To the editor:

How nice. Our benevolent Governor “Walz lifts most virus restrictions by Memorial Day” according to the front page of The Journal on Friday. In typical fashion, if we do this, then Walz will grant that. As if he actually has some sort of Dictator power over us as Minnesota citizens. Oh, wait, he does have his current “Peacetime State of Emergency Powers”. As usual, we find ourselves trying to make sense of the permitted vs. outlawed activities. Oh, the dates and percentages. May 7. May 28. July 1. 59%, 46%, 70%. Through it all, Walz will maintain his stranglehold on our lives. Give up his powers? Not on your life.

While patting himself on the back for his wonderful job during the “pandemic”, he conveniently left out guidelines on our churches. Anyone wonder why? Walz quietly settled a lawsuit brought by Northland Baptist Church and Living Word Christian Center. The lawsuit challenged Walz’s unconstitutional infringements on churches rights to assemble and worship. Remember when Walz all but cancelled Easter 2020? Has anyone been attending church services with ropes on the pews, hand sanitizers on our altars, masks on our faces, and fellow parishioners looking sideways at those of us who refused to play the games in God’s House? Turns out the courts were about to give the devil his due, so Walz settled. Quietly.

Walz says he’ll remove his mask “mandate” by July 1 (probably the lowest viral transmission timeframe of the year), or when 70% of the people are vaccinated. Can anyone see him “turning the dials” in November-December when viral transmission naturally spikes? Could we envision masks coming back out or limits on gatherings again? Maybe a new demand of 80% vaccination, or even 90-100%? Has he ever moved the goalposts before? I don’t trust Walz any further than I can see or smell him.

It’s time Republicans in the Minnesota Senate grew a pair. Give Walz NOTHING until he surrenders his non-existent powers over us. Shut the State of Minnesota down if necessary (Walz did, why shouldn’t we?). It’s time the Democrats in the House figured out Walz has stolen your voice as well. The last thing we need this summer is endless, meaningless “Special Sessions” again.

Paul Platz

Lafayette