The only way the State of New Jersey can ensure proper social distancing is by stepping up the efforts at deterrence. Violators and those who would encourage them and otherwise speak against the social distancing measures being instituted for public safety must be made an example of.
Many solutions to this problem have been tried but with little success. Fines and penalties as well as the accompanying stigma of media shaming has produced some result. But this solution and other intermediate one’s have failed to achieve the desired effectiveness.
While arresting these violators may be appropriate in many instances, this virus has unfortunately created a challenge to this. The necessary closure of the jails and release of its occupants means that there is no place to incarcerate such violators.
What is needed therefore is to put a stop to intermediate measures and come up with a final solution to the question of what to do with social distancing violators and other miscreants who would stand in the way of dealing with this emergency.
The recent closure of county and state parks affords a ready answer on how to implement this solution. The governor should immediately commandeer these lands and erect temporary holding areas where those who are detained can be held in an appropriately socially spaced manner. Tents can be used until such time as the offenders can erect their temporary barracks.
As an added benefit and in order to fully bring the magnitude of their offenses to light perhaps those who wantonly disobeyed the governors order can earn their freedom more readily by working to overcome this virus. They can work building field hospitals, ventilators and a whole host of other necessary equipment for this war effort and defeat this virus.
What...for sitting in your car or walking in a park, you are sent to a worker gulag to make socially useful items?
Get on the train.
Work makes you free.
The other day I listened to an interview with Jon Taffer by Alex Marlowe on Breitbart Morning News. Taffer talked about how the restaurant industry would change post-lockdown.
The first caller after the interview was a bagel-maker from Brooklyn. He said that the things Taffer spoke of were unrealistic, because New Yorkers (and NJ commuters, I suppose) would not social distance at coffee shops for five minutes after having crammed into subways during rush hour, and waited for crowded elevators to the 35th floor.
In a big city, I can see his point. Why would social distancing for the few minutes one spends in line at Starbucks make any difference after spending 30 minutes on a crowded subway and 10 minutes in a crowded lobby waiting for the elevator?
-PJ
You forgot the /s.
Thanks you have me laughing my ass off, but you did forget the sarcasm tag.