Everyone's mad at Governor Reynolds

There are angry posts about Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on social media every day--several times a day. I even saw a post from someone who doesn't live in Iowa.

Why is everyone mad?

Governor Reynolds is one of just a few governors who has not issued a shelter-in-place directive to respond to the coronavirus spread.

Gold states have shelter-in-place orders. Iowa isn't one.

I looked up what a "shelter-in-place" directive is. It's what you'd expect. People should remain in place in their homes except for essential activities. Those activities include things like getting groceries or medicine, seeing a doctor, caring for elderly relatives, and (in most cases) outdoor exercise--provided you maintain a 6 foot distance.

With all the outrage going on about Gov. Reynolds and her reluctance to issue a shelter-in-place directive, I have been kind of "eh" about it. I mean, most people I know are already sheltering in place!

Many businesses have gone to work-from-home mode, lots of stores are closed. Schools are closed. Churches are doing online services. Entertainment venues from movie theatres to bars to the baseball stadium to the Paramount Theatre (where Orchestra Iowa performs) are all closed. It's not like we could gather in large groups very easily! I mean, who needs an official shelter-in-place order?

My ambivalence toward this order might have something to do with my disposition. I don't really like to be told what to do. It's not like I'm going to outright defy or disobey someone if they tell me I have to do something. But as soon as someone says I must do something, I start to ask questions. Why do I have to do this? Is this the best way to do things? What kind of outcome do you want? And the like.  Gretchen Rubin would call me a "Questioner."

]How do you respond to expectations--your own, and the expectations of others? You can take Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies Quiz  to find out!]

Despite my questioning tendency, I'm basically sheltering-in-place anyway.

But I'm doing it because I want to, not because you told me to.

As a Questioner, I've done my research. I've found out that, yes, staying home and away from other people IS the best thing to do at this time. So that's what I'm doing.

But here's the thing: Not everyone is doing this best thing!

On  Friday, I was shocked to see this article in our local paper about a "trotting horse" sale in southern Iowa--"hundreds" of people attended! 

It looks from this photo like it was the Amish community. Who else would be selling and buying harness horses?

And it's not like they don't know about the pandemic--they had postponed the sale already.

Someone posted on social media a note from a worker at Menard's (the big-box hardware store here) that basically said: "Don't come in to Menard's to wander around and look at stuff! Don't come to do random errands that you could put off! Don't come here because you're tired of being at home!" Clearly, people are doing that, despite the virus.

And last night, when we were on a walk, we noticed our neighbors having a bonfire with a group of people. I think there were fewer than 10 people, but still! And a friend on Facebook posted a photo of the same thing in her neighborhood in a different state.

Defying common sense.

So I guess maybe Governor Reynolds does need to issue an official order. I'll let The Other Dr. Nesmith help us understand why she has not done that yet!