To the Journal editor:

State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, recently applauded the State Supreme Court ruling stripping the Governor of Emergency Powers, stating “Emergencies happen, but only for a time” and “the people, through its elected Legislature, have a voice and it must be heard.”

Sen. McBroom, what voices you are listening to? The voices I hear (friends, family, scientists and state data) are telling me:

1. Cases and deaths in the Upper Peninsula are at an all time high. We are the worst in the state, per capita.

2. “Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” are difficult when we or a loved one are sick or dying or dead At least 7,000 Michigan citizens have died. Two co-workers have lost their parent or grandparent to COVID-19 in the last 2 weeks.

3. Masks save lives. It is a body covering, of which we have many mandates. We are required to wear shirts and shoes in buildings. Oh my God! What an intrusion on freedom!

Perhaps we should all be nudists? Women especially are subject to body covering mandates in multiple settings, including schools: how long a skirt can be, what kind of shirt can be worn etc.

Masks save lives. The same cannot be said of shirts, shoes and skirt length.

We are waiting for the Legislature — which had over 6 months to prepare while it complained and fought the governor’s orders — to step in. I expected they had been planning ahead for this “win.”

Sen. McBroom said it was “past time” to end the governor’s orders. It is “past time” for the Legislature to address this face on. If thousands of sick and dying citizens — getting worse weekly — is not an emergency, what is?