Wake County Business Owner Arrested for Defying Shutdown Order

APEX – An owner of a tattoo parlor in Wake County is facing economic ruin, worried he’ll lose his home and struggle to provide for his three children, because the pandemic panic shutdown orders have literally barred him from making a living. Matthew ‘Jax’ Myers thinks the shutdown orders are a violation of his constitutional rights and, left with few options to make ends meet, he did the unthinkable. Myers opened his legitimate business to the public once more.

Except the act of defiance only lasted about 10 minutes; he was cuffed and arrested just after turning on the ‘Open’ sign.

From Durham Herald-Sun (emphasis added):

“[…] Myers, 38, said he knew his act would get him charged, but under Cooper’s order, he is losing so much money that he fears he will lose his new house and fail to feed his three children as soon as June.

He said neither he nor any other small business owners he knows have received any small business loans or federal Paycheck Protection Program money, and he only got approval for insufficient unemployment payment after 13 attempts to sign up.

“I hope this will inspire other people to do the same,” he said, shortly before his arrest. “You can arrest one person, but you can’t arrest all these people.”

Myers has been joining ReOpenNC protests in downtown Raleigh, and his Apex Tattoo Factory has both a copy of the Constitution on the front door and a Don’t Tread On Me flag in the window.

He said his business, like all tattoo parlors, is inspected by Wake County health workers, and he has gone beyond normal levels of sanitation by limiting who can come inside and disinfecting every 1.5 hours. He has several months of backed-up work waiting, he said.

“If people are willing to take the risk,” he said, “it’s their body and their choice.”

[…] Told of the arrest, Wake County Commission Chair Greg Ford said, “Each of us is responsible for the choices we make, and those choices have consequences. One way or another, we’re always held accountable. I wish him well.”

These order are destroying people’s livelihoods and violating their sacred rights int he name of public health, while hospitals around Wake County operate WAY under capacity. County Commissioner Greg Ford ‘wishes him well,’ though. That’s nice; maybe those well wishes will pay this mans mortgage and feed his three children?

Myers is correct. The only effective way to deal with these destructive, invasive, infringing orders is the law of numbers. As the insane levels of authoritarian overreaction become clear to more and more people, they should reclaim command over their lives and livelihoods.

Good for Jax Myers in taking a stand. It’s sad that such a stand if even necessary, but that only means business owners like Myers need all the back up they can get.