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By Briana GomezThe rally featured speakers such as Mayor Bill Wells, Congressman Darrell Issa, who was recently elected to the 50th Congressional District, and Senator Brian Jones.
Photo, right: Vegan ‘hippy’ car tells people to question authority.
Photo, right: Issa speaks to a forming crowd during the early stage of the event
“Welcome to our wide open El Cajon,” Issa greeted in a juxtaposition to the other 
neighboring cities with many closed industries.
Wells’s sentiments are reflective of the anti-mask, anti-shutdown campaign.
“Sometimes people say I’m a bad guy because I don’t care about people dying… but I ask them – why do other lives not count? Why do lives lost from suicide not count? Why do lives lost to overdose not count? Why are families ruined by divorce rates that are skyrocketing not count?” asked Wells.
The NY Daily News reported an increase in suicide ideation due to the climate of quarantine and COVID-19 in September, utilizing data from a CDC report that reported an increase in mental health issues and substance abuse compared with data from previous periods.
“All of these things count and all these things are going to be something that we’re going to live with the aftermath for years and years to come,” said Wells.
Photo, left: Wells addresses his audience telling the story of Jesus as a political insurgent
Photo, right: Jones talks to the audience about his plans to hold Newsom accountable in Sacramento.
Jones assured that he supports checks and balances that would limit Newsom’s power and advocated support of what he called patriot restaurant owners, who would open in spite of restrictions.
“That’s what America is about – the free market – if they’re offering the services and products you want and you’ve got money to give them, let’s do it!” said Jones.
Contrary to popular opinion, advocates of reopening the economy aren’t necessarily denying the existence of COVID, but some believe the data and severity has been inflated, while others are focusing on overall data as opposed to looking at COVID as the exclusive and imminent threat to public health.
Recent data suggests that COVID deaths in the United States from COVID are just over 300,000 individuals.
In comparison to the 2020 population of the United States at 331 million, this number falls at 0.1 percent of the population, a statistic that those in favor of the economy are heavily focused on to support their assertion.
But put a different way, CNN reported yesterday that one in every 1,000 Americans has now died of COVID.
Globally, the number of deaths is about 1.7 million compared to all counted global cases of 77 million infected individuals, for a global death rate is only two percent. The death rate, however, doesn’t account for many left with long-term serious health impacts such as heart, lung or brain damage from COVID-19.
Other small business owners are dismayed at the hypocrisy of large corporations packing people into large retail stores and airplanes, while local restaurants have taken appropriate precautions and yet were still forced to close.
Some falsely claimed that no outbreak has been linked to restaurants in San Diego County. But in fact, recently released County data shows that restaurants were tied for 208 outbreaks from March to November locally, KPBS reported this month. Restaurants had more outbreaks than any other business except nursing homes.
Alondra Ruiz, owner of The Village Restaurant in North Park is a known local advocate of reopening the economy.
Photo, left: Alondra Ruiz, owner of The Village, advocate of re-opening, and local alternative fashion icon
Unlike the conservative Caucasian politicians and audience that are usually drawn to this movement, Ruiz herself is an immigrant and part of an alternative subculture.
She attended the event with a partner, both dressed in alternative fashion,
Decked in all black with combat boots on her petite figure, Ruiz addressed the crowd with elegance and poise.
“Throughout the shutdown I kept seeing a bigger picture, greater than a virus, I kept seeing a consistency of big corporations thriving while small business owners had to close their doors forever,” said Ruiz.
An article in Forbes in July of this year said the COVID pandemic and subsequent shutdowns forced 73,000 businesses to close.
“It is our duty as human beings to stand up against oppression. We must acknowledge that every day we stay silent we are giving up our rights,” Ruiz added.
“If big corporations can open and airlines can sit people elbow-to-elbow next to each other, then small businesses can also open and operate,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz hosted an informative event for businesses owners over the weekend at her restaurant. The event was supported and attended by tattoo artist/celebrity Kat Von D.
“I think we can all agree that we are all of different beliefs and different desires, but the desire that the majority of us has [sic] is to live out the American dream,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz is one of many of the non-stereotypical “Republicans” that have followed the movement against closing the economy and against mandatory vaccines.
The movement has also gained momentum among some of the more liberal community of healers and even health practitioners.
Lara Koljonen is a San Diego-based acupuncturist who attended this event.
Her background is in kinesiology and sports medicine, and she later expanded on that by becoming a licensed acupuncturist in California. Koljonen works alongside traditional western medicine as acupuncture has become a more mainstream treatment and is covered by many insurance plans.
Photo, right: Lara Koljonen, LAc. wears her freedom hat in support of constitutional liberties to remain open.
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