An open letter to Governor Brad Little

This letter was sent to him on August 10 by certified mail

To The Honorable Brad Little August 10, 2020

Governor of the State of Idaho

Dear Governor Little

As I am in the ‘vulnerable’ category of the population susceptible to the coronavirus, which is currently raging out of control, I plead with you to immediately decree a statewide mandate requiring face masks and social distancing in all public settings. I am fearful of even the most mundane of ‘necessity shopping’ because of a small number of people who refuse to wear face masks, even when it is required by the business. Many businesses are reluctant to enforce their own face mask and distancing policies, simply because there is no statewide mandate. While my wife and I, and many others, live in fear of contracting the coronavirus, which is a legitimate ‘life or death’ fear, a small minority exercising their ‘Macho’ ‘I have my rights’ are the current version of Typhoid Mary!

I would suggest the decree would have a clause that gave the appropriate authority in every jurisdiction, such as Mayors and County Commissioners, the right to waive all or part of the decree within their jurisdiction. Those authorities would also assume responsibility for the consequence of their waivers, and that clause should pacify the ‘I have my rights’ crowd. The decree should also ‘spell out’ fines and penalties for violations, and specify the means of enforcement.

As there is some ‘Constitutional’ basis for the ‘Macho’ crowds’ ‘rights’ claim, such as in the Preamble and the first clause of the 14th Amendment, each of these are modified by the term ‘the general welfare’.

While I am certain you, Governor Little, are as aware of the numbers, and the ultimate result, as I am, I would like to point out that the US has the highest total cases in the World, and has 22% of all deaths in the World, while the US has less than 5% of the World Population. I bring this up to highlight the terrible job the Federal Government has done controlling the ‘spread’ of the coronavirus, denying such simple measures as limiting ‘air’ travel, both International and domestic, and to this day, no mandate on face masks! As we speak there are over 160 thousand coronavirus deaths in the US, and without question the majority of those pre-mature deaths could have been avoided, with reasonable controls. I would also like to point out that Sweden, which has very limited coronavirus controls, has the third highest death rate in the World (570 per million) and one of the World’s worst ‘spread rates’, is only spreading at 25% of the spread rate in Idaho! (Idaho has gone from 3,140 on June 6 to 23,399 on August 6).

While it is a fact there was very little scientific data available in the early stages of the pandemic, by the time Idaho’s first case occurred there was considerable. The current consensus, supported by the available data, is face masks are the first line of defense! (while there are thousands of dead people connected to the coronavirus, I have never heard of anyone dying from wearing a face mask) As for me, I look forward to the day when I am not waiting for a ‘death sentence’ to be carried out! Much of that is in your hands, Governor Little, and I am confident you will act accordingly, and do the prudent and just thing. There is no reason for the State of Idaho to emulate the unconscionable mistakes made by the Federal Government!

I wish you the best of luck in a very difficult job.

Dick Byrd

HC 33 Box 160

Rogerson, Idaho 83302

#354 www.byrdsword.com

October 12, 2020