JAMES LILEKS IN MARCH: Four years ago today:
The story had no “Two weeks to stop the spread” messaging. The lockdown was open-ended, although I seem to recall we thought it was supposed to be two weeks, then reviewed. In two weeks the headline would be “New Target — May 4” which was almost a month away.
The rules were adjusted to let landscapers go back to work.
On May 3 a story noted that the target date was now May 17. A “business analyst was quoted as saying he would still stay home because he thought “There wil be a couple of waves of death,” and that the skyways should be all closed because they were a “cesspool” of disease.
On the 14th the lockdowns were modified: “faith gatherings of 10 or fewer” were permitted, and the paper noted that people “can leave the house more.” Restaurants, bars, gyms, and the like would be closed until June 1st. Another order: “anyone who can work from home, must.”
Also in March of 2020: Walz Implemented COVID Hotline To Snitch On Neighbors.
The hotline generated thousands of reports – against people playing basketball, walking their dogs, or attending church, local outlet Alpha News reported in 2022. Walz’s administration continued to monitor the hotline until November 2020, though it remained operational until June 2022.
In one example of a complaint, someone alerted authorities to a church service that wasn’t following Walz’s “legal requirements,” the outlet noted.
“I am aware that the apostolic Lutheran church at [address] is planning to hold church services oct 2-4th [sic]. Hundreds are expected And [sic] they will be serving meals in the church dining hall. I don’t believe this fits with legal requirements and I am. Aware [sic] that multiple families that attend this church currently have coronavirus.”
People also called in lists of “non-essential” businesses that remained open or didn’t strictly follow government masking requirements.
A recording of the hotline circulating online reveals a prerecorded message telling callers they have reached the “Office of Public Safety Stay At Home Hotline.”
But not everybody had to stay at home: Getting back to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in 2020, Lileks wrote that “There was nothing on the front page on June 1st about COVID restrictions lifting, because it was the sixth day of the Floyd Protests.”
That was the day that Walz referred to “the week of righteous anger being expressed by community leaders and all people of conscience,” in a press conference.
And that feeling of “righteous anger” was infectious! During those legendarily “peaceful but occasionally slightly fiery protests,” Walz’s wife was imbibing the sweet smell of small businesses in flames, his daughter was tweeting advice to the rioters on whether or not the National Guard or SWAT would be present, and Kamala was offering to bail out those few who were actually arrested.
John Hinderaker writes, “As an American, I am horrified at Walz’s selection:”
He is small-minded, mean-spirited man. In one way, he will fit in with the Harris ticket: he ran a basement campaign for re-election in 2022, refusing to show up for debates with Republican Scott Jensen after the first one went badly. So Jensen was left debating an empty chair.
Walz’s character defects are considerable, but let’s leave it at this: he was largely responsible for the George Floyd riots that devastated Minneapolis and other cities, because he dithered for days rather than calling out the National Guard. By his own admission, he held off out of sympathy for the rioters’ cause. We are still living with the consequences.
Why, it’s almost as: The Riots Are Part of the Plan. Review: ‘NextGen Marxism: What It Is and How to Combat It.’
Related: Democratic Socialists of America: “Harris choosing Walz as a running mate has shown the world that DSA and our allies on the left are a force that cannot be ignored.”
