Patriot, This year, Americans have been forced to live under the most tyrannical rules we’ve ever seen, while the rule-makers are hypocritically out living it up and breaking them. That would be bad enough, but they’re also playing favorites with the big corporations, while they destroy countless small businesses. There are so many stories coming out about businesses across the country that are being targeted and harassed by the politicians and the corporate press -- it’s almost impossible to keep up! Staten Island Bar Owner Keith McAlarney, owner of Mac’s Public House had no other option to feed his family than to stay open and operate as a profitable business. The New York Times reported on his fight against Governor Cuomo’s destructive shutdowns: When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo mandated a 10 p.m. curfew at bars, Mac’s Public House, a tavern on Staten Island, stayed open after hours. When the state suspended the pub’s liquor license, the general manager announced a way to skirt the law: by serving food and alcohol for free — still indoors — in exchange for a contribution. Keith McAlarney, the bar owner, ignored cease-and-desist notices and rapidly accruing fines, he said. Mr. McAlarney painted an orange rectangle out front and declared the bar an “autonomous zone.” Business owners will need to continue to get creative and stand up against having their livelihoods destroyed. Washington Gym Owner Gym owner Michael Knick in Washington State has said that he’d rather go to jail than close down his business again, after Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee targeted gyms again for closure. The Washington Times wrote about the threats against him and his business if he doesn’t close down: “The lockdown on the fitness industry, it’s been detrimental to a lot of the mom-and-pop shops, businesses like mine,” Mr. Knick said. “If the government comes and forces me to close, they can take me to jail. They can give us a bunch of fines. We’re not too worried about that. They can fine me $1 million a day. What does it matter if my business is going to shut down if I shut down?” Michael is not backing down because he realizes that giving in will not do him any good, no matter how much money in ridiculous fines that he is hit with. Southern California Restaurant Owner Angela Marsden, who owns Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill, posted a viral video about being unfairly targeted for closure by Governor Gavin Newsom’s incredibly draconian lockdowns. Her situation was so obviously unfair because she had sunk thousands of dollars into creating outdoor dining only to have it shut down just as outdoor dining was being set up for a movie studio – in the same parking lot! Apparently the County has deemed the movie studio as “essential,” but her restaurant is not, according to their logic. CBS-Los Angeles reported about her video on Friday: “Tell me that this is dangerous but next to me is a slap in my face,” Marsden said. “Everything I own is being taken away from me and they set up a movie company right next to my outdoor patio.” Under the county’s guidelines, video and music production is deemed essential. Many production crews also test employees frequently, while under the recent Los Angeles County health order, restaurants like Marsden’s were forced to shut down their outdoor dining. Marsden says she spent close to $80,000 building and making her facility coronavirus compliant, only to be told her doors had to remain shut for in-person dining. Marsden only has enough in reserve, after all these expenses, to get her through February. This is one the worst example of Covid-favoritism. Arizona Gym Owner One gym in Scottsdale, Arizona has never shut down, despite Governor Doug Ducey targeting gyms for closures multiple times. Jeffrey Mahaffey, who is also a veteran, owns the gym and caters to personal trainers who bring their clients in, which means his business supports several other small business owners. The Arizona Republic, a newspaper known for cheerleading the closure of businesses in Arizona, writes about Mahaffey’s refusal to back down from the Covid tyrants: Mahaffey said he has been cited dozens of times by Scottsdale police since summer for disobeying the governor's executive orders. Now, he refuses to comply with the state order, which he says is overreaching. He said he tore down the closure notice that the Arizona Department of Health Services hung in his gym's window on Wednesday, and he won't stop doing business even if the state tries to padlock his doors. "They can try," Mahaffey told The Arizona Republic on Friday. "I'll just take the doors off the hinges if that's the case ... I will not close my business." Governor Ducey, the health department, and Scottsdale Police ought to respect Mahaffey’s position and stop harassing him. If you and I are going to stop this madness, we must stand up for these innocent victims of government tyranny NOW! We simply must do all we can to support them and their businesses. And we must build our army of activists to fight back! Maine Restaurant Owner Sunday River Brewing Company owner Rick Savage in Bethel, Maine was one of the first to defy lockdowns in the entire country, by reopening his restaurant on May 1st, in defiance of Governor Janet Mills’ forced closures. He’s been battling Mills this entire time and is routinely harassed by health inspectors looking for “Covid Violations.” He’s even followed the inspectors’ path after they leave his restaurant to see if they bother any other restaurant owners. Of course Savage didn't see them stopping at any other restaurants. Bangor Daily News chronicled Savage’s battle against Governor Mills on Friday: Savage has been a vocal opponent of Mills’ coronavirus-related business restrictions since the spring, even reading Mills’ cell phone number on air during an appearance on Fox News. After continuing to operate despite having his licenses temporarily revoked, Sunday River Brewing was ordered to close in May, but Savage pledged to defy the order even if it meant going to jail. The restaurant’s license has been suspended six times but the business has operated 100 days during suspensions since the spring, according to the Maine Attorney General’s office. Savage has now pledged to have his brother operate his restaurant, but they will remain open. Civil disobedience should not be the only option for business owners to stay open. Especially those who have done nothing wrong. Governors across the country will be tempted to use and abuse their newfound power throughout the winter months, so many will have no other options. If Americans are forced to make these kinds of choices, they’ll have to continue to act this way until the tyrants back down. It’s long past time to fight back. For Liberty, Heather Director of Legislative Affairs Campaign for Liberty