By John VanOudheusden

What am I doing, an old white guy, several years past 70, driving to Lansing to attend a rally protesting the latest lock down order by Governor Whitmer?

I came of age in the ’60s, and even though this was in the time of my life that raging hormones were supposed to make me rebellious and confrontational, I never went to a protest or a demonstration. Too shy, I guess. Why am I driving two hours from Monroe, Michigan to the State Capitol?

Was it because I no longer can get my hair cut? Was it because I believe my freedom was stolen from me by the government? Didn’t I want to be safe? Of course, but I did not deserve house arrest. Why are beer stores and recreational weed shops open? Why can’t I get a follow-up appointment for my tooth extractions? Why could I buy wood chips at Lowe’s 10 days ago, but yesterday that whole section of their parking lot was taped off like some inner-city Detroit crime scene?

Maybe it was none of those things. Maybe it was all of them. Maybe there is just a nagging feeling that when there is a crisis and government steps in with its desire to control, the general population is in an extremely dangerous place. Is there no limit to what the government can and will do? Apparently not, if you listen to the “experts” who seem to think they have all the answers. Social distancing until a vaccine is found? Who benefits from all that? Who are the winners and who are the losers, and who gets to pick the survivors from the victims?

It was a uniquely American experience. I did not participate much and parked away in a side street. I wore my N-95 mask during the times I was outside and kept at least 10 feet away from everyone and I just shot a lot of pictures. I guess I will have to relive the experience through the photos to see what conclusions I need to come to.

Publisher Ralph Echtinaw’s note: John VanOudheusden is a Facebook friend who offered to take pictures of the protest and write a short article for the Sentinel.