Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state-wide “shelter in place” order, one of three such orders made that day, along with Florida and Georgia. Only five states have yet to announce such orders, so Mississippi was not dead last to the party, which I suppose is something to be congratulated.
In that vein, I also congratulate fish for swimming. This order was something that should have happened a couple of weeks ago. Scarecrow would have pulled the trigger on this even before his visit to the Wizard of Oz.
Critics in both parties in the state have been howling for Reeves to get with the program, but the truth is Reeves’ order probably won’t do much.
I know that may sound like a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you don’t assessment, but the biggest result of this order is that it will only serve to cause more confusion, provided that’s even possible.
It’s like signing up for a time share. It looks entirely reasonable, until you start reading the fine print.
To help you sort it out, I provide an annotated summary of Reeves’ comments in announcing the order:
“Every day, for the last several weeks, I have asked our health experts whether it is time for the ultimate action of a ‘shelter in place’ order statewide (All I heard, though, was blah, blah, blah). Yesterday, for the first time, we got the answer (I had been stubbornly avoiding). They told me we are now at a point in Mississippi’s cycle were such drastic restrictions are required…This will not be easy for anyone (who is trying to make heads or tails of this order), but we believe it is right (in the sense that maybe people will leave me the hell alone)…This order will be enforced (mainly, because it so broad that it requires hardly any enforcement). It will be taken very, very seriously (I was going to throw in another “very” so you would think I am, in fact, serious.)”
The Governor’s order, which will be in effect for two weeks beginning Friday at 5 p.m., decrees that people have to stay at home and non-essential businesses must close.
That sounds pretty straight-forward, right?
Then you look at the “fine print,” which are the exceptions outlined in the Governor’s previous – and still valid order.
Let’s start with the businesses. Reeves has slammed the door on normal business operations, unless you work in:
Government offices of virtually any kind.
Utility companies and telecom companies.
Manufacturing.
Agriculture, including farmer’s markets.
Retail businesses.
Hardware and building supplies.
Bars and restaurants.
Auto sales and/or service.
Schools/education centers.
Airports, ports and other transportation-related businesses.
Real estate.
Churches or religious organizations.
Nonprofits who serve underprivileged groups.
Construction.
The order says there may be other unspecified businesses that may still be allowed an exemption to the order.
So, essentially, if you’re not dealing drugs or turning tricks, your business isn’t likely to be affected.
And if that’s true, it also means you are free to patronize all these dozens and dozens of “essential businesses” since keeping them open means businesses can serve customers.
There are a thousand exceptions allowing you to pretty much come and go as you please.
So, really, the Governor’s order is all sound and fury signifying nothing.
As one cynic put it, most states have “shelter in place” orders. Mississippi has a “shelter all over the place” order.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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