St. Louis County Executive
(St. Louis City Mayor)
Illinois Governor
Mandates for vaccines, masks, etc. related to COVID-19….and the lack of common sense is the subject of this Big B File.
For the past several months, tyrannical folks such as Comrade Sam Page in St. Louis County and Comrade Tishaura Jones in St. Louis City in Missouri and Comrade JB Pritzker in Illinois have issued edicts/mandates related to COVID-19…all without any common sense whatsoever and all with a whole bunch of inconsistencies woven all throughout. In this Big B File, I will be going over these….one by one… and showing you exactly how they are inconsistent and lacking of any common sense.
First, the mask mandates/edicts. All the health orders that say that you have to “Mask Up" or else raise a number of commonsense questions. For example, the mandates issued unilaterally by Comrades Sam Page & Tishuara Jones via their Health Departments (was killed by the St. Louis County Council the next day and had a TRO issued against it by a county Judge a few days later) says that “Face Coverings are required to be properly worn by all individuals ages 5 and older while in indoor and enclosed public buildings and spaces and public transportation vessels in St. Louis County.” Where the lack of common sense and the inconsistencies come in are in the exceptions and conditions, which raise the following questions:
- The Order says that it only applies to while in indoor and enclosed public buildings. So, does that mean that the COVID-19 virus infects someone while indoors only and not while outdoors? I thought that the virus infected people…. regardless of whether the people are indoors or not. It is not exactly like the COVID-19 virus would stop at the door of ANY building.
- It says in these mandates/edicts (in the list of exceptions) that people who are consuming food or drink, including for religious purposes do not have to wear a face covering or mask. What exactly is the difference between just sitting in the same exact area and being forced to “mask up" versus just sitting in the same area eating and/ or drinking something. I would love to have someone satisfactorily explain the difference to me since the last time I checked, the COVID-19 virus (pick your variant as it all applies) doesn’t know the difference between whether someone is eating and not eating in the same area in the first place….it would infect them all the same.
- The mandates/edicts are saying that “Face Coverings are recommended in indoor private settings and crowded outdoor settings where there is close contact with other people who may not be fully vaccinated…...” what is it going to matter whether you are 1, 3, 6, 9, or 12 feet away from someone because the last time I checked, the COVID-19 virus (pick your variant as it all applies) doesn’t know distance? It not like the COVID-19 virus will say “Hey, I am six feet away from Ms. Jones, so I cannot come any closer to her.”
- Comrades Sam Page and Tishuara Jones are issuing and/or pushing for mask edicts/mandates to where everyone has to “mask up" regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status and then, at the same time, constant complain that the rates of those who are vaccinated are low and why more people either don’t want to get the vaccine or are hesitant to get it. Well, let me ask you all this question…… Why do you think that the rates of those who are vaccinated are low and why more people either don’t want to get the vaccine or are hesitant to get it? I can tell you that a majority of people, when they see political figures like Comrades Sam Page and Tishuara Jones doing to and forcing on the people of St. Louis County and St. Louis City, etc. two little questions keep coming up in our minds….
- Why the heck should we bother getting vaccinated if we’re going to be forced to “mask up” regardless? OR
- Are the COVID-19 vaccines really worth a hill of beans if we still have to mask up no matter what? After all, we were constantly told by Comrades Page and Jones etc. that if we were vaccinated…. fully vaccinated for COVID-19…. we wouldn’t have to wear a mask a.k.a. “mask up".
Looking at the last edict/mandate issued by Comrades Sam Page and Tishuara Jones on July 26, 2021 via their respective health departments…. which was rescinded the next day in St. Louis County by the county board (by a 5-2 vote and has a preliminary injunction in force against it), a couple of lies are included in the edict/mandate/order….
“This Order does not, directly, or indirectly, close, partially close, or place restrictions on the opening of or access to any business organization, church, school, or any other place of public or private gathering or assembly and does not prohibit or otherwise limit attendance at any public or private gatherings.”
