May 19, 2020
Dear Members and Coworkers,
We’re all starting to wonder just how much power these governors, mayors and local officials have. Are there no limitations? Hundreds of citations have been issued, in some cases arrests and trips to jail. Police seem to have little tolerance for backtalk, even when legitimate issues are raised, like for instance, whose side are you on? Do they actually have the power to place us under house arrest in order to “keep everyone safe”? There have been some instances where sheriffs and policemen have gone public to state that they will not violate people’s Constitutional rights with citations or arrests, even if ordered to do so by their bosses. So far, we only know of two who’ve gone public, but in both instances, they have received lots of congratulations and support from other officers around the nation. The Port Authority policeman in Seattle has been suspended or fired, he doesn’t know what his future holds. It’s not nice to dispute the local authorities, and they will punish all who do.
Since when is it the government’s responsibility, federal or state, to keep us all safe? Is that somewhere in the constitution? Does state law say that governors can make demands, enforced by police, that are ruinous to businesses and lives? It doesn’t say that in our national constitution, but state constitutions have provisions that say (as it does in the Texas Constitution) that governors have the authority to make proclamations as they see fit if, in their estimation, public health and safety is in jeopardy. If we don’t like it, we have the power to vote them out of office in the next election. But many will already be financially destroyed by then, losing businesses to which entire lives have been dedicated, sometimes for generations.
We better not find out this corona virus has been a hoax to destroy the American economy and thereby see President Trump defeated. But when we see that “the numbers” have been juiced; that test results are inaccurate; that the annual death toll is actually lower than recent years despite thousands of CV 19 deaths reported, it tends to create some agitation. When people see that everything they’ve worked for their whole lives destroyed, on the basis of “keeping everybody safe,” you might well expect some misbehavior.
Maybe you saw the photograph of the Orange County Sheriff on horseback informing a couple in their 90’s that they could be on the beach, but they weren’t allowed to sit in their beach chairs. The little old man had quizzical body language, and the report said that the sheriff had to absorb heckling from others on the beach. Poor guy.
Then there was the case on Lake Austin. The park ranger was gesturing with his arms, explaining that everyone needed to stay six feet apart when some grown kid ran up and pushed him into the water. The offender was identified and arrested, and surely shouldn’t have committed a physical assault upon the ranger. He’ll find that out when he has to face a judge.
But some of the demands being made are ruining lives, and are without explanation. Most know about the Michigan Governor Whitmer. She has allowed “essential services” to continue but has attached some rules and regulations that make no sense to anybody. For instance, she proclaimed that garden centers selling plants and seeds and gardening equipment had to be closed, even in stores (Home Depot and Lowes) that were open for business. She also outlawed the paint and flooring departments. Maybe someone can explain how another department in the same store is somehow “unsafe,” but no effort has been made to do so.
Her “orders” have generated large protests, even in the capitol building. News anchors are alarmed that those protesters don’t seem to be practicing social distancing. But then we’ve all got a few questions about what makes practical sense, and whether governors and mayors have the authority to make rules that make no sense to anybody but have to be met with silent acquiescence, or else.
What about the Constitution of the United States? Do governors and local officials have the authority to override the Constitution, without explanation? Apparently so. It’s somewhere in the fine print of State constitutions that governors have “emergency powers,” but they’re not indefinite. The ones we know about give them authority for a maximum of 28 days, after which they have to go before the legislature to get their orders approved. But in a lot of cases, legislatures aren’t meeting due to “safety concerns.” Maybe they can Skype, or whatever.
Vitamin D is reported to be a source of immunity to this illness, but that comes primarily from getting some sun. But we’re told staying inside is the way to stay safe. You might think that spending time outside in the sun might be one of the best things you could do. But some of these dictatorial governors don’t appreciate their “orders” being ignored or violated.
Get ready for the lawsuits! Businesses will be sued by people claiming they, or a family member contracted the virus wherever there are deep pockets. Bankrupted businesses will sue, if they’re allowed, for having been put out of business by unreasonable “orders.” If they go to court and demonstrate that they could have been just as “safe” as the grocery or any big box stores that have been deemed “essential,” look out. Now they’re going to have to pass a bunch of laws banning lawsuits or the courts will be jammed, and cities and states will be bankrupted by the settlements. It’s highly unlikely that any of the experts have thought this nonsense all the way through.
Have you seen how long the testing swab is for the corona virus? Why anyone would submit to some nurse shoving that thing all the way to the rear cranium is a mystery unto itself. But the tests have been all over the map. People (particularly in the White House) are testing positive right and left. Ditto for the meatpacking industry. Many who test positive aren’t sick! The CDC even admitted that their early tests were “flawed.” Oh, that’s reassuring. Does that mean that there have been false positives contributing to the impossibly high numbers?
Regardless, everyone had better wear a mask! They told us that they weren’t helpful for healthy people, now they want to mandate them. There’s probably no more effective method of virtue-signaling than wearing a mask, and giving disapproving looks to those who aren’t. But wearing masks all the time isn’t healthy, as some doctors are trying to point out. Particularly if any work or exertion is going on. Don’t doctors know that oxygen intake is necessary during exertion? Or has that become politically incorrect information? Zuckerberg will probably have you banned if you dare put something as divisive as common knowledge out over one of his platforms.
How can we trust or believe the news-people? They’ve been lying about everything, and shooting you disapproving looks if you’re one of those who don’t fall in line. They don’t love this country. They’ve been rooting for the economy to tank, and refused to report the great economic news that preceded the virus. It was somewhat gratifying to hear none other than Dr. Birx (aka scarf lady) tell the head of the CDC that she couldn’t believe anything coming out of the agency, and she believes their numbers are inflated by at least 25%. Only 25%? It’s probably a lot worse than that.
This whole thing has been like an exercise in socialism, despite the claim that the United States would never become a socialist nation. The Bible told us that there would be strong deception. It’s starting to look like they’ll use FEAR and PANIC as a method of getting people to accept the Mark of the Beast. Why not? It’s worked like a charm.
Sincerely,
Mark Armstrong
- The monthly CD offer is for a sermon by Garner Ted Armstrong titiled, “The Law Before Moses”
