquor can be purchased a the local liquor store, if need be.

My mail is delivered, internet still works, banks are open, truckers are still making deliveries, doctor/ dentist offices are open, garbage is picked up, electricity is still on, gas stations are open, phones work for texting and voice, grocery, drug and retail stores are open and finally hospitals and doctors offices are seeing patients.

If a restaurant meal is required, many places have drive thru’s or grab and go meals. Many people are working and getting paychecks. It is true the restaurant and other non-essential businesses are having hit with economic problems right now.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to eat out and can afford to do so on occasion. I’ve eaten at Jimmy’s Roadhouse. But many of us feel that closing a restaurant, is just too much of a restriction in our daily lives. They could be wrong.

When our country is faced with a threat, either military or health, it is in our best interest to cooperate and work together to neutralize that threat. Covid-19 is a threat to us as well as all people that live on this planet.

Let’s be real: Covid-19 is dangerous and it wont’t be the last virus to threaten our health. Yes, some individuals spread the virus and never show symptoms, other folks know that they are ill but still mingle anyway. And to top it off, if a virus spreader touches some materials, the virus can exist for up to 72 hours after that person has left the area.

Let’s be smart: wash your hands often, stay home when you can, and if you must go out wear a mask and stay 6 ft from others. Maybe if we all we do the right things, a good vaccine and distributions happen in 2021, we’ll be back at our favorite routines with our family and friends, alive and well.

I have Covid-19 fatigue and am tired of the news stores about it, wearing a mask, making sure I have enough toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer, hanging around the house a lot, and not able to visit family and friends or have them at my place, I keep telling myself this is temporary and won’t last forever. It will be so sweet when we can freely move about our communities without worry. The day will come, but we are not here yet.

Be safe,

Michelle Pet

11/22/2020 05:57:49 pm

Nicely stated Cheryl. As a healthcare worker it is very disappointing to see such a blatant disregard for public health. Hosting a super spreader event is not only selfish but dangerous, especially as our rural hospitals capacity. I wish groups like “stand up” would focus on helping businesses adapt, build takeout services and support our service industry. In the meantime, hospital workers will remain at your service in spite of the selfishness of others.

Amy Moore

11/23/2020 11:20:57 am

Thank you Cheryl - I felt the same rollercoaster of emotion when I first heard of the protest. So much so - that I reached out to my Newaygo Co friends to express my outrage. Sadly and surprisingly - my friends had the same opinion as the Jimmy's supporters. They said these actions are about freedom but I argue it is about health. I try to have an open mind about these action - only I just don't understand why people want to spread infection and call themselves brave. It feels (to me) like either they do not understand the gravity of their actions - or care about their neighbors - or both. Is this the case? Can anyone shed more light on how this is not a health crisis? I would be interested in learning more - in a respectful way.

Heather Allen

11/23/2020 05:27:35 pm

Cheryl,

I guess I would like to ask you if your job or spouses job has been ended in this shutdown? And if you have been asked to give up years of laboring on your own business, your own dream.
All of those people choosing to gather at Jimmy's are adults. They are free to make these decisions, just like you are free to not. Please don't try to restrict individual freedoms.
Please don't try to crush someones business because you are fearful. Just stay home then, because you can choose this.

It is immoral to steal someones right to make a living using their personal property and unconstitutional.
Please consider the fact that if small business' fail in Newaygo there are very few business tax payers left. The school receives large amounts of funding from local businesses.
The virus has an enormous recovery rate -99.97%. And is not deadly enough to justify killing our local economy and stripping business owners of their profits and property.
I hear a lot of talk about selfishness, But I cannot fathom ever asking someone to close their business because I'm afraid. That is the height of selfish behavior.

Kathy

11/24/2020 05:53:39 pm

Cheryl, I’ll reiterate what I said earlier on this subject. These are unprecedented times and they are extremely difficult physically, mentally and emotionally. But the choices we make now about our behavior will have consequences long after the present. In the uncertainty of March and April, we didn’t know I’d we’d be allowed to open in 2020. But, as it ended up, I have a business that was considered essential during Covid and so was not closed down this year. Because we were allowed to remain open, our responsibility to our community, was great and we did not take it lightly. As a family farm who produces food for people, we had the responsibility to grow, harvest, and sell that produce in a way that would reduce the spread of Covid as much as humanly possible. This meant making adjustments like masking in the heat while harvesting, handling, and selling; social distancing; asking customers to mask or move back; changing our packaging type to avoid customer touching, trunk delivery, pre-orders, and the list goes on. We did as much as we could to avoid any possibility of our farm being a point of spread or exposure. These were very small prices to pay to keep our community safer. We fully understood that if farm stands and farmer markets were to become a hotspot for Covid spread, they could be closed down because of public health concerns. In addition to it being good common business sense to keep our customers safe as well as ourselves and employees, more importantly, I felt a strong moral obligation to do my utmost to keep everyone safe from spreading Covid. I know some customers felt our change in operation was unnecessary and perhaps we lost some customers who felt our masking and operational mode made them uncomfortable. Some customers voiced their displeasure, called the virus a hoax, said it was some political conspiracy, and some even questioned my husband, who is a combat Vietnam Nam vet’s, patriotism. We realized there was a segment of society out there that were unwilling to participate in what we see as the ethical and moral thing to do. Although every business owner wants to keep all their customers, we were willing to lose a few if it kept the others and ourselves safe.