Oh Really? According to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (in the latest lawsuit filed against St Louis City and St Louis County over the latest mask edicts/mandates), the above statement is blatantly false because the Mask Mandates does restrict access to business, churches, schools, etc. (In violation of § 67.265.1(1), RSMo) “because they limit access to those entities only to masked individuals or individuals….”
Here's how that works. Let's say I do not have a mask on and I walk into a store in St. Louis County like Mark's Electronics Store (made up the name as I do not want to put any business in an undue negative light) to get a new microphone. As I walk in, an employee asks me “Sir, do you have a mask? According to the St. Louis County Health order, everyone who shops in here has to have a mask on otherwise you have to leave.” Now, the business could allow you to walk in without a mask on. Is how St Louis County (or any other governmental entity) would be able to…...directly, or indirectly……close, partially close, or place restrictions on the opening of or access to any business organization, church, school, etc. Is in one of the following ways:
- Via a government agency (let’s say in this example the health department) - In order to operate a business in St Louis County, a business with half that have a inspection by the County Health Department... No matter what type of business is it is. So, the health department could go into a business and either threatened their business license, conduct an unannounced health inspection claiming that they got an anonymous tip when they never did. For example, say to the Business “if you enforce our mandate, then we’ll pull your business license (or liquor license.”
- Withholding of grants, loans, and other funds - another way that the governmental entities... In this case Saint Louis County Health Department... would force business to enforce their mandates is to tell the business that if they do not enforce the mandate, the governmental entity will deny them any funds that are due to them as a result of legislation such as the CARES Act and other grants that were passed and enacted into law at the local, state or federal levels. There have been reports of this having occurred especially in St Louis County over the past year and a half or so.
Another proof that the above is a lie comes from the Call Newspapers article which reads “The order specifically states that businesses “must” deny entry to customers who refuse to wear a face covering. Modifying the language from “authorizing” to “must deny” entry empowers the businesses to enforce the requirement.” As for the part of the order that contains the second lie, which reads:
This Order also does not, directly or indirectly, require any business organization, church, school, or owner, operator, or host of a place of public or private gathering or assembly to restrict, limit, or otherwise refuse access to any individual.”
As Attorney General Eric Schmitt states in the lawsuit filed against St Louis City and St Louis County that "both Mask Mandates will indirectly close those “business organizations, churches, schools, or other places of public or private gathering or assembly,” (§ 67.265.1(1), RSMo), that wish to provide personal choice to their customers about whether they wear a mask or not. Furthermore, the Mask Mandates will also close those entities where masking is impossible or so uncomfortable as to be impossible.”
St. Louis County has taken these authoritarian and retaliatory moves like this before…..just ask Bartolino’s South in South County, OT’s Bar in Breckenridge Hills, MO (North County), Final Destination Bar & Café in St. Ann, MO, Acapulco Restaurant & Lounge in St. Ann, MO (North County), & Satchmo’s Bar & Grill in Chesterfield, MO (West County). The aforementioned restaurants are an excellent example of such actions have been and are retaliatory is because less than six hours….six hours…after a press conference took place outside of Sachmo's (attended by Missouri State Senators Bill Eigel and Paul Wieland, in addition to Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann and MO State Reps. Andrew Koenig, Tony Lovasco, Derek Grier, David Gregory, John Simmons, and Jim Murphy and others), the restaurants were shut down by inspectors from Comrade Sam Page’s Health Department in a very public and authoritarian fashion.
Apparently, these corrupt authoritarian thugs prefer to do all of their actions in the dark as sunlight definitely is a great disinfectant against people like this and corruption in general. According to FOX 2 St. Louis:
“A fifth restaurant, Acapulco Restaurant & Lounge on St. Charles Rock Road, will receive a suspension notice if it continues to follow county health rules.
A health department inspector arrived to notify owners the place was being shut down, but when he saw FOX 2 inside with a camera, he said he didn’t want to be on TV and left.”
