A group in my state actually protested at the home of the ridiculous state public health bureaucrat who lorded over covid policies, including curfews and snitch lines and school closures, and she felt so VIOLATED that people would know where she lived and have the nerve to protest AT HER PRIVATE RESIDENCE. The woman who orchestrated the invasion of privacy of every single resident of this state was just appalled at being protested at home. She doesn’t report to the peasantry! (What was funny was that the group protesting said they would have gladly protested at a government building, but she hadn’t been into the actual office in months...)
My San Diego family had to have church outside for almost two full years. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how we all just folded to tyranny so fast.
This is one of the critical aspects of the COVID response that must be exposed, confronted,and corrected. The sudden exercise of all kinds of extralegal edicts and blatantly illegal suspensions of citizens’ Constitutional rights by unelected and elected officials was a stunning phenomenon. I think a lot of the efficacy of these mostly stupid, destructive, and inhumane activities was predicated on people simply being ignorant of the law compounded by fear. Fear of the virus, fear of the government, fear of the unknown. Fear is what allowed these power crazed halfwits to get away with this stuff, and the public correctly perceived the hostility, both latent and overt in the behavior of public officials. And as you point out, the nonsense continues in many areas of the country.
I always read a lot of comments that say we allowed this to happen, no one shows up at government/public meetings. I agree but I don't think it's apathy. I go to work, raise a family, have hobbies. Who has time for the bs if they're leaving me alone? I trusted them to leave me alone. I know they're a den of thieving jackals, but follow me to church, lock me in my house, force an injection on me? Just never thought it would happen. They violated my trust and will never get it back. They violated all our trust and none of us should ever give it back. We need to hound them like they hounded us.
Truly frightening what we've witnessed over the past three years in a constitutional republic that guarantees the God-given birth rights of free people. But the power of these petty tyrants existed only because we the people submitted. Had we only shown the courage to collectively say "no, we're having none of this" and brush them aside.
Santa Clara is becoming notoriously unconstitutional.
One note; these unelected little dictators do have accountability. There is a County Board of Supervisors. They are elected. And while many have forgotten their actual duty, it is to supervise county agencies, bureaus and departments, not the non-county employed citizen.
While we have seen too much of this kind of BS lately, the only way it changes is by engaging with those supervisors, either through their office or at the public meetings. It's a pain sure, but the alternative is worse.
The only way to fight it is to refuse to comply. At some point, you're John Lewis being photographed as a state trooper cracks your head with a truncheon, and the public wakes up. America has let the situation get to the point where the massive un-elected bureaucracy is too big to be stopped without pain. Walmart tried to have a national mask policy, but let me tell you, when I got to Florida, we just ignored the greeter who offered us masks, even when it was the Karen who shouted, "But they're required!" when we said, "No, thank you." People see DeSantis as some kind of savior, but in truth (although I think he is, in many ways, a good guy) it is the fact that Florida has too high a percentage of natural non-compliers that has kept this state from having the level of totalitarianism to which the rest of the country is now inured. It is a battle, and even here, we are by no means home free. But we need to keep refusing to comply, and keep forcing the state to show up in court and get its BS on the public record. And whatever happens here, I'm confident the Lord will judge those church leaders who rolled over and played dead instead of fighting the good fight along with the Calvary Chapels of the world. I am thinking of the denomination in which I was raised, which has permanently lost its ability to be taken seriously on any moral issue.
The church should not even be claiming that masks don’t work. Whether they work or not is moot. The only issue is that the government has no right whatsoever under any circumstances to spy on church proceedings. I guess an exception could be made for demonstrable terrorist activities but for practical purposes we know how that “exemption” always results in abuse by the government. Disgusting.
The saddest aspect of this is that the courts didn’t put a stop to it. In fact, the courts often supported it. A court granted a search warrant to spy on church services to ensure that parishioners obeyed arbitrary dictates. At CPAC, Trump offered retribution for those harmed by the bureaucracy. It is the most important issue that we face - are we a representative democracy in control of our government? Or are we simply subjects of an out of control government run by silly, petty dictators?
One of the “allowed” activities was going to a farmers market. The church should have had their members bring a basket of vegetables, set up some tables, put some signs up and held their freaking church service.
If the church I attend shuts down in the future because some government officials told them to, outside of an active shooter in the building, that is the day I stop attending that church.
Finally, I am committed to non-violent civil disobedience from the insane orders of these fascists. I do think we are at a tipping point where the people in power realize they have overplayed their hand with the people. The only question I have is will they move back towards sanity or double down on crazy. Some of the other comments from things in CA (which I don’t believe is isolated from certain other states) makes me fear they will go with option two.
