Thread by @drjmetz

THREAD: California's "guidance" for holiday gatherings are taken from the East German Stasi or Hungarian AVO.

Have more than 2 adult siblings? Make your holiday Sophie's Choice. More than "3 households are prohibited." That quote is bolded in the text.

cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/D…

2/ No problem, right? Just have more than one party with each of your siblings.

Nope. "Participating in multiple gatherings with different households... is strongly discouraged."

Oh well. Choose wisely, then. Family politics never cause drama, fortunately.

3/ "The host should collect names of all attendees and contact information in case contact tracing is needed later."

We've gone beyond "papers please" and "report your neighbor," now. This is an *actual* demand from the State to record and report your whereabouts.

4/ "Gather Outdoors."

In December.

"All gatherings must be held outside."

In December. Like that's not going to encourage colds or other illnesses.

"Attendees may go inside to use restrooms."

How generous of California.

"As long as they are frequently sanitized."

Uh huh.

5/ Forget about putting up shelter from the cold or wind.

"Gatherings may occur in outdoor spaces that are covered by umbrellas..., and other shade structures provided that at least 3 sides of the space (or 75%) are open to the outdoors."

Do you welcome the "Umbrella Police?"

6/ Better reserve your space now in your favorite park. Because only ONE gathering can take place at a time.

"multiple gatherings of three households cannot be jointly organized or coordinated to occur in the same public park or other outdoor space at the same time"

7/ Don't give Grandma a Christmas hug if you don't live with her. That's verboten.

"[t]he space must be large enough so that everyone at a gathering can maintain at least a 6-foot physical distance from others (not including their own household) at all times"

8/ Following up on that last mandate:

"Seating must provide at least 6 feet of distance (in all directions—front-to-back and side-to-side) between different households"

9/ You may want to hire an event coordinator for some of these rules.

"A place to wash hands or hand sanitizer must be available for participants to use"

Just make sure that you clean the restroom if they use it to wash their hands, of course.

10/ The mask rule is unambiguous and stated without irony.

"Face coverings can also be removed to meet urgent medical needs (for example, to use an asthma inhaler, take medication, or if feeling light-headed)."

11/ Whatever you do, DO NOT CELEBRATE.

No singing. No physical exertion (no rough-housing, you crazy fools!). No chanting.

Okay, if you sing, do it with a mask. And more than 6ft. And quietly.

Oh, and wait to you get to the music rules.

12/ "Instrumental music is allowed as long as the musicians maintain at least 6-foot physical distancing. Musicians must be from one of the three households. Playing of wind instruments (any instrument played by the mouth, such as a trumpet or clarinet) is strongly discouraged"

13/ Now, I can't recall a time when I brought out my tuba at a Christmas event, but I *do* remember a time when we sat at the piano and sang songs together.

But, hey. "instrumental music" is a reasonable compromise, right?

14/ Look, this is insane. I mean, truly insane. For months we have struggled under ever-greater oppressive (and arbitrary) rules that have forced people to give up their individual liberty and freedom in the name of a "greater good."

15/ The warning was always there, but ignored.

These policies have been priming people to accept the sanctity of their home is gone, that the government owns your home also because it can invade it with policies.

16/ One by one, we've allowed them to do it. We've turned on each other to ease the transition, with full compliance.

I have actually been accused of being a murderer (and worse) because I've objected to these policies and infringements.

17/end

Freedom is not lost at the fall of a gavel. It's surrendered one choice at a time.

And we have been making those choices in a Faustian bargain with our governments.

When is it "time" to choose to stop this insanity?

Food for thought.

Happy holidays to all.