Hillary Clinton was right. There are deplorables, and about 150 of them lined the Chief John Ross Bridge on Market Street on Sunday to protest what they said are attacks on their constitutional rights in the government’s actions to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Times Free Press reporter Wyatt Massey covered the event and wrote: “The majority of the protesters did not wear masks and walked closely together. They held signs including “Freedom is Essential” and “We are citizens not subjects,” or carried “Don’t Tread on Me” flags. They voiced anger at the forced closure of businesses, churches and parks in response to COVID-19. They criticized the actions of politicians, including Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Gov. Bill Lee and, for some, even President Donald Trump.”
Certainly the protesters on the bridge have a right to protest and be heard, and perhaps calling them deplorable is too harsh.
The real deplorable is President Donald Trump, who – peevishly understanding finally that he does not have king-like authority to override states’ shutdown rules – took to Twitter on Friday to incite protests around the country.
With several all-caps tweets, Trump went after Democratic governors and states that have acted responsibly: LIBERATE MICHIGAN and LIBERATE MINNESOTA and LIBERATE VIRGINIA.