Un-welcome the stranger

Gina Raimondo, the governor of Rhode Island, apparently forgot that her state is not actually an island when she imposed an authoritarian, illegal “papers please” order telling Ocean State police to pull over vehicles with New York State plates and question travelers on buses and trains.

Yes, as the coronavirus crisis continues, New Yorkers should abide by state stay-athome guidelines, now reinforced via a federal travel advisory. No, other states have no business trolling their territories for people who might have scarlet “NY”s beneath their clothing.

Over the weekend, Raimondo half got the message. After a discussion with Gov. Cuomo, she revised her order. The bad news: She is now questioning everyone from out of state.

Asinine. Raimondo’s problem is not a few cases dribbling over her borders; it’s preventing spread within them. Her tiny state, population 1 million, has 300 confirmed COVID-19 cases. If that rate is to be believed, it’s higher than in 37 other states.

Maybe Raimondo thinks she can be a New England version of Florida’s Ron DeSantis, who is making a name for himself as America’s most dunderheaded governor during this pandemic. It was DeSantis who, after failing to close beaches to spring breakers, later tried to adopt his own anti-New York traveler measure, and it was he who whispered in Donald Trump’s ear about enacting a quarantine on New York, before wiser heads got that changed to a CDC advisory.

Roger Williams founded Rhode Island as a religious refuge that welcomed all. Raimondo insults his legacy, and the intelligence of the rest of us.