Our morbidly obese Ontario premier seems to be attempting to protect himself by instituting another phase of lockdowns and by granting additional police powers. People can build their immune systems with exercise and fresh air, but he is probably so obese that the cardio that he would require to reduce his weight would give him a heart attack. So, like a petulant and vindictive abused child bully, if he can’t do it, you are not allowed to either. Gyms are now shut down for the second year of “two weeks to flatten the curve.” Somebody who can’t exercise doesn’t care if he is inhibiting the ability of others to do so, regardless of the mental and physical health benefits of doing so, or to the livelihoods of those employed by or dependent on those gyms.
At the beginning of the covid scare, we had no idea what was going on. We now know a great deal. Among all the things that we now know, are the particular facts that obesity and vitamin D deficiencies are key risk factors, and that most transmission appears to be in indoor environments. Our bodies utilize exposure to sunlight to manufacture vitamin D, so being incarcerated indoors puts us at risk. Getting outdoors for exercise is probably the single biggest thing that we can do to keep ourselves safe, yet Ontario police have now been granted the power to stop people on the streets, demand to know their identity, their address, and their purpose of travel. This is clearly not something that has been imposed to encourage people to get out for exercise, sunlight and fresh air. I stopped paying attention to the so-called regulations that are being imposed\({}^1\), so I do not know the full extent of the rules that I am supposed to be complying with. If I were out on a bike ride by myself or with my wife, who I share a space with anyways, would I have to justify that to the police? Do I face fines or jail for attempting to keep myself healthy and safe (not just from covid, but many other conditions that are enhanced by inactivity)?
Thankfully, it appears that there is some push back to the new dictatorial measures, and a number of police forces have stated that they will not enforce their new inquisitional power to stop people on the streets nor in their cars. I’m not optimistic that the Toronto police will take this position, as a force that large is statistically more likely to abuse power.
When I am out of the house these days, it is usually because I am getting groceries, running errands, or walking my beast of a dog. I can’t help wondering how I would respond if I were to get stopped by the police for any of these. If the fear porn was truly justified, then those police officers are putting themselves in danger by approaching potential disease carriers. How do they feel about that? Would I be brave enough to attempt to politely ask that off the record? Does an officer making such a stop not cringe internally against the stupidity of what they are being made to do? I am not optimistic that would be the case. Police depend on their jobs and paycheques, and part of their paycheque means that they have to enforce the laws, regardless of their opinion about them, and then have to justify those actions so that they can live with themselves. There is the open question about whether these executive decrees are truly lawful, but if the police believe they are, these mandates will be enforced until challenged in the courts. There may not be much internal Police dissent, and if there is, it is probably on the down-low, quiet, and off the record. Is there much chance that the police who have been enforcing the “Now you do what they told ya” mandates, will end up collectively fighting back in a screaming “FUCK YOU, I WON’T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME” crescendo that pulls the power out from under the slovenly dictator who has assumed control of the province? I doubt it, but I can hope.
Footnotes:
- Because there are so many signs about it, I know that I can be fined or jailed for not wearing a mask when shopping indoors.
