May 6, 2020 2 min read

This idea of locking down the state, the coronavirus, social distancing, and essential businesses and people is foolish. Businesses closing because of some “authority” deciding what is or is not essential is totally arbitrary to someone’s power position. What gives anyone the ability to choose what is essential to me or some small business owner?

Gov. Wolf shut down the state liquor stores but left the beer distributors open. Walmart, Lowe’s, and Home Depot are considered essential, but the local small stores that sell similar products are nonessential. The owner of a small business is the only person who has the right to decide if their business is essential, essential to themselves and their clients. When they are shut down by bureaucrats who haven’t any idea about them, they have declared martial law. Those folks should have rebelled and stood up for their rights and livelihoods instead of cowering down. Their business is essential to them.

I liked what happened in Michigan when hundreds of citizens rebelled against their governor and demanded to be heard and to open up the city. I admire their tenacity that they are not going to be pushed into oblivion by their bureaucratic governor. More Americans should do the same.

Kerry Roberts

Belle Vernon