Social distancing is strongly recommended by healthcare officials and the federal government through the coronavirus crisis. It makes sense as a recommendation. The disease is easily contracted and the only way to be fairly certain we won’t catch or spread it is by staying away from others. That’s what a Colorado family was doing when they were playing tee-ball in an empty public park.
But Brighton police felt the family was not properly complying with social distancing orders mandated in Colorado, so they handcuffed Matt Mooney, 33, in front of his wife and 6-year-old daughter before holding him in a police cruiser for approximately 10 minutes.
A guy in Colorado was cuffed and arrested in front of his 6 year old daughter for playing t-ball with her in an empty park. People keep assuring me that we’re not living in a police state. Well tell me what a police state looks like if not like this.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 7, 2020
“She’s like, ‘Daddy, I don’t want you to get arrested,'” Mooney told FOX31 Problem Solvers. “At this point I’m thinking, ‘There’s no way they’re going to arrest me, this is insane.’ I’m telling her, ‘Don’t worry, Daddy’s not going to get arrested. I’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t worry about it,’ and then they arrest me.”
The park was closed but signs indicated groups of four or less were still allowed to enjoy the park for recreational purposes. Other than the family of three, the park was empty until law enforcement arrived. As Mooney noted, they engaged him in an unsafe manner by getting close to him and handcuffing him. According to Mooney, they were not wearing face masks or gloves.
One of the biggest reasons we’re putting on the digital Saving America Conference on April 18 is because instances like this are now commonplace. Many cities and states across the country have mandates and ordinances that are draconian in nature, demonstrating clear government overreach. As I noted on Twitter, a crisis does not mean the Constitution is put on hold.
Combed through the Constitution for the clause that says any part of it is suspended when there's a crisis.
It's not there.
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) April 7, 2020
If we do not stand up and push back against this type of police-state behavior, we cannot complain when it becomes more pervasive. Rising authoritarianism is not the answer to the coronavirus. The solution must not be worse than the ailment.
