America… F*** yeah!
In a time where the country is more divided on issues than ever, July 4th may have been just what we needed. Yesterday there wasn’t a need to go watch fireworks, you could’ve just stepped outside your backyard. One of the reasons we love our country is that on our property no one can tell us what to do. So when some slimy politician tells us that fireworks are banned we do the opposite. Seeing all the fireworks going off in LA last night showed that. And for one of the most liberal cities in America to do that gives me hope for the rest of the nation. Let me say, I am not encouraging that people break the law in any way, shape or form… “Laws” are attached to a penal code unlike the mandates given by Governor Newsom, such as the one to wear a mask at all times. They are mere requests made by a pansy who sits in his mansion making us middle class and below jump through hoops to survive while he receives a fat guaranteed check. Times like these are where our American values and traditions bring us together regardless of our party, we are simply Americans who love our freedom and last night it was beautiful to see.
The Jiu Jitsu Way 
Here is another way to look at the issues you discuss.
1) In any civilized society the rights of the individual are balanced by the harm individuals (or corporations) might cause on others. That’s why, for example, we have drunk driving laws (accidents harm not only the drunk driver but also occupants, bystanders in the streets, etc.). You and I are not free to just call ourselves by the title “Dentist” or “Lawyer” or “Pharmacist.” We want to protect untrained people from harming us by pretending to have expertise they do not have. In the late 1800’s the Coca Cola company was putting cocaine in their drink. Eventually, cocaine was found to be additive and to cause many mouth problems, so they were prohibited from do so to protect the public. And, of course we more recently prohibited smoking in schools, malls and public places when we learned that smoking leads to cancer (even second hand smoke). So, yes, I want to be free – but as a member of society I understand that some of my freedom is limited in order to protect others. The classic example is that we have freedom of speech – but, it is limited in that when there is no fire, we cannot yell “fire” in a movie theater as others might get trampled in the mad rush to get out.
2) So, for me, I think you can have the right to set off fireworks on your own property as long as they stay on your property. If the fireworks have any chance on landing on another’s property and harming them or causing a fire, that is another story. Freedom to set off fireworks in rural Idaho is different from setting them off where I used to live in NY. We were very close to neighbors, there was lots of shrubbery and some of it was very dry. We have to aim for balance, not just rebel when we don’t like something.
3) You first refer to Newsom’s statement about wearing a mask as a “mandate” and then as a “mere request.” It can’t be both. Many governors have issued all kinds of requirements/mandates. NOTE: President Trump has decided many of the covid-19 issues should be handled at the state or local, rather than federal level. So, governors and mayors have to take the lead and they have the legal authority to do so.
Governor Cuomo in NY has imposed quarantines when people arrive from high covid-19 states such as Arizona and Florida. And, look at the outcome – NY is doing much better than we are. And, we are much better off than Texas, Florida or Georgia who have done very little. Cuomo
closed restaurants and malls, etc.,earlier than other states. Again, that strategy worked. He wanted to protect the masses at the temporary expense of freedom of the individual to shop in malls or eat in restaurants. I think there are now quarantine in many states such as Massachusetts, Maine and others. They represent a limitation on individual freedom in order to protect that larger group of citizens.
Note that just allowing individual citizens to, “do the right thing” has not worked in those states that have issued no mandates. The citizens of those states have not done “the right thing” and they have had the greatest increase in cases and deaths.
4) The cases in the Cochella Valley are rising rapidly (https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2020/07/07/positive-coronavirus-cases-climb-to-233-in-riverside-county/). INDIO alone has had 1,622 cases and **40 deaths**. JFK hospital has been overwhelmed with cases and deaths (as reported on channel 3 news). We all are, or have family members are at risk for death because of age (over 60) or underlying conditions. Actually, among my NY group of friends and colleagues I know of 10 people who tested positive and 3 have died! One was only 52 years old. Also, we have all heard the news that the virus is now rampant in younger folks in their 20’s and 30’s as they tend to go to bars and parties, and wear no masks.
