# Seems like just the other day, not getting haircuts and being made to wear masks was tyranny **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 2, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948 "2020-06-02T22:01:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/1 "2020-06-02T22:01:10Z")
Oh wait, it was just the other day. Now, bringing military might - and maybe the military itself - down on protesters is A-OK with pretty much that same crowd. Very much including Trump. Guess what’s ‘tyranny’ depends on who’s being killed/arrested/mildly inconvenienced. Like the [saying](https://twitter.com/HeerJeet/status/983563156776562689) goes, conservatism consists of exactly one proposition: there must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/2 "2020-06-02T23:11:24Z")
There’s no real debate here; I probably should have put this in IMHO or somewhere. Mods, feel free to move it to wherever you think is best. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/3 "2020-06-02T23:12:26Z")
You got it. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/4 "2020-06-02T23:22:31Z")
To be fair, lots of libs were freaking out over mass gatherings this time a week ago. People who last week were worried about all the dead bodies that would ensue from the anti-lockdown protests are now marching arm-in-arm with complete strangers. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But the invisible enemy is still out there. Lots of people are going to get sick, and not all of them are going to be healthy 20-somethings who bounce back after a few days. It will be very sad. But yeah, the conservative side of the aisle’s got some things to reckon with. The priests being tear-gassed in front of their church yesterday should have made every right-winger rush the White House. You can’t get any more anti-First Amendment than that! It did disturb some of them, if r/AskTrumpSupporters is any indication. I guess time will tell if it moves the needle significantly against Trump. But I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/5 "2020-06-02T23:29:08Z")
Libs are still freaking out about mass gatherings, but some are going to protests, it’s called courage. My wife is high risk, but I thought about going down to the White House today to protest. Instead, I gave Biden a shit ton of money. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/6 "2020-06-03T00:00:24Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > To be fair, lots of libs were freaking out over mass gatherings this time a week ago. People who last week were worried about all the dead bodies that would ensue from the anti-lockdown protests are now marching arm-in-arm with complete strangers. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But the invisible enemy is still out there. Lots of people are going to get sick, and not all of them are going to be healthy 20-somethings who bounce back after a few days. It will be very sad. > > But yeah, the conservative side of the aisle’s got some things to reckon with. The priests being tear-gassed in front of their church yesterday should have made every right-winger rush the White House. You can’t get any more anti-First Amendment than that! It did disturb some of them, if r/AskTrumpSupporters is any indication. I guess time will tell if it moves the needle significantly against Trump. But I doubt it. Yeah remember when that Ozark party was the biggest news story of the day and people on twitter were freaking out that this was going to be the new major epicenter of infection? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/7 "2020-06-03T01:02:38Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > You got it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/8 "2020-06-03T01:06:33Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > But yeah, the conservative side of the aisle’s got some things to reckon with. The priests being tear-gassed in front of their church yesterday should have made every right-winger rush the White House. You can’t get any more anti-First Amendment than that! It did disturb some of them, if r/AskTrumpSupporters is any indication. I guess time will tell if it moves the needle significantly against Trump. But I doubt it. But they weren’t \*real \*Christians - they were _Episcopalians_. Freedom of religion is only for people following the true God in the true way, y’know. ETA: The fact that they were also violating these people’s private property rights won’t matter to them either. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/9 "2020-06-03T01:13:56Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Oh wait, it was just the other day. > > Now, bringing military might - and maybe the military itself - down on protesters is A-OK with pretty much that same crowd. Very much including Trump. > > Guess what’s ‘tyranny’ depends on who’s being killed/arrested/mildly inconvenienced. > > Like the [saying](https://twitter.com/HeerJeet/status/983563156776562689) goes, conservatism consists of exactly one proposition: there must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect. Well just the other day 100 million people were going to die from Covid-19 and all the government officials health authorities were recommending no gatherings bigger than 10 or so, wear masks, avoid non essential travel. Now it’s silence with regards to the pandemic. People were being threatened with arrest for going to church. How quickly things change. Now folks are gathering in huge crowds. Sure they are wearing masks but that’s to disguise identity not to protect the public. And people aren’t arrested if they go to church now. Provided they bring hammers and molotov cocktails. And what do we hear from the authorities? Nothing. Did Covid-19 magically disappear or is it no longer the selling papers or capturing eyeballs for the cable news advertisers? The same group burning down the establishment, looting productive businesses, and blocking highways and assaulting travelers are probably going to be the first in line to take advantage of the ERs when they get Covid. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/10 "2020-06-03T01:34:54Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Libs are still freaking out about mass gatherings, but some are going to protests, it’s called courage. That’s what every group mass-gathering says. The church with 500 attendants? Courage. The funeral for a community leader? Courage. Everybody thinks that their reason for risking the lives of others is special and exempt. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/11 "2020-06-03T02:00:41Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > …Sure they are wearing masks but that’s to disguise identity not to protect the public. And people aren’t arrested if they go to church now. Provided they bring hammers and molotov cocktails… Please provide a cite for these claims. Thanks. Regarding elected officials, Cuomo has been very vocal about worrying about another breakout in NY. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/12 "2020-06-03T02:18:43Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Please provide a cite for these claims. Thanks. Dude, why would you even bother? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/13 "2020-06-03T02:18:46Z")
