Michigan sheriff claims stay-at-home order is like placing residents under arrest (Grand Rapids protest)

The Hill ^ | 5/19/20 | Justin Wise

[Libloather]

A Michigan sheriff compared the governor's stay-at-home order to a mass arrest of the state's residents while speaking at a rally this week opposing the coronavirus restrictions.

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf told the gathering in Grand Rapids, Mich., that by definition the governor's measure was placing people of the state under arrest, according to MLive.com.

“What’s the definition of an arrest? It’s basically taking away your free will, your right to move about,” Leaf said, adding that "an unlawful arrest is when you do it unlawfully."

"So when you are ordered to your home, are you under arrest? Yeah, by definition you are," he added.

Leaf was reportedly the only sheriff to speak at the "American Patriot Rally — Sheriffs Speak Out" event, which was held at the Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids. Invoking the site's name, he argued that a barber in the state who had opened his business in defiance of the stay-at-home order was a “little version of Rosa Parks,” MLive.com noted.

**SNIP**

The rally on Monday night came just hours after Whitmer announced that Michigan's northern region and Upper Peninsula would be allowed to open retail businesses, bars, restaurants and offices starting Friday. Bars and restaurants will be required to operate at reduced capacity.

[Libloather]

Keep it up. Whitler doesn't enjoy these protests.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It’s house arrest. No other term for it.

[faithhopecharity]

thank Heaven ... it took a sheriff to prevent the so-called “governor” from stealing the citizens’ civil liberty

[painter]

Isn’t there a Federal Judge out there that will declare these stay at home orders unconstitutional ? !

[HotHunt]

Who stays at home? I've been out and about anytime I feel I need to be. No one has stopped me yet. And I don't see other people being stopped either. Pretty much people going about their business like they always have around here and in the city.

Not one to accede to having the government micromanage my life. Did that in the military but not since.

[P-Marlowe]

Your cell block number is painted on your curb.

[cyclotic]

one of my kids along with my mother in law live in Barry County. Vestiges of Free America.

[pelicandriver]

At least when we joined the military we knew the deal and voluntarily agreed to it.

[Kirkwood]

Yes, I can go places, but not everyplace. I can do things, but not everything. I’m glad it doesn’t affect you, but 99% of us are affected by this. I think you just don’t see the effect it is having on everyone around you.

[HotHunt]

And what effect is that?

You watch too much TV and all of their scare tactics. 99%? Where did you come of with that number at? Somebody on TV?

I have a cattle farm to run and I'm not interested in what some ignorant politician or bureaucrat is spouting to further their agenda to my detriment.

I've lived through every pandemic since I was born and there's never been a peep out of the politicians or media until this one. Now they want you to think this is different but it isn't. You think it is because they tell you it is but it isn't.

This virus scare is the medical version of the climate change alarmism. If you don't give us all of your money now, the world will burn to a crisp. If you don't stay indoors, go broke with no job or future, we're all going to die. And yet here we are. Life goes on, doesn't it?

Life is risky and every time you get up in the morning, you take risks. What's happening this time is not making people safer but just more controllable, like you. You do what they say because they tell you to.

[painter]

Same here.