Disobey Idaho protest doesn’t represent what most Idahoans want: a safe path forward

Correction: This editorial has been corrected to remove a reference to a protester waving a Nazi flag at the Michigan protest, an accusation that appears to have been fabricated.

Idaho’s stay-home order is working, and we have to continue to let it work. Further, the order is constitutional and necessary.

But that didn’t stop three activist groups from staging a protest Friday afternoon at the Idaho Capitol in downtown Boise.

The event, dubbed Disobey Idaho, was held to protest Gov. Brad Little’s extension of the statewide stay-home order.

“We will gather on Friday to remind our employees of the state that we will not stay silent while they attempt to destroy the lives of Idahoans and our economy,” the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho Second Amendment Alliance and Health Freedom Idaho announced in a social media post.

In their instructions to protesters: “Attendees are encouraged to follow social distancing procedures.” Why would they do that? And, in fact, based on the photos from Friday’s rally, they didn’t.

So now, we can expect people who attended the rally to infect others, who will then go out into their communities, to the grocery store, to the park and spread the virus to others.

We find it fitting that they dubbed their protest “Disobey Idaho,” describing the actions of a group of petulant children who don’t know how to behave even for their own good.

On Wednesday, thousands of protesters drove past the Michigan Capitol building to protest their governor’s stay-home orders and demanded businesses to open back up.

Some waved Confederate flags, and many participating in the protest, dubbed “Operation Gridlock,” stayed in their cars and honked their horns. Some protesters did get out of their cars to greet each other and pass out candy to children.

In a fitting twist of irony, that protest blocked the passage of an ambulance trying to deliver life-saving treatment.

In another twist of irony, Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the actions of the protesters likely helped to spread coronavirus, possibly resulting in the need to extend the stay-home order even longer.

Not to be left out, here we have Idaho, or at least a group of Idahoans who, like a temper-tantrum-throwing child upset that they have to go to bed early because Mom and Dad said so, want in on the action.

Look, we all want to go back to work. We all want to go out to dinner and to visit friends and return to life as we once knew it. But those of us who understand the seriousness of the situation also understand the need to continue the stay-home order.

We will bounce back from this economically. What we can’t bounce back from? A widespread outbreak of COVID-19.

Protesters continue to beat the drum of the stay-home order being unconstitutional. And, of course, if they won’t listen to medical experts weighing in on medical matters, why would we expect them to listen to legal experts weighing in on legal matters?

Nonetheless, “The law in this area is clearly defined,” according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, a Republican. “I have no problems with providing a legal defense of the governor’s order and stand ready to do so should the need arise.”

Wasden said Little’s “stay-at-home order is well within the constitutional and statutory boundaries for such an order.” The governor’s authority “is codified throughout Idaho law,” according to the AG’s office.

Under the Idaho Constitution, the governor is the “commander of the militia,” which grants the authority to issue such an order. Additionally, the Department of Health and Welfare and local public health districts have authority to issue quarantine and isolation orders.

“Gatherings of individuals outside the home are prohibited, with certain exceptions for essential activities or essential travel or to perform work for essential businesses and government agencies or perform essential infrastructure work,” the order states. “All people in Idaho shall immediately cease hosting or participating in all public and private gatherings and multiperson activities for social, spiritual and recreational purposes, regardless of the number of people involved.”

The Idaho State Police has jurisdiction over the Capitol Mall. The Boise Police Department was aware of and was monitoring the protest, according to a spokesperson.

Violation of the order is a misdemeanor, but Little has said he is not focusing on enforcement.

“Peer pressure from the communities is always our first preference,” Little said during a March 25 news conference announcing the order. “We absolutely have to have this (order) take place, but our goal is not to arrest people,” Little said at the time.

The issue here is clear. Saving lives must be our first priority. The actual facts show the medical experts were right. The stay-home orders have worked. Lives have been saved. If the protesters really want to help the people of Idaho, as they say, they should go home and stay there.

Disobey Idaho says the stay-at-home order will destroy the lives of Idahoans. Idahoans’ lives will be destroyed, all right. That’s what epidemiologists tell us will happen if we lift the stay-home order prematurely. Idahoans and the mayors of Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell stand behind the governor’s decision and, according to the latest Statesman’s poll on the governor’s action, almost two-thirds of those responding say the governor made the right call.

The people have spoken, and Disobey Idaho ought to obey the will of their fellow residents and should have spared the city of Boise the distraction of a rally that reflects the views of a few.

This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 4:40 PM.