California governor and lockdown scofflaw Gavin Newsom recently instituted nonsensical and draconian new lockdown measures for his state.
This latest order makes little sense given that much of California has been in various stages of lockdown and under ongoing mask mandates since the beginning of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic yet is experiencing the same spike in cases the rest of the country is experiencing.
The Los Angeles Times notes that “California has set new highs for COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven consecutive days, with 9,430 patients in hospitals Saturday — that’s more than quadruple the number on Oct. 24, when 2,254 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals.”
Rather than coming to the more reasonable conclusion that perhaps lockdowns and mask mandates aren’t working, Newsom doubled down (sort of).
OC Sheriff Don Barnes is having none of it.
Orange County, Calif. Sheriff Don Barnes said Saturday his deputies would not enforce Governor Gavin Newsom’s new restrictive stay-at-home order which takes effect Sunday in parts of the state that have fallen below 15 percent intensive care unit capacity availability in hospitals.The order, which bans indoor dining at restaurants, closes bars, hair salons, movie theaters and playgrounds, and also limits retail stores and shopping centers to 20 percent customer capacity, will take effect in the southern part of the state as well as the San Joaquin Valley on Sunday.The restrictions, which also prohibit gatherings of any size and require people to wear masks and practice physical distancing in public, will stay in place for at least three weeks once triggered.“Compliance with health orders is a matter of personal responsibility and not a matter of law enforcement,” Barnes said in a statement shared on Twitter. “The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will remain consistent in our approach.”Deputies will not respond to calls only to enforce mask-wearing, social distancing, or social gathering restrictions, Barnes said. Instead, they will “respond to calls for potential criminal behavior and for the protection of life and property.”“To put the onus on law enforcement to enforce these orders against law-abiding citizens who are already struggling through difficult circumstances, while at the same time criticizing law enforcement and taking away our tools to do our jobs is both contradictory and disingenuous,” he said.He encouraged residents to follow health guidance to mitigate the spread of the virus, but said policymakers shouldn’t “penalize residents for earning a livelihood, safeguarding their mental health, or enjoying our most cherished freedoms.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY