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Peaceful disobedience: How to win over mask ‘rules’

Dr. Paul Hendricks removes his chin diaper to make a speech in Hamilton County, Tenn., which has fallen under a spell of terror. (Photo Hamilton County health department)

The best way to fight mask tyranny at your favorite grocery or hardware store is to confront — sweetly and gently — the people put on the front line to block people from entering who have bare jowls. Here are suggestions on how to do it.

By David Tulis / NoogaRadio 92.7 FM

The decrees in Hamilton County, Tenn., are like those across the country, and are being widely ignored by business employees I have encountered over the past week. The posters are in the door, but there is reluctance to “enforce” them because businesses are hurting badly everywhere, and cannot stand the idea of alienate a possible customer.

The bigger the establishment, the tougher it may be to win a clear access without discriminatory and lawless demands imposed ostensibly under health department rules.

The following advisory is from the Ontario Civil Liberties Association.

Outline for local action on civil liberties

The OCLA recommends civil disobedience against mandatory masking Municipal governments and authorities in Ontario are arbitrarily imposing face masks in the general population, without any reliable scientific basis, and in contradiction of the precautionary principle. 

There are significant anticipated harms from the widespread use of masks in the general population, which both the World Health Organization and the OCLA have described in detail. [ http://ocla.ca/ocla-letter-who/ ] 

Governments are enforcing laws, by-laws and “health” directives that thereby put the general population at risk, while not having satisfied the onus of demonstrating that their draconian policies are safe, and not harmful to the very fabric of society. 

Therefore, the OCLA recommends peaceful civil disobedience against directives imposing masks in the general population. The OCLA provides the following practice guide for the civil disobedience. 

Vital steps for progress

➤ Do not be isolated. Find or form grassroots support groups, or even just one other trusted person who can accompany you. 

➤ Be polite, not argumentative. Do not be legalistic. Calmly state your position of defiance of the rule, without trying to convince authorities. 

➤ You do not need to justify yourself, or provide any evidence of special circumstances. Simply state that you will not comply because the directive is not justified. 

➤ Record your interactions with authorities and establishment personnel. Get name badges and positions. Ask questions to clarify what they are requesting and who is requesting it and why. 

➤ Make your recordings and reports public, on social media, and to your support groups. OCLA can receive and publish your reports, as one venue.

➤ Expect that other citizens will oppose you and that they may be angry or aggressive. Do not respond with anger or get into an argument. Your respectful act of defiance speaks for itself. 

➤ If they want to trespass you, then ask them to call police or security to do that. When a police or peace officer arrives, explain the situation calmly. Be cooperative. Follow orders. Do not resist arrest, if it comes to that.

➤ If you are given an enforcement or by-law ticket, ask why and on what basis. Anticipate fighting the ticket in court, as a next step. [OCLA does not provide legal assistance, but may help you find legal assistance.]

➤ Be strong, confident and positive about the experience that is civil disobedience. You are freely doing it for yourself and society. There is a cost but it is often worth it. 

Ontario lawyers who wish to provide pro bono assistance to fight fines are asked to contact OCLA via web, to be added to a list that can be used to inform those needing help: http://ocla.ca/contact/

The Tulis Report is 1 p.m. weekdays, live and lococentric.

One Response

  1. Seth

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