In early May, over 1,500 protesters gathered in Huntington Beach to protest the “Stay-At-Home” order issued by the government. The “Stay-At-Home” order was issued in an effort to promote social distancing and flatten the curve, so to speak, in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths.

As cases continue to climb and fear spread throughout the country, people are beginning to grow wary of this turbulent unpredictable situation. While fellow Americans are dying and loved ones are left in despair, others have gathered in closed Orange County beaches to protest what they believe to be a restriction of their freedom. The protesters that were interviewed at Huntington Beach demanded the reopening of businesses and institutions deemed “unessential” like church.

It is true that many small business owners and other nonessential workers have suffered financially since the closing of these businesses, but it is imperative that we sympathize with those who have elderly family members (who have been observed to be more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus. Other protesters have claimed that it is not the government’s job to analyze the risks of their own health and make their decisions for them, which they believe was done through the order; in other words, the protesters would like the freedom of making their own risk assessments about the disease and decide for themselves whether they want to open up shop or meet in large groups.

The health of the nation should be taken seriously.

At this point, I think it is important to note that these protesters would probably not be demanding the reopening of the state of California if they had encountered this villain in one way or another.

The utter lack of sympathy for those with loved ones that are sick and dying can be attributed to the ignorance and obliviousness of the protesters.

Eugene, an eighth grader from Lexington JHS, and Lani, a seventh grader from Norwalk, both agree with me that the protesters’ perspective would be very different had they had encountered the coronavirus.

I say that the “Stay-At-Home” order is not an infringement of our freedom as to me, freedom means that I am free to live without worry for the health and safety of myself and those around me.

<Chanah Park/ Cypress High 10th>