I don’t normally get into American politics or news stories here, but the Shelley Luther case is one worth mentioning.
The Dallas salon owner who was jailed for refusing to close her business during the coronavirus pandemic has described her two-day stint in lock-up as ‘not pleasant’ – but says she doesn’t regret the decisions that landed her there.
Shelley Luther spoke to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night, hours after she walked free from the Lew Sterrett Justice Center after the Texas Supreme Court ordered her release.
The owner of Salon A La Mode was sentenced to seven days in jail on Tuesday for refusing to shut down her business in accordance with the state’s stay-at-home orders.
District Judge Eric Moye, who handed down the sentence, had given Luther the option of avoiding jail if she apologized for what he described as her ‘selfish’ behavior, paid a fine and kept her doors closed until salon restrictions were lifted.
But Luther didn’t agree to those terms, and on Thursday she told Hannity she stands by that decision.
‘That was the last thing I was going to do, honestly,’ she said. ‘I just couldn’t, I couldn’t bring myself to apologize.’
Steve Turley discusses it at some length. The reason I am linking to his video is because he shows footage of the judge in the case and Luther’s response.
To say that the judge’s remarks were chilling is an understatement. They sounded like a medieval heresy trial – the very idea that someone should apologise to the state for wrongthink is deeply abhorrent. Yes, she defied an order, but sometimes, that it the right thing to do, regardless of the consequences. She went with her conscience and stood up to these bullies. Her jailing caused a backlash, the governor changed the order and the supreme court ordered her release from jail.
Not all stories of the little man – or in this case, woman – standing up to tyrants results is such a rapid happy ending. But it’s nice when it does and this one is a good story of someone fighting back and winning.
Finally, listen to her response to this creature. It almost makes me want to buy a red baseball cap.
If some US states are having lockdowns and others not, will that work like a controlled experiment to see whether or not lockdowns work? The results could be interesting and it is possible that this woman will be vindicated.
Give it a year and we will know the answer to that one. Much like the Swedish model.
As far as I am concerned, standing up to tyrants is always the right thing to do.
Wuhan Stasi in USA – No idiot rambling & advertising
Judge jailed her for contempt of court, not breaking rules – she refused to say “Judge, I’m selfish, I apologise, I won’t reopen”
– Dallas, Texas salon owner who refused to apologize for reopening jailed for 7 days
Texas AG asks judge to reconsider
https://youtu.be/uGDx6q9bRRE?t=85
– Texas AG appeals in Supreme Court
TX Supreme Court orders salon owner be released from jail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlBgbCy1vL8
– Recently freed salon owner speaks out in exclusive ‘Hannity’ interview
youtube.com/watch?v=nR5Z2kRPmAc
Well done Shelley, Texas Gov & Texas AG
What I found amusing was the judge actually believes that the U.S. has some form of equitable and just legal system. It doesn’t, it has a Banana Republic system based on how wealthy you are and who you know, Texas in particular. Study the life of Lyndon B Johnston to see what real Texas law is about.
“The very idea that someone should apologise to the state for wrongthink is deeply abhorrent.” Although if she were Canadian it would be compulsory….
We have something similar, a local garden centre/nursery refused to close despite a council Coronovirus Prohibtion Order and words of advice from the Police who also threatened to fine customers for buying ‘none essential’ items.
The owner argued that local supermarkets were selling the same goods so why not his 3 outlets?
So far no word of prosecution.
I was surprised that he did not argue that many of his goods enabled people go grow their own food = DIG FOR VICTORY.
The local branch is still open, applying the same distancing rules as elsewhere while much of the shoppers browsing is done in the open air anyway.
My 89 year old mum has been going to the local garden centre in her village near Guildford to buy essentials rather than engage in the scrum at her local Sainsbury’s.
Many people did not realise that it was Sunday hours for large stores on Friday’s bank holiday so by 10.15 the queue at Sainsbury’s was even further round the car park than usual.
I went to my nearby convenience store no scrum there either.