5) Surprise -we now know that fine particles of the virus can linger in the air for many hours. Yes, the larger particles fall to the ground but the finer ones linger, linger, linger in the air. Six feet on distance is not enough. We have no vaccine. The ONLY way to protect ourselves and loved ones is by wearing a mask. That sucks, but it is the current state of affairs.
6) Finally, name calling (“pansy”) does not serve you well. It diminishes the value of what you have to say.
I miss you and I certainly miss our personal training sessions. You have been great for my physical health and I really enjoy talking to you.
But, my good health can all go away in just a few days if I catch the virus. So, I am willing to give up my freedom to see you in a non-masked environment if it means I will remain safer. My hope is that we will soon beat this virus by social distancing, mask wearing, or vaccine development. Until then, all of us are in trouble.
I hope you will see my comments as another way to look at the issues you raise and that will consider what the facts actually say about the virus as well as the concept of “balance” for society to work well for all of us.
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Howard,
Been a busy few weeks which delayed my response. Thanks for your comments, they are always informative. I’m very happy to know that you read my blog! Also, it wasn’t easy to respond to this due to my lack of writings skills, I would’ve preferred a conversation much more!
1. I am in complete agreement that true “freedom” does not exist. It has to have limits as most of us understand. However, we both know that there are inherent risks to many everyday activities in life. While no one is for complete lawlessness, my view is that there has to be a limit to what government can control.
2. I agree that if you live in the city there should be restrictions but they should be imposed by the property managers who want to protect their investment rather than a government official who has no vested interested in the welfare of the stakeholder.
3. My understanding was that a mandate comes from a government official, upheld by the courts and while it is called a Face Covering mandate there is no penal code attached to it (why many law enforcement officers are reluctant to enforce such orders) – to me that is a request or an order but maybe that’s an issue of semantics more or less being that there is no actual penalty for choosing not to wear a face mask.
4. My condolences for your friends lost, that is terrible news. At our gym we recommend anyone in contact with high risk individuals or who fears for their safety stay at home, consequently many like yourself are doing what they seem to be in their best interest while others are more willing to take the risk to enter the gym or go to work. Also I don’t think it’s you can correlate covid in younger people specifically with bars and parties as they in general are less risk averse overall and tend to be more social. Meaning they could spread it a variety of ways and good luck convincing them otherwise.
5. I have no argument with your point on that besides that it is up to individuals to choose what is safe for them. I would love to believe that the governors and the media have everyone’s best interest in mind but that’s simply not the case and if it is it is far and few in between. My parents for example would be considered high risk but it’s still their right to choose whether they stay indoors or go to parks or wear a mask or don’t wear a mask. They seem well and able to decide what is safe for them… I could be wrong on that one haha.
6. In fairness… the mother****** closed gym and churches while his Winery plump jack stays open and is booked for peak season(it also received 350k in PPE loans while Hargett got 6k) I actually changed it from another P word LOL but I agree with your point. I’ll try to hold back on Pelosi’s nephew. I miss you too, and have no doubt we will meet again. I’m willing to bet that you will make it through this (superheroes tend to) and I’m happy to hear you are well, at least health wise. Although I don’t have any allergy symptoms I have an order to get the antibody test soon 😉 I’m curious, what do you mean when you say “beat the virus”? Because what the facts say is that the virus is not going anywhere in the same way Influenza is still around while we seldom get tested while many people die every year, although never to the degree of the early 1900’s some years more than others. With COVID’s rate of spread I have trouble seeing anyone actually avoid it. At some point I believe we will all be exposed if we haven’t already (I apologize if that’s a scary thought) but the good news is I believe you are in the percentile with the greatest chance to survive at your age. Nonetheless I’m honored you read my blog and appreciate your perspective, be well! Send my best to your family.
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