Restaurant closures

In response to Robert Wilkins’ letter supporting County Executive Steuart Pittman’s closure of restaurants (The Capital, Dec. 14). I’d like to offer an excerpt of a letter I sent our county executive explaining what will happen starting Thursday:

Thousands of restaurant employees will be out of a job two weeks before Christmas. Many of them support their families. Most of them either pay rent or a mortgage. Merry Christmas, sir.

Hundreds of restaurant owners will be financially devastated. Many of them have invested their hard-earned time and money into their businesses. Many of them will not recover.

Hundreds of restaurant suppliers will watch their sales plummet. Everyone from the produce company to the trash hauler will be negatively impacted financially. Some will never get paid for their goods and services. Should the owners forward the invoices to you? Just asking.

Among those people most affected, we’ll see an increase in alcohol and drug consumption, an increase in the need for public assistance, an increase in emotional and financial stress, depression, sadness and fear.

These people have done everything you’ve asked of them for the last nine months. They’ve rented tents, worn masks, reduced their hours, delivered meals, social distanced, changed their menus, sanitized their facilities and reduced their capacity. The net result has been decreased sales, laid-off staff and unimaginable hardships. So far, they’ve bled slowly. Now comes the dagger. Sorry, that’s not good enough.

So, Mr. Wilkins, is it really worth that? You repeatedly referred to the “experts” in support of your opinion. Really? Frankly, we’re kind of done with the so-called experts.

The last time I looked we still live in the greatest nation on earth. People from all over the world want to come here to earn a living and escape tyrannical governments. What Pittman has done is deny us both.