It's Back...People Are Snitching on Area Businesses--(Op-Ed)

During the American Revolution, they were known as "Tories," colonists who remained loyal to the crown and resisted the Patriots. Some even fought alongside the British.

Then came the Quislings and collaborators during World War II. Quislings came from the name of a Norwegian leader who fully went along with the Nazi's during their occupation of that county.

In France, the citizens and the famous Resistance had to watch out for the Collaborators, who even aided the Nazi's in locating and persecuting French people who resisted.

But after the US and British liberated France and especially Paris after D-Day, the Collaborators were dealt with harshly by the population. The women who fraternized with German soldiers had their heads shaved, and were forced to parade up and down the city streets while the rest of the population threw rotten vegetables (and 'other' objects) at them.

We are NOT in any way advocating any kind of actions like that. However, this is merely a point to illustrate how people in general, human nature, do not tolerate snitches--especially when what they are resisting is considered by many to be dangerous, unhealthy or detrimental.

Now, since the arrival of COVID, we are seeing perhaps similar behavior by fellow citizens...even neighbors? We get it if a business is resentful of a competitor who "stays open" while they follow the rules. But we're referring to people who actively go out of their way (even make lists) to look for non-compliant businesses, share them with others, and turn them in.

These are two such examples we found. They were brought to our attention. We will NOT participate in doxxing, the practice of publicly shaming or defaming private citizens that you hear about. Moreover, this is to remind us that we need to remember who our friends and neighbors are, and that perhaps the need to feel "self-righteous" can be acted upon for the wrong reasons, and at the wrong time.

It's made all the more sad because these businesses are fighting for their lives in many cases, and those who take it upon themselves to self-righteously snitch don't get that.

Just sayin. Below are the screenshots brought to our attention.