that was about ‘their’ freedoms. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/14 "2020-06-03T02:25:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > That’s what every group mass-gathering says. The church with 500 attendants? Courage. The funeral for a community leader? Courage. Everybody thinks that their reason for risking the lives of others is special and exempt. Cool story, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/15 "2020-06-03T02:29:45Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Yeah remember when that Ozark party was the biggest news story of the day and people on twitter were freaking out that this was going to be the new major epicenter of infection? Yeah there’s always sudden changes of view when previous views become inconvenient, and it’s characteristic of partisan/ideological people of various stripes, but the contrast between scolding people for not wearing masks outdoors at social distance last week, not even just pool parties, and the general silence from the same people about huge crowds very close for hours in demonstrations this week, pretty remarkable. Seems like a lot of demonstrators wear masks (not nearly all), but we really don’t know if masks help all that much in crowds that big and close which go on for hours. I hope it’s not as bad as it looks, but the outdoor mask scolding (a complete and utter joke were it to resume at this point) was highly likely an excess IMO, being worried about these huge crowds is not. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/16 "2020-06-03T03:00:36Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > And what do we hear from the authorities? Nothing. Maybe you’re just not paying attention? I mean, for example, here’s today’s [briefing transcript](https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-cuomo-responds-escalating-violence-and-looting-amid) from the governor of one of the largest states in the US: > [@](#): > > This situation — we have multiple crises that are colliding and that creates confusion and disorientation and that’s where we are now. We have the COVID crisis that is still going on. At the same time, we have a new crisis from the civil unrest from the murder of Mr. Floyd. I believe that’s what it was — I believe it was a murder. And then to further compound the situation, you have an environment that is racially-charged and politically-charged. […] > > You want this solved? Let’s understand what we’re trying to solve for first. COVID-19. Let’s take that issue and pull it out. On the COVID-19 issue, day 94, we have more good news today. Number of hospitalizations is down. Number of new COVID cases walking in the door is at an all-time low – 154. Congratulations to the people of the state of New York. Look at what you did. Look at the progress you made. God bless you. > > Number of deaths just about as low as we have seen it. The numbers, again, are not 100 percent accurate given the system, but you see the overall direction. So, we’re doing very, very well when it comes to dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. […] > > Civil unrest post-Mr. Floyd’s killing – that’s also a complex situation with a number of levels. You have protestors who are outraged at what has happened and you have criminal activity, looting, extremist groups, who are using this moment for their own purposes and exploiting this movement and moment. Two very different things. […] > > But what’s happening in this environment with all the politics, with all the anger and rage, all of these issues are getting blurred. COVID-19 is one issue. The outrage over Mr. Floyd’s murder is another issue. The protesters are one issue. Looters are a totally different issue. We can’t blur the line between these problems. Otherwise you wind up solving nothing because one is blurring into the other. […] > > I also remind the protesters that their point is very important and their outrage is justified. But keep in mind during this moment when you’re going out to protest, we’re still in the middle of the COVID pandemic. We’re just reopening Western New York. We’re just reopening the Capital District. We’re going to reopen New York City this coming Monday. Yes, protest, yes, express your outrage, but be responsible because the last thing we want to do is see a spike in the number of COVID cases, and that is one of the complications of these compounding crises. I know a lot of the protesters are so annoyed they don’t want to hear about COVID anymore. “COVID is yesterday’s news.” No, COVID is still a problem. And COVID still kills also. So be mindful and respective of that. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/17 "2020-06-03T03:22:18Z")
> [@Corry\_El](#): > > Yeah there’s always sudden changes of view when previous views become inconvenient, and it’s characteristic of partisan/ideological people of various stripes, but the contrast between scolding people for not wearing masks outdoors at social distance last week, not even just pool parties, and the general silence from the same people about huge crowds very close for hours in demonstrations this week, pretty remarkable. Because the simple fact is that white people have been telling black people for decades, if not longer, that now isn’t a good time to agitate for their rights, and doing it now would just make it sound like one of those times (not to mention it would sound an awful lot like “coronavirus is more important than institutionalized racism because coronavirus can actually affect ME”). ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/18 "2020-06-03T03:54:07Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > The priests being tear-gassed in front of their church yesterday should have made every right-winger rush the White House. No teargas was deployed. Please don’t spread misinformation. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/19 "2020-06-03T04:01:19Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Libs are still freaking out about mass gatherings, but some are going to protests, it’s called courage. My wife is high risk, but I thought about going down to the White House today to protest. Instead, I gave Biden a shit ton of money. Smart man. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948/20 "2020-06-03T04:51:06Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No teargas was deployed. Please don’t spread misinformation. [Police](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arlington-county-virginia-officers-washington-dc-tear-gas-protesters/), [clergy](https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/06/im-shaken-priest-forcibly-removed-by-police-from-dc-church-for-president-trump-photo-opportunity-shares-experience.html), and [reporters](https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/1267803974461259779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fdc-protesters-trump-church-visit) are disagreeing with you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-just-the-other-day-not-getting-haircuts-and-being-made-to-wear-masks-was-tyranny/854948.md?page=2)