Link to the April 2020 Michigan Libertarian
This is a resolution of an affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Michigan, but doesn’t necessarily reflect the view of the Libertarian Executive Committee or the membership as a whole.
By Donna Gundle Krieg
The following resolution was approved unanimously by the Executive Committee of the Northwest Michigan Party of Michigan. This resolution was written by Ben Carr of the Libertarian Party of Michigan.
RESOLUTION:
The Northwest Michigan Party of Michigan wishes to proclaim its strong condemnation of the recent actions of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in response to the spread of COVID-19, also called Coronavirus.
Governor Whitmer’s actions are a violation of the natural human rights of free movement and interaction. The recent restrictions on local businesses and public meetings will do irreparable harm to the economy of the state of Michigan, at both the personal and public level, which will be felt in the form of lost jobs, homes, and small businesses. Her abuse of state executive authority will only continue to create panic and needlessly isolate thousands of citizens who require personal and economic interactions to survive.
While we recognize the severity of Coronavirus, we do not believe such conditions grant the state additional powers. We instead advocate that the most effective method of protecting lives is reasonable restraint and self-isolation practiced by informed individuals.
The lifting of these government restraints will allow not only for the movement of needed goods and supplies—especially to the most vulnerable during such a time—but will also allow for the charitable aid and spread of needed developments for testing and medical technologies that the existing system will not be able to meet. The current measures are both oppressive and incapable of dealing with the crisis without the inclusion of aid on the part of private citizens.
We therefore call on Governor Whitmer to lift the authoritarian restrictions in place and restore the human rights of movement and interaction to the citizens of Michigan, as well as guarantee their rights to both property and bodily autonomy. We also call upon the public servants of Michigan to resist these orders and act to protect the rights of their constituents. Most importantly, we implore the citizens of Michigan to speak out against these egregious violations of human rights and demand a return to sanity and freedom.
