Overindulged in Privilege

Illustration by Carolyn Burt | The Corsair

As we enter phase two of California’s safer at home order, many California residents are beginning to become fed up. For a while this wasn’t a problem, but now our privilege is showing.

Since March 19, residents were advised to stay home and only go out for essentials or if they were essential workers. Residents now have the options to go to parks, beaches, and certain open trails (in addition to being required to wear a face covering). The laws also forbid large gatherings. 

A massive crowd of hundreds, sharing the mutual thought that we should start opening businesses and the economy, gathered on May 1 in Huntington Beach. In a livestream of the protest posted by the Sacramento Bee you can hear protesters screaming “Traitors!” to police. Many are mistaking being inconvenienced with being "oppressed." However, if we just abide by the order, we could be done with the stay at home faster.

They still have their freedoms and choices in the palms of their hands, despite new rules that will benefit everyone in the long run. Some are not wearing face masks at all, in addition to starting Facebook groups for bigger outdoor protests and being completely rude to those who abide by the order.

For example, just last week in Dana Point, a woman went to a Gelson's grocery store and proceeded to try to enter without a mask. When told by a greeter she could not enter, she asked for a manager, stating she has a medical condition where she can't wear face masks. She then went on to say that she was facing discrimination because she was not allowed to enter the store without a mask and said she would sue the store and company. This coming after the store manager gave her an option to accommodate her by having someone shop for her.

She’s not the first, nor the last, to reveal how much privilege they are used to having.

Cameron Verge is a Political Science Major at Santa Monica College, who works at a Target in Culver City. “Customers are forgetting that we are dealing with the same struggles as they are during this time. We all have families and people that depend on us to stay safe. Yet these customers lose sight of that and they’re extremely rude and overly pushy,” said Verge. “Take it out on us when we don’t have the item they want. It’s just bad during this time because part of me wants to let them have a piece of my mind but I know I just have to keep it professional.”

Not only is this a problem, but Facebook groups put together for those who want to protest and be above the law are full of hypocrisies about oppressions. Groups like #ReOpenOC and ReOpen California have many residents complaining how they are oppressed and their constitutional rights are being taken away, when it’s really just them not wanting to be inconvenienced by wearing masks.

“WE THE PEOPLE run this. This is our show not theirs. They work for us. People can bow down all they want... Don't need an excuse to exercise my constitutional rights. You can wear a mask. You can be a sheep. I refuse,” said Adam Kiefer in #ReOpenOC Facebook page about having to wear a mask to attend a Huntington Beach city council meeting.

Another example of people not following the order and showing their privilege is the hundreds of California residents going out to the beaches maskless. Wearing the mask while out is to prevent you from spreading COVID-19. Even if you feel perfectly fine, you can still have it. Many have reportedly been asymptomatic when diagnosed with it.

It's very selfish and dangerous to possibly expose others to this sickness because you feel it's not a serious matter. This also includes those who are going to the beach in large crowds or having social gatherings with more than five people. It is the very definition of recklessness.

How much more selfish and thoughtless can you be? Imagine how fast things will spread once you have a gathering of 10-15 people in your home. This shutdown is only exposing those who have never been told "no" in their life.

When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like discrimination.

For a long time, people thought they were above rules; but now with COVID-19, everyone needs to listen to the orders not just for the safety of themselves, but also for the rest of us. Not obeying the stay-at-home order is only delaying the possibility of our state slowly opening back up.

The more we ignore what is asked of us, the longer we are stuck in this situation. We can’t progress unless we work together to stay home. Are we so privileged that we can't see we are hurting ourselves by not actually practicing the social distancing rules?

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