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Time to work and be happy

It’s time for one of the things that makes us happy, WORK! We must re-open businesses on 1 June 2020!

Work is therapeutic for human beings! We need work for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. We need work to help us fight off disease. Our immune systems won’t fight if we only live in sterility; in fact, it’s unwise if you plan to be in the public, ask any immunologist.

Hindsight: it’s 20/20 and should give us a view of what’s happened in rural Minnesota; a few examples:

1) I think we closed down rural Minnesota far too early, probably the entire State of Minnesota too early. We could have waited and closed down for 8 weeks, April through May 30, as our strongest known projections for COVID-19 in our area were within that time frame.

2) It’s apparent that the projection models have basically been wrong. Look at what’s happening at a state and national level; our leaders don’t agree or believe the projections. The models and model makers are in strong dispute with what they themselves have put out.

3) Unintended consequences through decision making at our State level has caused the proverbial “picking of winners and losers”. Big Stores and Box Stores win because it is perceived that they are able to manage the public health better than small businesses.

By the way, Small Businesses actually have a personal relationship with their customers. It’s apparent our State Leadership doesn’t appreciate the intellectual capacity, the personal commitment, the fervent, (passionate intensity) for the safety of their customers. Small Business people are responsible for themselves; they will manage their personal risks and manage the risks and safety of their customers. It’s important to note that roughly 90% of business owners in America are small business owners.

My question is, why didn’t the small businesses get picked?

Think about it, this decision has had the most negative impact on Small Businesses, and they are the life blood of the American Free Enterprise System. We need to trust our small business people. Remember they don’t want COVID-19 in their home or business or the homes of customers or friends.

I will wrap us with these comments. Communication is a two way street. The one speaks, the other listens. We’ve been listening for months. Now Small Business is speaking — are you listening?

We must safely open our Small Businesses on 1 June 2020. We must safely allow our people to re-engage in their business/career life now. The commitment I believe from Small Business in Marshall who want to open is as follows:

1) Small Business will trust State Leadership for appropriate assistance/direction when needed.

2) Small Business will follow the safety requirements recommended by the State/Federal Government regarding good health practices.

3) Small Business will open thoughtfully, carefully and be responsible and manage personal risk as well as customers’ risks with the same approach as the Businesses that are open today.

4) Small Business recognizes that their customers should be trusted to be responsible for themselves and their personal well being.

Lastly, I go back to the beginning of the letter: Work is therapeutic for human beings. We need work for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

It’s truly about Liberty, Small Businesses must be allowed to open starting June 1.

— John Drown is a resident of Marshall

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