Santa Cruz Seven: ‘Idiots,’ or unfairly targeted day-trippers?
Some Roadshow readers say the police were overstepping when they busted the Fremont residents at a 7-Eleven.
Q: I believe the Santa Cruz Seven were within their constitutional rights to drive from Fremont to Santa Cruz earlier this month to get “essential” drinks. Could they have made a different choice and stayed home? Sure. Does their choice warrant a $1,000 fine for each without due process? No.
The behavioral orders currently in place are understandable because of the COVID-19 virus. Most are voluntarily complying. Clearly, the behavior is helping.
Joe Chappron, Milpitas
A: If Santa Cruz police wanted to send a message to not gather in large groups, they succeeded. Fines can range from $50 to $1,000 and can include jail time.
Q: These kids have an easy defense. They were going to the beach. California’s constitution guarantees that the public has a right to the beaches and to fish. Santa Cruz is overstepping its boundaries.
Jim S.
A: Not everyone agrees.
Q: The seven idiots were fined because they violated social distancing guidelines. There is little point trying to argue these niceties with ticked-off local cops when there are plenty of wide-open places to drive in the non-coastal counties as I’ve done many times over the past month.
S.L., Sunnyvale
A: Maybe we can dispatch these cops to those outrageous sideshows in the East Bay.
Q: There’s a reason “life” comes before “liberty” and “the pursuit of happiness.” It is the most basic freedom, and government, as a representative of us, is doing what is necessary to best protect life, and that is exactly its role and its function.
Mike Smith
A: But …
Q: There are way too many people coming to the coast. Stay. At. Home. It’s not rocket science.
Megan Moore
A: And …
Q: It sucks that they had to close all of our parks and beaches in Santa Cruz County over Easter break because of people driving here so that even the locals couldn’t enjoy them.
Maggie McNesby
A: And …
Q: If you can walk to the beaches, then it’s OK. We need to exercise as it helps the immune system, lungs and heart. We just have to keep 6 feet from others. If only locals go, then nowhere gets too crowded and you can keep proper distances. Around us, parking lots are unblocked, and they are allowing people in.
Roger Miller
A: And back to Mike Smith for today’s final word.
Q: Perhaps we overreacted to COVID-19. At the time, these decisions were taken when we had very little information on which to base them. I think it will be some time before we know how appropriate our response has been. But I will go out on a limb and suggest we should have reacted faster.
Mike Smith
A: Me, too.
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