This is a Thread that attempts to list which of our constitutional rights have been suspended during the #CoronavirusOutbreak.

Article IV. Sec. 2, Cl. 1 guarantees that states can't discriminate against other states’ residents nor can they restrict movement between states.

2 weekends ago, the Governor of Rhode Island sent armed, camo'd National Guard police door to door to root out NY residents. Crazy.

Article IV. Sec. 4, Cl. 1 guarantees each state a republican form of government (our tripartite checks & balances).

Yet almost everywhere, legislatures and city councils have stopped meeting, and allow executives to govern by executive order. No checks, no balances.

The 1st Amendment guarantees the free exercise of religion. Yet police bar church doors and arrest clergy for holding services.

What if clergy took precautions like retail? Hold services outside, well-spaced, with no touching?

Home Depot is open, but churches are not?

The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of assembly. Obviously this has been restricted with good reason. I'm not sure I'd want to be in a big crowd right now!

But protesting is an important way for the people to manifest discontent, especially when facing gov't tyranny. Gone!

The 1st Amendment also guarantees the right to petition one's government. Yet the city councils that are actually meeting are holding these technologically challenged online meetings, that really diminish the ability of people to petition for redresses.

The #2A guarantees the right to protect one’s family & domain. Yet all over, government is closing gun vendors, making it impossible to buy a firearm if you want one. In LA & SF, cannabis is deemed "essential" but this right is not. Whether you hate guns or not, it's a little odd

The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right to be free from intrusive searches absent evidence of a crime. While this Amendment has yet to be violated in a widespread manner, governments may, in the near future, force YOU to submit to regular probes. How do you feel about that?

The 6th Amendment guarantees a speedy trial. This is important, so those not guilty of a crime don’t languish in jail while they await acquittal. Yet everywhere, courts are closing or significantly reducing operations.

(IMO, Courts are desperately needed during these times.)

The 14th Amendments guarantees a woman's right to choose. Yet states like Texas are using the crisis to halt all abortions. Do I have your attention yet?

The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments (and other provisions) guarantee the right of adults to vote. Yet states are infringing on these rights in a variety of ways.

Article One, Section 9 guarantees the right of Habeas Corpus. Yet AG Barr asked for permission to suspend it, during the early days of the pandemic.

Thankfully he was not successful.

Finally, the general concept of freedom has been severely diminished. Drones follow you in NY, reminding you to socially distance. Dads are handcuffed @ parks (despite following all posted rules). Beaches (constitutionally protected in CA) are closed. A police state, temporarily?

The aggregate effect of these infringements is that pretty much the entire constitution has become a casualty of #Coronavirus.

Some readers might be asking, so what? "During a war, laws are silent. We need measures to halt the disease."

Yes, but...

I agree with the premise that governments need broad power and clear mandates to halt the disease.

I called on government to take #Coronavirus seriously in JANUARY AND FEBRUARY (feels like a lifetime ago).

But the question is: how much is too much?

Some guidelines:

First, it's important to note that if we had acted sooner, if our government had been on top of this, with things like targeted quarantines, etc. -- we wouldn't have seen our constitution totally TRAMPLED.

Second, we've gone too far. I mean, if 7-11 and K-Mart can stay open (with appropriate distancing mechanisms), closing a church or synagogue seems excessive and heavy-handed.

Third, it becomes clear that our governments weren't just physically & medically unprepared, but that they were institutionally unprepared too. Hopefully this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but we need strong rules and backup plans for keeping courts and legislatures functioning.

We've survived crises in the past without nearly this level of total and comprehensive infringements. John Adams suspended habeas corpus and curtailed the press during the scared early days of our republic. History books are uniform in their disdain.

FDR interned Japanese citizens during the panic and paranoia of World War II. We look back with disgust.

Ditto for the Red Scare of the 1950s.

How will history judge 2020's restrictions and infringements?

I personally believe that governments need to tread a little lighter and be more pragmatic. The disease is scary, and those who took quick action deserved to be lauded. It's a balancing act. But right now, our society is falling on the totalitarian side. That's a mistake.