Businesses like ours, that are allowed to remain open with restrictions, need to exercise extreme caution in slowing the spread. Many have options available to them, like in the case of restaurants, to have take-out only menus. There is not a need to for any business or group to host public events with large numbers of people. We know these can be super spreader events. There is not a need to promote and allow unmasking at your business. We know that behavior can trigger the spread. Regardless of how much junk disinformation there is parading around as science and medical expertise, masks do help slow the spread. Allowing large numbers of people to congregate unmasked is begging for trouble. The argument of “just stay home and away from businesses and people who want to go without masks and distancing” is full of holes. Each and every person who goes to unmasked, un-distanced events, ends up back home, at work, at the grocery store and have a greater potential to carry the virus with them. Asking the rest of us to not be concerned about what they are doing in their free time, is like asking for permission to pee in the swimming pool because it’s only over in your little section of the pool. Like urine in the water, this virus moves around, spreading in our community and doesn’t just affect the person who decided it was okay to not take precautions. Just as the junk science is not a valid argument, neither is the “but they’re trying to take away my freedom “. Freedom comes with a price and usually that price involves sacrificing. Right now we need to make some tough sacrifices to get through this so that we come out okay on the other side. The more our numbers rise, the more people, including our essential workers, healthcare professionals, soldiers, etc get sick. The more we let this virus become out of control, the weaker we become as a nation. We have tough choices to make right now. They are not fun choices. They call for a lot of self sacrifice and putting aside some of our personal freedoms to stop this virus. I applaud all those readers who have made those tough choices and worked to keep themselves and our “pool” safe. And hats off those local businesses who have stepped up to the plate and done the necessary things to help protect their customers, staff, themselves, and their community.

Haley Gilganis

11/25/2020 05:58:05 am

“One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it.”
Civil disobedience is an act of protest against the unjust laws of a government. It is a non-violent way to address the unjust state of affairs. The aim is to bring social change and end the unruly system of the powerful authority.
Don't just listen to what those in authority are telling you about the virus and how afraid you should be. Do you're own research and do it well. If you’re afraid, stay home. If you’re afraid, wear a mask. We are not afraid. We are exercising our constitutional rights.

Renee

11/25/2020 10:28:11 am

I would like to comment on what appears to be an omission or two in one of the responses posted here. In it, the writer is quoting from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is from his famous work, Letter From a Birmingham Jail. The use of it in the response to Cheryl’s letter is lacking the first part of King’s thoughts. He was not encouraging disobedience to all laws, but instead those that are immoral. It’s important not to cherry pick quotes but give them in their entirety and some historical context that further clarified their intent.

His full quote on this:

“One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws”. He continues to explain, “A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law,” King responded.

In his Letter, Dr. King furthers his distinction with examples, pointing out how immoral laws are applied not to everyone in a society, but are instead aimed and targeted at a minority to carry out immoral and unjust aims. In addition to examples of segregation and acts of violence and murder perpetrated against African Americans in the US, King also uses Nazi Germany as an example. He says there was moral justification for citizens to break unjust Nazi laws that subjugated and led to the murder of Jews during WW2. He said he himself would have broken Nazi law, and given safe haven to Jews in order to save their lives.

It was this type of unjust law that was intended to target and wipe out a race of people that King was referring to as being unjust. In this writing, Dr. King was in no way suggesting we break what he described as “just laws” that help keep society stay safe and are necessary for the good of all citizens. These would be regulations like speed limit laws, seat belt laws, and other just laws that protect and keep citizens safe from harm. A temporary closure during a pandemic to protect all of our citizens from Covid, would hardly be the kind of law that King was suggesting be disobeyed.

The second quote used in Gilganis’ response, which she placed right after Dr. King's quote, makes it appear as part of the quote from Dr. King. It is not.

“Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it.”

This is instead a quote from Howard Zinn. He was an American author, philosopher, scholar, and liberal thinker. He described himself as, “something of an anarchist, something of a socialist. Maybe a democratic socialist."

I thought it important to attribute the quote rightfully to this renown socialist thinker, who also said, “There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”

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Letter: "This is Not a Political Battle"

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