It was gratifying to read about a restaurateur standing up to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. And he did it in a slightly earthy manner.
“We ain’t paying crap,” said Mike Mangano, the owner of Taste of Sicily. He made the comment when he learned that the Wolf administration wants to fine him $10,000 for reopening his restaurant in Palmyra, Pa. before the governor gave permission.
The governor ordered all nonessential businesses to close down in March. Like other small business owners, Mangano complied but later decided to reopen without a waiver or any other type of permission in May. He also opened up without requiring patrons to wear masks, stay anti-socially apart from one another, and without any special plastic barriers installed in the restaurant. So, Wolf decided to hit him with that hefty $10K fine — because the Mangano wanted to provide for his family and stay off the government dole.
His response?
“Some rob you with a gun, while others rob you with a pen,” Mangano is quoted as saying. “There’s absolutely no fear here. We’re going to continue to come to work, and the governor ain’t going to do anything about it…We ain’t paying crap.”
Even better than that response was the fact that a judge agreed with Mangano. Judge Carl Garvey opined, “…the family-owned business was treated in an unconstitutional manner and that they would not be liable for any arbitrarily assigned fines from Wolf’s administration.”
Arbitrary indeed. Wolf’s decree over what businesses were essential and nonessential was willy-nilly with no scientific backing. Recall that Wolf exempted his own former business, a cabinet supply company.
Now the governor is trying to say the increase of COVID-19 cases in the state can be attributed to restaurants and bars. But Mangano is undeterred.
“We don’t care what the repercussions may be…We want the world to see how ridiculous it is for being penalized to go to work.,” he said.
Figuratively thumbing one’s nose at a governor is not the same magnitude as throwing a bunch of tea in Boston Harbor, but the spirit is the same. It says “no” to bad, overreaching, and arbitrary governance.
It’s too bad other people don’t flip off those “in charge” when government types violate their rights. During the past few weeks, even on warm and sunny days, people are walking the streets of West Chester with masks on. They’re not congregating, just walking along. Why the masks outdoors? Because the mayor decreed everyone had to wear a mask in public or be fined $300, an order well beyond the mayor’s range of legitimate power.
Some people — including members of the Libertarian Party of Chester County — complained, but Borough Council voted to uphold the measure. It was a narrow margin, though. A 4-3 margin upheld the decree that removed another element of free choice.
Too bad council didn’t overturn it. Even more, it’s too bad people docilely go along with such actions. If people are convinced that masks make them safe, they will wear them without being forced to do so. After all, good ideas don’t require force. Clear and honest information is what carries good ideas.
If people want to wear masks whenever they leave their home, that’s OK, it’s their business. But being forced is wrong and people need to stand up against arbitrary dictates.
While the mask mandate in West Chester doesn’t put people out of work and doesn’t force businesses to close, it has hurt local businesses and it’s still government overreach. As with all things governmental, force must be challenged. The world needs more people like Mike Mangano.