SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 18, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A “safe outdoor rally/revival” is planned for Saturday in a Salt Lake City park to protest the continued closure of businesses in Utah under the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” directive.
Despite the easing of two of the restrictions, announced by Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson on Friday, a group called Utah Business Revival, which bills itself as “a coalition of small business owners committed to getting Utah back to work,” is urging as many people as possible to attend the rally scheduled for 5 p.m.
Eric Moutsos, a former Salt Lake City police officer, recently started the Facebook group and has organized the rally because he, and many others, believe the state and local governing bodies have gone overboard in restricting normal business and personal activity in a misguided effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
One of his Facebook posts says, “Let’s all send a message to our government officials tomorrow by peacefully gathering in SLC @ 5pm that we are ALL ready to work, immediately!! All jobs are essential. All the time.”
Late Friday night, Moutsos posted a photo of the Constitution of the United States under the heading “Signed Permission Slip to Leave Your House.”
Basically, the issue comes down to the stay-at-home order versus the right to assemble and the need to earn a living. Hundreds of people are expected to attend the rally, in violation of the order, to push for re-opening Utah.
The mental stress of not working, the economic strain on families, may ultimately be worse than the virus itself, Moutsos has said.
“What’s the point of trying to save life, if we can’t even live life?” he asks.
“Government says we need ‘Common sense’ approaches; however, there’s no common sense by crushing the lifeblood and airway to America; our God given right to work and provide for our families,” he states on Facebook.
Moutsos is asking those who come to the park to practice social distancing; however, that’s a request, not a mandate. Attendees also may choose to wear masks and gloves.
The location of the park in downtown Salt Lake City will be disclosed at about 4:30 p.m. on Facebook, and possibly through email and text messages to those who have committed to attending the rally.
