I think some people are getting the wrong idea about what some of the protestors are trying to say.
I don't know anyone who is saying 'let's not have social distancing, let's not take precautions.'
For example:
Thousands protest Michigan governor's social distance order
“The majority of demonstrators remained in their vehicles, and most of those who were on foot were practicing social distancing,” Banner said.
Four sheriffs in the northwestern Lower Peninsula called Whitmer’s orders a “vague framework of emergency laws” that are frustrating citizens. Leelanau County Sheriff Mike Borkovich said people don’t understand why they can’t take a child fishing in a motorboat but they can use a kayak.
“We’re trying to keep the peace with people. ... The economy is coming apart in northern Michigan. People are upset,” Borkovich told The Associated Press. “People are frantic to get back to work. They have been very edgy.”
The anger seemed to be about the way the governor made up her kind of haphazard regulations.
For example,
the governor forbids citizens to purchase vegetable seeds or vegetable plants. Those things are there, in open stores, but are not able to be purchased because the governor says so.
But this is the proper time to plant garden seeds, right now. And because of the pandemic, many people feel they should start having an alternate food source in the immediate future. And they have plenty of time to prepare a garden right now.
So they ARE allowed to go into the hardware store or the box store to purchase some items, but they have to look at the tomato plants and seeds, and walk past, for some arbitrary decision by one woman. And she has not been able to say specifically WHY no one is allowed to buy veggie seeds now.
I cannot see the harm in allowing people to do that. The store is open, the cashiers are there, the citizens are there buying other items, so why not allow them to start gardens now?
The same thing with people being arrested or ticketed for being in their own cars, in a church parking lot, watching a livestream of a church service on a huge screen. WHY can't they sit in their cars and watch the service?
People are feeling that many of the rules are arbitrary and needlessly oppressive.
A father ticketed for playing catch in his front yard with his 2 kids? Is that necessary?
The protestors are not saying they don't want to flatten the curve. But they want some consideration in how this will be done. Why can a boater be allowed to take their kayak out on the lake but not allowed to take their kids out in a small fishing boat, to try and catch food?
Why can they buy liquor but not tomato seeds?
I think these are valid questions.
We want our economy to keep running, so why can't people purchase gardening supplies, or paint or tools to work on their property while they are locked down for 8 weeks? Seems it would greatly benefit the community in a few ways.
And if the customers wear masks and gloves they will not be putting others at any more risk than they do when purchasing food or medicines. JMO