Dealing with COVID-19 as a Nonviolent City
Morro Bay is part of the Nonviolent Cities Project.
How does a Nonviolent City handle a pandemic? That is the problem Morro Bay, which became a Nonviolent City by Peace Proclamation in 2018, faced as the coronavirus began to spread in San Luis Obispo County, California. Right around March 11th cases were springing up in the county with Morro Bay rapidly seeing six cases. Although other towns had more people coming down with the virus, city officials here wanted to put a stop to what could become a serious situation. Morro Bay is a tourist town and the weather was just turning nice. It was anticipated that young people on spring break from outside the area would be flocking to the Central Coast to frolic on the beaches.
Shelter in place was the first order coming down from the state but what did that mean? Were people who were working supposed to stay at their offices or stores? The majority of businesses in Morro Bay are retail shops, restaurants, and motels catering to tourists. Shelter in place didn’t seem to be something that could be done, but this order was soon changed to shelter at home and appeared to be meant for people who are at risk, such as the elderly or immune compromised.
Just as soon as shelter orders were issued a raid on grocery stores resulted in the disappearance of toilet paper, other paper products, and cleaning supplies. Food, at this point, was still abundant. Masks were suggested, however not many people had them and store clerks were not yet required to wear them.
Right at the outset city officials in Morro Bay began a program to assist residents who were unable to go out and shop for food. Called “Adopt a Neighbor,” it was a program begun by one of the popular fish markets and restaurants and publicized on Facebook and other social media sites. People who desired to help as well as those who needed help could sign up to get involved. The city fire department sent out a message that they had an “Are You Okay?” service that folks could sign up for whereby someone would call each person every morning to ask if they were okay and if not get them help.
In short order shelter at home was requested of everyone and shops and businesses were told to close with only essential businesses allowed to stay open. The city complied with the state orders and it too sent workers home with only essential positions remaining in place. Restaurants and motels were closed.
What does a city do if faced with the tough decision to close the city down? Is it really necessary? Does it mean no one can go to the beach? No tourists? It soon became apparent that closing down was necessary. As a nonviolent city the health and safety of its residents was of utmost importance, but how do you keep people from coming here?
The city manager risked being the most unpopular person in town when he issued the order to close off the street leading to the city’s most memorable landmark, Morro Rock and the wide expansive and inviting beach. All parks in town were closed with yellow tape across the entrances. The boat launch ramp was also closed. Even commercial fishermen were told to shut down. The harbor was essentially closed to incoming boaters unless there was an emergency. People were told they could take walks and hikes but with streets and parking lots taped off it was difficult for most to gain access to trailheads. The State Park campgrounds were closed. A large brightly lit sign was rolled into place at the two freeway offramps leading into town and stated that everything was closed, suggesting visitors go home and shelter. In essence, it was the first time the town had not laid out the welcome mat but turned everyone away. In a matter of days the town was eerily quiet.
That was except for the folks making the rounds to those in need. What seemed like masked bandits arrived at the doors of elderly and other at risk individuals with bundles of food and necessary items. Messages flew across social media sites with requests and questions. City employees who could not work in their offices pitched in to make sure supplies got to the people in need. Phones rang to check up on folks. Email messages flew back and forth checking up on friends. Zoom was introduced to many especially parents and school kids. Grocery workers donned their masks and stayed at their posts. Those that had to venture out wore their masks.
Pharmacies and essential stores pasted tapes on the floors to guide people to stay six feet apart. Some people worried as to how the homeless would fare with everything closed and no one on the streets, but the churches and civic organizations that cooked and fed homeless and low income residents once a week figured out a way to prepare nutritious food and hand it out to the needy at the door of the Vet’s Hall.
With everyone hunkered down for the first time ever there were absolutely no cars on the waterfront street and the highway too was empty. It was amazing. People turned to doing craft projects, watching films on TV, sleeping more, studying, playing with their kids, reading. Everyone shared what they were doing in this “we are in this together” time.
For about a month or so it all went well. Then people got tired of it. The weather was good. They wanted to get out. They wanted to eat at a restaurant, go to a movie, have a drink at a bar. Folks from the central valley wanted to visit. And even though the city placed an advertisement in the central valley papers saying please don’t come, they came anyway. The niceties began to sour. The nasty comments began to show up on social media. Bitch and groan. Argue and fight. All the talk of togetherness and the “new normal” went out the window. Seemed there was no way for folks to keep from the “normal” they had before. They whined about wearing masks and most stopped unless they absolutely had to in order to shop or go to the doctor. By Memorial Day the tapes came down, the streets opened, the tourists poured in. The nonviolent city lost its grip.
Then a black man was murdered at the hands of a violent law enforcement officer and the world exploded. In spite of the risks, in spite of the regulations, thousands took to the streets. Mostly it began in the larger cities on the Central Coast but eventually Morro Bay held their protest march too. It wasn’t always trouble free. In the major city protesters didn’t move when told to do so and tear gas was employed much to the dismay of many. In Morro Bay some individuals took it upon themselves to ride alongside marchers and yell out racial hate speech. One city in the neighboring county suffered property damage to stores and attempts at looting. Most protest marches were peaceful and uplifting. Many of the marchers wore their masks. But as far as being truly nonviolent in respect to the health and safety of the public, that had ceased. It was all over. Except for those of us who could not take a chance, those of us really compromised. Those people are prisoners inside their homes. And the number of coronavirus victims is going up. What started as six victims in Morro Bay and stayed that way for two full months suddenly went to nine.
On the whole our county did well, only one death and a bit over 300 cases. But the troubling issue is how quickly we were no longer “all in this together.” Most residents in Morro Bay feel we did well. We looked out for each other. We cared. If the pandemic of 2020 teaches us anything it is how easily we can regress if we are not careful. This is a city still learning the values of how to live nonviolently and we will march on constantly until one day we truly earn the title of Nonviolent City Morro Bay.