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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unintentionally set himself up for the backlash of a lifetime this Saturday by taking to Twitter to plead with city residents to snitch on each other’s violations of basic social distancing rules and guidelines.
He issued the plea through a video in which he encouraged residents to text photos of social distancing infractions to the city’s non-emergency municipal services number.
Watch (disable your adblocker if the video doesn’t appear):
“Now look, thank you everyone who’s done [social distancing] the right way, but we still know there’s some people who need to get the message. And that means sometimes making sure the enforcement is there to educate people and make clear we’ve got to have social distancing. So, now it is easier than ever,” he enthusiastically said.
“When you see a crowd, when you see a line that’s not distanced, when you see a supermarket that’s too crowded — anything — you can report it right away so we can get help there to fix the problem. And now, it’s as simple as taking a photo.”
He continued by urging residents to snap a photo of the alleged infraction and either text it to 311-692 or use the city’s “NYC 311” app to submit it to the city.
Unfortunately for the mayor and his staff, this plan is rife with problems.
For one, de Blasio’s a raging hypocrite:
Here’s one from last night. pic.twitter.com/Di2iEbXqNz
— JimRockaway (@JimRockaway) April 18, 2020
I just texted my report pic.twitter.com/46POdNc9Pb
— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) April 18, 2020
On it 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/zGAWfUrEvW
— Mr. Chameleon (@Mr_Chameleon_) April 18, 2020
Whoops.
Second, while the idea of snitching on genuine crimes such as murder and rape is noble, the idea of snitching on social distancing seems ignoble.
Why? Because it’s these very sorts of concerns that two weeks ago led Colorado police officers to arrest a father for committing the “crime” of not social distancing enough from his own 6-year-old daughter as they played together at a park.
Moreover, this new 311 program could easily be abused by those hoping to sic the police on their personal enemies:
YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE CALLING ON PEOPLE MAYBE BECAUSE THEY DON’T LIKE THAT PERSON.MAJOR ROOM FOR ABUSE. AND COULD RESULT IN PHYSICAL HARM. USING CITIZENS AGAINST CITIZENS. YOU REALLY ARE HITLER
— Tatiana Sopia (@SopiaTatiana) April 18, 2020
Third, the mayor’s priorities seem disturbingly displaced. It was only a few weeks ago that he ordered the release of hundreds of “non-violent” Rikers Island inmates on the basis that keeping them confined during the coronavirus pandemic would be detrimental to their health.
One of those inmates wound up assaulting a 62-year-old retired carpenter after his release, while another wound up breaking into a closed newsstand.
Despite these disturbing consequences, de Blasio hasn’t backtracked. Meanwhile, he’s now siccing law-abiding citizens on one another.
To many, it seems remarkably absurd.
Look:
By all means let’s release criminals from jail so they don’t get sick but come down on the law abiding citizens of the city and turn them into commie watchdogs. If you didn’t have bad ideas, you wouldn’t have any ideas at all.
— Pointe Blank (@SamMend80571464) April 18, 2020
But let criminals out of jail and into the streets. Abuse of power is what I see.
— ryco62 (@ryco62) April 18, 2020
Smoke weed, snort coke, cook meth, abuse women/kids… that all ok….but report anybody that dosent follow commrade Bill’s rules…
— SP (@SP25329360) April 18, 2020
Oh my gosh this is Orwellian. Who would’ve believed in the land of liberty a mayor would encourage people to snitch on their neighbors. By the way thd same mayor who refuses to keep criminals in jail before the virus. This guy needs to go he is a tyrant.
— Pamela Murphey (@pmurphey47) April 18, 2020
Be sure to snitch on your neighbors! Throw them in jail, but let the real criminals out. What a great idea! 😬🤯😡
— Claudia Altenhofen (@harpersoo) April 18, 2020
It’s his city. He’s the guy in charge. The buck stops at his desk. That’s how it works. DeBlasio sets a terrible example. He sets a dangerous tone. He lets criminals out of jail & treats law abiding citizens like criminals. You see where this is going…?
— T. Zerilli-Edelglass (@TeresaEdelglass) April 18, 2020
OMG THIS IS UNREAL. I BET THE CRIMINALS YOU LET OUT OF JAIL ONTO THE STREETS TO FEAST ON THE INNOCENT DON’T SOCIAL DISTANCE WHEN THEY’RE ROBBED, RAPED, OR MURDERED.. THEN YOU HAVE THE NO BAIL LAW. OMG
— Tatiana Sopia (@SopiaTatiana) April 18, 2020
The latter Twitter user referenced a de Blasio-backed bill signed into law last year that eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanor and “non-violent” felony offenses, including but not limited to drug dealing and “criminally negligent homicide.”
And fourth, the mayor’s snitching plan may fit within a pattern of power overreach and potential “abuse” that’s been displayed recently by many Democrat lawmakers, depending on what exactly the “enforcement” he’s planning entails.
Note for instance how he spoke of the need of “making sure the enforcement is there to educate people.” That phrase seemed very Orwellian and left some wondering what the hell he meant:
“The enforcement”is there. WTF! 1984 here we come.
— Pamela Melton (@inhairb1) April 18, 2020
Key phrase, “Enforcement to Educate people.”
— Frosted Mini (@FrostedMiniTwee) April 18, 2020
He actually said enforcement to “educate”. So very Orwellian, or Huxley’s Brave New World. Please vote OUT any & all Democrats NY!!! Save your city & state!! DeBlasio & Cuomo did not prepare, wasted your tax $$ on boondoggles, then do this to “educate” ppl?! No more Dems. I ❤️ NY
— Marie Culbreth (@DINOright) April 18, 2020
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.
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