On Friday evening, the state of North Carolina entered into phase 2 of Governor Cooper’s gradual reopening plan—except, that is, for Durham, which at first announced that it was extending its stay-at-home order indefinitely, then said last week that it would remain in place until June 1.

JOHN WILSON says Durham’s action betrays its leaders’ hypocrisy: “This goes to show that, as always, the rich white people running Durham don’t care about the poor people of color in the city. They say, loudly, that they care, but they don’t in any way that matters. Their virus hysteria is causing immeasurable hardship for people who actually have to go to work for a living.”

“People are crazy if they let these people dictate what they can do,” writes BETTY WILLIAMS.

“Yeah, ’cause we live in the United States of I Do Whatever the Fuck I Want and Consequences Be Damned,” replies PHIL BRADLEY. 

Phase 2 also made a distinction between restaurants and breweries (which are allowed to open at half-capacity) and bars (which are not). 

“I’m not sure what keeping bars closed is supposed to accomplish when various other social spaces like churches and restaurants are open,” BRIAN PORTER writes. “Are infection numbers magically supposed to go down because people are not in bars? Churchgoers dwarf bar-goers in this state and many other places in the South.”

“Because people at bars drink, get drunk, and lose judgment,” responds MARK ELLIS.

“[Breweries] are not bars,” writes WATT JONES. “There is a difference in licensing and how they operate. Bars typically serve food inside and have an on-premises license for alcohol and mixed drinks. Breweries, wineries, and distilleries typically do not serve food except for allowing food trucks outside. They also do not have on-premises mixed beverages. In a bar, you may end up with some half-wit drunk in your face spraying you with spit. I’ve never been in a winery, brewery, or distillery with a drunk falling all over you.”

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