- St. Louis County cracks down on restaurants accused of violating health order
- by: Roche Madden, Chris Regnier
- Posted: Dec 1, 2020 / 05:40 PM CST / Updated: Dec 1, 2020 / 06:26 PM CST
Even though past history has clearly demonstrated otherwise and as Illustrated above, officials like Comrades Sam Page and Tishuara Jones and their associates continue to outright lie and/or avoid answering the question altogether as Illustrated in this exchange between St Louis County Councilman Ernie Trakas and Dr. Faisal Khan (Acting Director of the St. Louis County Health Department) at the St. Louis County Council Meeting on July 27, 2021:
Councilman Trakas: "……But, moving on, you also said that, well, let me back up and ask it this way. Who does this mandate apply to, sir?"
Dr. Khan: "I’m sorry?"
Councilman Trakas: "Who does the mandate, your order, apply to?"
Dr. Khan: "St. Louis County, sir, and all residents in St. Louis County."
Councilman Trakas: "Does it apply to Schnucks?"
Dr. Khan: "All businesses and residents in St. Louis County, yes."
Councilman Trakas: "Ok, so, it is applicable to Schnucks, to a restaurant and other businesses?"
Dr. Khan: "Yes, sir."
Councilman Trakas: "Now, having acknowledged that, you also said that in your opinion it is up to both the individual, and I believe the example was a restaurant or a Schnucks, to police whether or not the mask mandate is adhered to. Did I hear that correctly?"
Dr. Khan: "Yes, sir."
Councilman Trakas: "Ok. So, in your opinion then, a Schnucks or a restaurant has an obligation, under your order, to police or enforce the ordinance? Is that a fair characterization?"
Dr. Khan: "Yes, sir."
Councilman Trakas: "Ok. So, help me understand then, would you agree or disagree that in using a Schnucks or a restaurant, you are then taking a private entity, a public accommodation, and requiring that they enforce this order? Is that correct?"
Dr. Khan: "Sir, I will decline to answer that question. You’re arguing a legal point with me. You’re arguing a finer legal point with me. You need to talk to the Office of the County Counselor."
Councilman Trakas: "Isn’t it important, Dr. Khan, that your order be legally sufficient?"
Dr. Khan: "I’m sure it is, sir, but you will have to talk to the County Counselor."
Councilman Trakas: "How are you sure it is? How do you come to that conclusion?"
Dr. Khan: "The only rationale I can provide you is the public health rationale. As I mentioned before, if you’re interested in legal gymnastics, that’s the person to talk to."
Councilman Trakas: "I’m interested in, it’s your order, sir. I’m interested in whether or not you expect a Schnucks or a restaurant to enforce your order. Yes or no?"
Dr. Khan: "Yes."
Councilman Trakas: "Ok. And in doing so, are you not then imposing upon a Schnucks or a restaurant, the obligation to enforce your order?"
Dr. Khan: "Yes."
Councilman Trakas: "That being the case then, how does this not effect access to that restaurant or to that grocery store?"
Dr. Khan: "Sir, like I mentioned, it is up to the business owner to enforce it, or to choose to enforce it. We will not be there to police or fine them or put any obstacle in their path."
Councilman Trakas: "You agree or disagree, that the order, by the way you’ve just described it to be enforced, necessarily involves access to a grocery store or a restaurant?"
Dr. Khan: "No comment, sir."
Councilman Trakas: "That’s all I have. I’ve got to think about this for a while, Madam Chair, before I come back."
We the people need to stand up and tell people like Comrades Sam Page, Tishuara Jones and JB Pritzker that we are NOT going to take this overreaching anymore that has resulted in the destruction of so many lives and livelihoods, assert our rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, stand up to tyrannical folks like you…..and fight back. As radio talk show host Jamie Allman (now on iHeart Media station 104.9 The Patriot [KTLK-FM – Columbia, IL]) once summed it up perfectly, that it is not the (COVID-19) virus itself that has caused all this destruction, but the HUGE overreaction to the virus by government officials (such as Comrades Sam Page, Tishuara Jones, and JB Pritzker).
……And that’s the Big B Files. Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think……I’m Bryan V. Hewing.