In a recent op-ed, the LA Times discussed the lockdown of multiple businesses due to the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s resistance to shutting down Tesla’s production facilities.
In an op-ed titled “If the government says to close up shop and stay home to fight the coronavirus, do it. That means you too, Elon Musk,” the LA Times editorial Board discussed the actions taken across the United States to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus during a global pandemic. The Time noted that one CEO in particular seemed unwilling to comply with government measures, Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The LA Times writes:
The county sheriff begged to differ, declaring that Tesla, which makes luxury electric vehicles, was not, in fact, an essential business. But neither the sheriff nor any other enforcement agency forced the company to comply; instead, it continued to crank out cars. And although the sheriff’s office said the company had cut its workforce at the plant from 10,000 to 2,500, it wasn’t clear that anything had actually changed — only about a quarter of its workforce was in the plant on any shift even in normal times.
Actually, one thing had changed: The company told the Mercury News that it was taking workers’ temperature before they entered the plant, “handing out masks to be worn throughout the day,” cleaning work areas more frequently and “rearranging operations to promote social distancing as much as possible.” In other words, Tesla planned to follow its own rules, not the county’s.
The LA Times called Musk’s attitude “unacceptable and dangerous”, stating that Musk was a privileged employer thumbing his nose at a legal mandate designed to protect the health of members of the public. The Times stated that it is outrageous that Tesla would put its own interests ahead of everyone else’s, including Tesla’s own employees.
The Times finished the op-ed writing:
How stringent the restrictions will be also depends on the public’s compliance. The simple fact is that if Americans cannot take the restrictions and guidelines adopted by government to heart, then further laws and mandates will inevitably follow, undoubtedly with stepped-up enforcement.
Granted, these social-distancing efforts will take a toll on our incomes and on the economy as a whole, and it’s vital that Congress step into the breach to keep individuals and businesses afloat. But in the meantime, people must listen to what the health experts are saying and follow their advice. The best way to avoid tougher and longer-lasting restrictions on daily life is to behave responsibly and help your community interrupt the chain of coronavirus transmission.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is now claiming that Musk and Tesla will produce ventilators to help ease shortages at hospitals in the state.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or email him at lnolan@breitbart.com
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.