When is global warming(tm.) supposed to flood California?
Seriously though, there is nearly nothing worse than a low status bureaucrat given a too large amount of power. And that’s basically what happened during Covid in a nutshell. I’m actually a bit surprised that these mini-Hitler health fascists didn’t start arming themselves and wearing body armour as they goose stepped around monitoring churches and teenager hangouts; wrapping playsets in parks with caution tape, and pulling the hockey nets off of the public rinks (that happened in my city). God forbid children played, or people worshipped. We all know what dreaded public health risks those activities carried. Thousands were saved, I’m sure!!
In the UK community places such as restaurants, religious and health services, children and youth groups etc were required either to use a QR code mobile phone link, or signature and address as well as ‘safe’ distancing between seating, and masks unless and until eating.
I always said I’m just visiting Britain so no fixed abode, and I’m exempt as exemption included ‘feeling uncomfortable’ about masks!
After reading this though, I guess I can now assume that I became a ‘person of interest’ as we set up a support group for awakened individuals where none of the rules applied. Handily, as a psychologist it could be described an essential mental health service. As such, these are allowed to be anonymous. And everyone felt uncomfortable wearing masks. Even so, my man in the middle internet attacks noticeably increased, further identity thefts, and iPhone analytics every night (did you know your phone records the site and page of every screenshot that is then scanned under the lie of protecting children?).
You don’t need to be doing anything wrong to be surveilled. It’s happening to every single person.
Exceptional story Chris! It’s inspiring to see quality journalism revealing these astonishing truths. Remarkable that someone hasn’t used stronger tactics against these tyrants in this county, yet. Thank you for illuminating the fact that the OP redacted their names from the story. Could you or someone else please provide them?
Thank you for your courageous conviction and commitment to the truth.
P.S.
May I suggest you offer a one time, “contribute any amount”, or a lower cost option subscription model, or a “pay what you can” option like Glenn Greenwald and many other writers do?
Thanks again for the incredible work. Look forward to your next story.
The "left's" whole thing right now is "name and shame," and there's a reason. It's incredibly effective. These people should be accountable to their neighbors for the actual physical harms they have committed by their petty little edicts.
A group in my state actually protested at the home of the ridiculous state public health bureaucrat who lorded over covid policies, including curfews and snitch lines and school closures, and she felt so VIOLATED that people would know where she lived and have the nerve to protest AT HER PRIVATE RESIDENCE. The woman who orchestrated the invasion of privacy of every single resident of this state was just appalled at being protested at home. She doesn’t report to the peasantry! (What was funny was that the group protesting said they would have gladly protested at a government building, but she hadn’t been into the actual office in months...)
My San Diego family had to have church outside for almost two full years. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how we all just folded to tyranny so fast.
This is one of the critical aspects of the COVID response that must be exposed, confronted,and corrected. The sudden exercise of all kinds of extralegal edicts and blatantly illegal suspensions of citizens’ Constitutional rights by unelected and elected officials was a stunning phenomenon. I think a lot of the efficacy of these mostly stupid, destructive, and inhumane activities was predicated on people simply being ignorant of the law compounded by fear. Fear of the virus, fear of the government, fear of the unknown. Fear is what allowed these power crazed halfwits to get away with this stuff, and the public correctly perceived the hostility, both latent and overt in the behavior of public officials. And as you point out, the nonsense continues in many areas of the country.
I always read a lot of comments that say we allowed this to happen, no one shows up at government/public meetings. I agree but I don't think it's apathy. I go to work, raise a family, have hobbies. Who has time for the bs if they're leaving me alone? I trusted them to leave me alone. I know they're a den of thieving jackals, but follow me to church, lock me in my house, force an injection on me? Just never thought it would happen. They violated my trust and will never get it back. They violated all our trust and none of us should ever give it back. We need to hound them like they hounded us.
Truly frightening what we've witnessed over the past three years in a constitutional republic that guarantees the God-given birth rights of free people. But the power of these petty tyrants existed only because we the people submitted. Had we only shown the courage to collectively say "no, we're having none of this" and brush them aside.
Santa Clara is becoming notoriously unconstitutional.
One note; these unelected little dictators do have accountability. There is a County Board of Supervisors. They are elected. And while many have forgotten their actual duty, it is to supervise county agencies, bureaus and departments, not the non-county employed citizen.
While we have seen too much of this kind of BS lately, the only way it changes is by engaging with those supervisors, either through their office or at the public meetings. It's a pain sure, but the alternative is worse.
