Not too many people showed up at the anti-lockdown protest in Richmond, Virginia, yesterday, but at least they made their point.
An estimated 20-30 gathered for 45 minutes at the historic state capitol, news reports say, to let Democrat Governor Ralph Northam know they’re tired of the quarantine he imposed 17 days ago.
Three Facebook groups organized the sparsely-attended event that delivered this message: As President Trump said, the cure for the Chinese Virus might be more deadly than the Asiatic pathogen itself.
What They Said
“Who is he to determine what is essential in our society and what is not?” a protester complained of Northam to Richmond’s NBC 12. “I believe the liquor stores are open. Is that essential? There are a lot of things that are open that many people don’t consider essential.”
“You’re trying to supposedly cure a problem but you’re doing more damage in my opinion than you are trying to cure the problem by forcing people to stay in their homes, not be able to earn a living, you know isolation kills, too,” he added.
Another protester agreed.
“It seems ridiculous to me that a lot of businesses are closed. A lot of my friends who own their businesses are in risk of going out of business over this,” he told NBC12.
And he won’t wear a mask, as Northam and other governors have advised, because “I’m not going to have someone tell me I have to.”
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“Both Capitol and Virginia State Police were on hand and had to remind the protesters to maintain social distancing guidelines since they said the groups encouraged participants to hug and share food during the event,” the station reported.
Protesters carried myriad colorful signs with spirited messages, a montage at The Daily Caller showed.
“My body my choice to work,” a woman’s sign said, riffing off the pro-abortion slogan of the radical Left.
Another accused the governor of “Ruining lives with lies! Borderline tyranny!”
A third carried something of a threat: “8.6 million Virginians vs. 1 Tyrant. “The odds are not in your favor.”
“End the shutdown for the GOOD of us ALL!” read another.
One protestor held up a sign that diagnosed the Chinese Virus as nothing more than a common cold: “STOP the MADNESS! It is just a COLD VIRUS!”
Reopen by May 1
The largest Facebook group, the 21,222-member ReOpen Virginia, says Northam’s Executive Order 53, which mandated the lockdown, is doing more harm than good and that he should reopen the state for business in two weeks.
“Business owners are being forced to layoff employees while the unemployment system is failing those laid off as the economy free falls,” the group said in a prepared statement:
This is a recipe for disaster with many in our society helpless. We cannot stand by and watch our neighbors suffer while the government considers prolonging these painful conditions. The economy should be reopened on 5/1 for healthy citizens continuing enhanced sanitation habits to prevent any virus from spreading. Those with compromised immune systems should not have to re-enter the economy or workforce if they do not feel comfortable.
“It’s time to get a petition together for the excessive closure,” a member of Virginians Against Excessive Quarantine wrote. “Governor Northam cannot shut us down until June 10!!! Not even enough data and make that type of decision.”
“Quarantine is when you limit the movements of sick or infected,” a popular meme at the 15-member Facebook page says. “Martial law is when you limit the movements of healthy people against their will!.”
The nine-member End The Lockdown put it this way: “We demand that the governor allow businesses to reopen!! Before we all go broke!!”
The Order
Northam, a brain surgeon who advocates infanticide and landed in hot water when photos of youthful blackface high jinks went viral, locked down the state on April 1.
“All individuals in Virginia shall remain at their place of residence,” he ordered. The diktat mandates the standard six-foot “social distancing” except for members of the same family.
Northam also restricted leaving homes to shopping for food and beverages, or seeking medical care, welfare or government handouts, help from the cops, and taking care of others, animals, and family visits.
Virginians can also go to work and outside provided they obey the “social distancing” rule.
Northam banned all gatherings of more than 10 people, families living the same home excepted, which shut down religious service statewide.
Photo: AP Images
R. Cort Kirkwood is a long-time contributor to The New American and a former newspaper editor.
