Last week, 2,000 demonstrators appeared in Olympia to
protest the ongoing stay-at-home order. Three Republican state lawmakers helped
lead the rally against Governor Inslee, who is considering extending the restrictions
beyond the original May 4 end date. In particular, Rep. Robert Sutherland
(whose district has been one of the hardest hit by the virus), had this to say
(quoted by the Seattle Times): “’We’re starting a rebellion in
Washington, we’re not listening to this governor, we’re taking our state back. When
we go fishing, they’re going to send their guys with guns, and they’re going to
write us tickets,’ said Sutherland, who carried a pistol tucked into his pants.
‘Governor, you send men with guns after us when we go fishing, we’ll see what a
revolution looks like. You send your goons with guns, we will defend ourselves.’”
The next day, I learned from a friend that three family
members of a mutual high school classmate had all died of COVID-19. I would
like to hear Rep. Sutherland explain to my classmate how his right to fish is
certainly more important than the lives of my classmate’s two sisters and
mother. In fact, I’d like to hear him explain the same thing to the families of
the 99 people in his own district who have died so far.
I don't know how people can see what is going on and think their "rights" are more important than the lives of everyone else! It makes me so angry!!
ReplyDeleteOk, it seems a lot of this is being fueled by organization’s that are losing money and want the US to open up again. I wish the reporters would also report in the same article about who is funding these “rebellions”. Our local government is looking the other way too as a barbershop opened up. Crazy times!
ReplyDeleteBravo to you for speaking up here, Tina. It takes a screwy logic to believe that fishing is a more important right to stay alive. I'm so glad I'm in Canada where this pandemic isn't viewed as a political issue by either the public or the politicians.
ReplyDeleteYou're very fortunate in Canada, Larry. I have seen some amazingly screwy views come to light in the past couple months that make me both angry and sad that a health crisis has turned into a political debacle.
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