The only way to fight it is to refuse to comply. At some point, you're John Lewis being photographed as a state trooper cracks your head with a truncheon, and the public wakes up. America has let the situation get to the point where the massive un-elected bureaucracy is too big to be stopped without pain. Walmart tried to have a national mask policy, but let me tell you, when I got to Florida, we just ignored the greeter who offered us masks, even when it was the Karen who shouted, "But they're required!" when we said, "No, thank you." People see DeSantis as some kind of savior, but in truth (although I think he is, in many ways, a good guy) it is the fact that Florida has too high a percentage of natural non-compliers that has kept this state from having the level of totalitarianism to which the rest of the country is now inured. It is a battle, and even here, we are by no means home free. But we need to keep refusing to comply, and keep forcing the state to show up in court and get its BS on the public record. And whatever happens here, I'm confident the Lord will judge those church leaders who rolled over and played dead instead of fighting the good fight along with the Calvary Chapels of the world. I am thinking of the denomination in which I was raised, which has permanently lost its ability to be taken seriously on any moral issue.
This is so mind-boggling that I'll have to read it again in the morning with my coffee.
Chris, you neglected to mention one of the most egregious health code violations perpetrated by the worshippers: They were singing! DURING A PANDEMIC!
The church should not even be claiming that masks don’t work. Whether they work or not is moot. The only issue is that the government has no right whatsoever under any circumstances to spy on church proceedings. I guess an exception could be made for demonstrable terrorist activities but for practical purposes we know how that “exemption” always results in abuse by the government. Disgusting.
The saddest aspect of this is that the courts didn’t put a stop to it. In fact, the courts often supported it. A court granted a search warrant to spy on church services to ensure that parishioners obeyed arbitrary dictates. At CPAC, Trump offered retribution for those harmed by the bureaucracy. It is the most important issue that we face - are we a representative democracy in control of our government? Or are we simply subjects of an out of control government run by silly, petty dictators?
A few thoughts:
One of the “allowed” activities was going to a farmers market. The church should have had their members bring a basket of vegetables, set up some tables, put some signs up and held their freaking church service.
If the church I attend shuts down in the future because some government officials told them to, outside of an active shooter in the building, that is the day I stop attending that church.
Finally, I am committed to non-violent civil disobedience from the insane orders of these fascists. I do think we are at a tipping point where the people in power realize they have overplayed their hand with the people. The only question I have is will they move back towards sanity or double down on crazy. Some of the other comments from things in CA (which I don’t believe is isolated from certain other states) makes me fear they will go with option two.
When is global warming(tm.) supposed to flood California?
Seriously though, there is nearly nothing worse than a low status bureaucrat given a too large amount of power. And that’s basically what happened during Covid in a nutshell. I’m actually a bit surprised that these mini-Hitler health fascists didn’t start arming themselves and wearing body armour as they goose stepped around monitoring churches and teenager hangouts; wrapping playsets in parks with caution tape, and pulling the hockey nets off of the public rinks (that happened in my city). God forbid children played, or people worshipped. We all know what dreaded public health risks those activities carried. Thousands were saved, I’m sure!!
In the UK community places such as restaurants, religious and health services, children and youth groups etc were required either to use a QR code mobile phone link, or signature and address as well as ‘safe’ distancing between seating, and masks unless and until eating.
I always said I’m just visiting Britain so no fixed abode, and I’m exempt as exemption included ‘feeling uncomfortable’ about masks!
After reading this though, I guess I can now assume that I became a ‘person of interest’ as we set up a support group for awakened individuals where none of the rules applied. Handily, as a psychologist it could be described an essential mental health service. As such, these are allowed to be anonymous. And everyone felt uncomfortable wearing masks. Even so, my man in the middle internet attacks noticeably increased, further identity thefts, and iPhone analytics every night (did you know your phone records the site and page of every screenshot that is then scanned under the lie of protecting children?).
You don’t need to be doing anything wrong to be surveilled. It’s happening to every single person.
Just in case.
To keep you safe.
Exceptional story Chris! It’s inspiring to see quality journalism revealing these astonishing truths. Remarkable that someone hasn’t used stronger tactics against these tyrants in this county, yet. Thank you for illuminating the fact that the OP redacted their names from the story. Could you or someone else please provide them?
Thank you for your courageous conviction and commitment to the truth.
P.S.
May I suggest you offer a one time, “contribute any amount”, or a lower cost option subscription model, or a “pay what you can” option like Glenn Greenwald and many other writers do?
Thanks again for the incredible work. Look forward to your next story.
The "left's" whole thing right now is "name and shame," and there's a reason. It's incredibly effective. These people should be accountable to their neighbors for the actual physical harms they have committed by their petty little edicts.
The sum of Law is always "Ego sic dico" when law is not decided by the people.