In what is clearly a break from the standard Sanctuary City you might expect from California; it would appear that there are citizens from Stockton, CA who are pushing to get their mayor and city council to consider giving Stockton sanctuary status for businesses. This is very similar to the efforts of Campbell County, VA residents who passed what they call a “First Amendment Sanctuary” resolution in defiance of Governor Northam’s COVID19 restrictions.
According to Recordnet.com, approximately two dozen protestors showed up at Stockton City Hall demanding to be heard by city leaders. They gathered to protest the lockdowns in San Joaquin County and their negative impact on businesses. Brianna Southern, who works at Southern Exposure hair salon and spa said, “If we can be a sanctuary city for drug addicts and for illegal aliens, we can be a sanctuary city for businesses.”
Another business owner in attendance, Michael Midgely of Midgley’s Public House stated, “All people are essential. All the employees I have, they’re essential to people in their lives, their families. Restaurants are essential. Food is essential. They’re just like handpicking our industry for some reason. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The business owners decried the unjust treatment that small businesses were receiving which is in stark contrast to that of big box stores and large chains. “We won’t be silenced and my restaurant is open today, come and get some. They’re not going to shut me down. They’re gonna have to like take me to jail,” Midgely said.
These words are similar to those of the citizens of Virginia counties who passed resolutions declaring themselves to be Second Amendment Sanctuaries or “gun sanctuaries” earlier this year. Much like Virginians refused to give up their guns, it appears that the business owners of Stockton, CA are not going to give up their livelihoods without a fight.
In honor of these brave business owners who face potential fines and jail time for standing their ground and remaining open, I decided to create the design below, “Arrest Criminals Not Business Owners”. If you’d like to support the work I do here, please consider making a purchase. Thank you so much.
You can click the links above to purchase any of these three items or click the button below to visit our store and check out any of the other 56 products available with this design.
