Commissioners’ claims
To the Editor;
In their “Resolution of Protest for Piscataquis County,” our county commissioners protest Gov. Mills’ mandate to combat the pandemic. The resolution states that they were “elected by strong majorities,” However, James White and Wayne Erkkinen ran unopposed and Andy Torbett won by only 274 votes. They claim that the majority of their constituents agree with them. They cannot prove that to be true.
They claim their constituents want to stop wearing masks, stop social distancing and open restaurants and small businesses. Some do, but it would condemn many more Mainers to death from COVID-19. We know that seatbelts may be inconvenient, but they save lives. So do masks and social distancing. If our commissioners had bothered to educate themselves regarding the pandemic, they would know that the states and countries where such has been allowed have seen dramatic rises in COVID-19 cases and deaths, not to mention the lingering health problems for those who have gotten COVID-19 in the years to come.
Their claims that Gov. Mills’ edicts are “turning neighbor against neighbor,” ignoring their primary purpose — to save lives. The county commissioners state that “despite compliance, the virus continues to spread.” It is continuing to spread, but not nearly as quickly in Maine as in states that have chosen not to require masks, distancing and lockdowns. For example, to date Maine has reported 33,559 cases (2,447 per 100,000) and 511 deaths (38 per 100,000). North Dakota, which was not requiring masks or lockdowns, has reported 95,886 cases (12,582 per 100,000) and 1,406 deaths (184 per 100,000). As a result, North Dakota’s Gov. Doug Burgum has finally announced an extension to a statewide mask mandate and restrictions on public-facing businesses as the state begins to reign in its once worst-in-the-nation COVID-19 outbreak.
The resolution claims that “research shows face coverings and lock-downs only worsen and lengthen the virus track through the populace.” We know this is not true. The resolution claims that research shows that face coverings, while not preventing the virus, cause respiratory disease and pneumonia. The director of the Maine CDC said that every word they mentioned in their resolution was false.
The resolution states that “rates of suicide, drug abuse, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse and depression are on an alarming rise throughout our country.” This is true because of the rise in COVID-19 rates and deaths throughout our country. And this is why we need to follow the edicts of Gov. Mills.
The resolution states that “the Commissioners of Piscataquis County have no authority to nullify the edicts of this Governor,,,” How true. However, these county commissioners “do Protest and Demand that the mandates and the lock-down issued by the Governor be lifted…” This would cause a rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths. And not only that, but this would further hurt our economy as well.
Write to your county commissioners and let them know that the majority of us Mainers not only disagree with them, but are offended that they so consistently ignore the truth.
They will be having a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m. if you would like to listen and comment. The log in information is on the Piscataquis Commissioners Facebook page.
Stay safe and wear your masks!
Kathy Cerick
Sebec