That illustration originally was the offspring from someone opposed to gun control legislation, and the oft-times inability of such laws to accomplish what the proponents say they desire to see.
However,
this allegorical anecdote is very much applicable to the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources’ recent edicts on how to contain
the cronovirus (COVID-19).
Among
the actions is ceasing for an indefinite period of time the sale of
fishing and hunting licenses to non-residents. Along with some
exceptions such as license reprints, a subscription to “Wild Ohio”
magazine, and a few other odds and ends.
And
the Natural Resources Department has also reiterated Ohio Governor
Mike DeWine’s order that anyone coming into Ohio self-quarantine
themselves for 14 days.
“As
we have previously stated, while individuals who currently possess a
non-resident hunting or fishing license may hunt or fish in Ohio,
they are asked to abide by (Ohio Department of Health) guidance and
self-quarantine for 14 days before they do so,” said the agency’s
chief of Communications, Sarah
Wickham.
“We
believe many non-resident hunters and anglers are choosing to stay
home until the COVID-19 guidelines change or are lifted and we
appreciate their commitment to their safety and the safety of
Ohioans,” Wickham
said, continuing.
Even
more disingenuous is the Department’s statement
that “We have seen a dramatic decrease of out-of-state license
plates at our boat ramp parking lots in the past few days.”
Those
“past few days” just happen to be weekdays, not weekends. Those
“past few days”
further have been plagued on Lake Erie with rain showers, snow
showers, and
high
wind warnings with breezes of strengths powerful enough to causes
seas on the lake to
rise several
feet.
Of
course under such circumstances boat ramps won’t be used with the
zeal of a weekend; not by either Ohio boating-anglers or or by
non-resident boating-anglers.
It
is a bit deceiving to suggest otherwise. Sort
of like former President Bill Clinton’s infamous comment: “It
depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
The
Natural Resources Department adds that “Wildlife (Division)
officers are checking licenses in the field and working at many of
the northwestern Ohio boat ramps to encourage social distancing.”
That
statement must be viewed with something of a jaundiced eye, though.
The reason is the Natural Resources Department earlier instructed its
law enforcement officers not to engage in “regular” checks of
fishing licenses.
Such
is an important caveat as any individual suspected of over-bagging
will also be subjected to a license check. That is a far cry from
“regular” license checks.
As
for encouraging boating-anglers to observe social distancing, a few
hours spent last Saturday (April 4th) at the Natural
Resources Department’s three uber-busy public ramps in Ottawa
County saw no such pro-active work on the part of either Parks and
Watercraft personnel nor Wildlife Division personnel.
Try
as it might otherwise, the Natural Resources Department has proven
far less transparent and much more tolerant of activity that
threatens efficient and speedy containment of COVID-19.
In
other words, the Natural Resources Department is simply lowering the
speed limit to prevent drag racing through town.
- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com
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