By Michael Dilley, Guest Commentator
The Zone gym was forcefully closed yesterday by the Champaign County Sheriffs Office in conjunction with State's Attorney Julia Reitz and Judge Tom Difanis. Like many other shuttered businesses in the State of Illinois, the Zone and it’s employees are suffering tremendous set backs and loosing their livelihoods, and it just continues.
As with many other in Illinois, the Zone believes their Constitutional rights have been violated and chose to exercise what they believed to be their right. They did it properly with precautions and notified their members. They pursued legal council and duly informed the proper organizations ahead of time. May I remind one that this is America, with founding documents protecting our freedom and rights. Those who detract from that fact may find themselves needing it someday. To allow this to occur without opposition is the first step in losing these very important rights, no matter what your opinion might be on what the Zone did. Just ask our Jewish friends or those in Communist China how this ends. Just because an autocratic politician declares something, does not make it correct. In the words of Sir John Dalberg-Acton, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
In an order released by Judge Difanis, he stated "The Zone is significantly endangering the public health and welfare of people". This is a false narrative and not based in any data or science out of St. Joseph. They told us that this shutdown was to the flatten the curve. St. Joseph has not only flattened the curve, we have never had one. This is not Chicago, this is St. Joseph, you cannot use the same one size fits all for the entire state. This is an arbitrary and capricious application of these standards.
There is so much wrong about this it’s hard to know where to start. One has to wonder how it is permissible to allow weed sale businesses and liquor stores to be allowed to stay open, call them “essential” and maintain it is for health reasons, but a small gym with a few members are not. Has anyone seen the line of people standing next to each other outside the weed store?
How is it that places like Wal-Mart and numerous other big box stores can stay open, but little mom and pop stores like those in St. Joseph with 4-5 customers at a time that sell the same items cannot. Something wrong with this logic. When things like this don’t add up one has to wonder what else is going on here?
This all is a demonstration in how our Governor and some other public officials are out of touch with the common man. It shows the Governor has little to no understanding about how things operate outside of Cook County. He makes dictative decrees without allowing the Legislative representatives in areas outside of Cook County to participate. He makes other out of touch politicians, like the Mayor of Chicago, his confidants. He violates Illinois law and the Constitution and scoffs at and attacks those who call him out on these injustices. It is politicians like him that the framers of the Constitution envisioned when they developed that great document.
Then we have some of our local officials and politicians choosing to follow the Governor along in his blatant disregard of our Constitutional rights like little puppy dogs.
There is something not right about all this. It is my hope that in the end there will be a big debate about how wrong this has been and how we never again need to so easily give up our God given rights.
The Zone gym was forcefully closed yesterday by the Champaign County Sheriffs Office in conjunction with State's Attorney Julia Reitz and Judge Tom Difanis. Like many other shuttered businesses in the State of Illinois, the Zone and it’s employees are suffering tremendous set backs and loosing their livelihoods, and it just continues.
About Michael Dilley: Michael has been a resident of Champaign County for well over 60 years. He has had a 40 plus year career locally in Public Safety, holding numerous positions in Public Safety Organizations. He has taught and trained many others throughout the Public Safety community. He has volunteered and coached youth athletics in the local community and has volunteered in his church. He is a big believer in the United States Constitution and it’s importance to our communities.
"I dont like it! (I) miss my teachers, friends and the atmosphere," he explained. "Being home is nice for a while because you can sleep in and do homework whenever."
Understandable. It is hard to make lasting teenage memories quasi-trapped in quarantine-like confinement.
His greatest memories at SJO include playing soccer with his friends on the field, going to home football games, and qualifying for the IHSA Track and Field State Competition during his junior year.
Hoping to make a repeat, consecutive trip to the state meet, Grimsey competed in three indoor meets this spring before the COVID-19 pandemic forced athletic events around the country to a unwelcomed halt. Out of the eight events he ran in his final season as a Spartan, his 4x200-meter relay squad placed first at the UNI Indoor meet on February 21.
Now that track is over and high school classes done for the semester today, he can focus on the next chapter of his life. He is jazzed about playing soccer at the next level.
"I'm PUMPED!" he exclaimed. "I'm looking forward to playing at this level, a dream of mine for a long time. I'm hoping to contribute to a new team and coach with a winning season."
You will be able to get a glimpse of Grimsley in his new uniform on August 23 in Decatur when the Blueboys take on Millikin University in a preseason scrimmage.
Majoring in Human Services, the two-sport athlete isn't sure what he will do after college.
"I hoping to be a a part of an athletic team," he said. "Graduate school is something I'm open to."
However, his dream job would working with a professional soccer team. He said it would be great to work around so many amazing players that he idolizes.
The four-year veteran has a little advice for teammates he leaving behind: "Keep your heads up, never give up and always play with your heart," he says. "I'll be back to watch!"
Meanwhile, for incoming freshmen students, he said they should enjoy their time in high school because it goes by so fast.
Grimsey's favorite classes at SJO were all of his science-related classes with Mrs. Jeanna Kerner and Mrs. Stacey Kietzman, two of his favorite teachers. He also enjoy every class he he ad with Mr. Don Beckett. He singled out Mrs. Kirk at St. Joseph Grade School and Mr. Steele at St. Joseph Middle School as two other teachers he really liked before entering high school.
"Mrs. Kietzman is a very sweet kind teacher who has always encouraged me and supported me," he said. "Mrs. Kerner, I wont lie she is pretty relaxed and very honest, and her sarcasm and humor matches mine."
As mentioned earlier, Grimsey like to play videos games in his free time. He likes Call of Duty, FIFA and NBA2K. If e-gaming was an IHSA sport and there was a state trophy at stake, he left no doubt his Spartan gaming team would bring home hardware like every other sport at SJO. With his five-man special ops team comprised of himself along with covert buddies Zac, Downing, Trevon, and Wes, they would be a superior gaming force for the competition to reckon with.
"We are Call of Duty gods. We'd take 'em down."
