With the lilting sounds of polka music in the background, 77-year-old Karl Manke spoke about the trials and tribulations visited upon him by Michigan’s Governor and her jack-booted thug of an Attorney General, Dana Nessel. Threatened with arrest by the Michigan State Police, Manke received a short reprieve when 35th Circuit Court Judge Matthew Stewart ruled that the government could not stop Manke from earning a living with a “cease and desist” order.
The local newspaper, the Argus-Press, reported twice that the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) had revoked his license, but Manke says that was a “bald-faced lie.” He said that his attorneys never made any such statement to the Argus-Press as the newspaper claimed in its headlines. He said, “My hometown paper lied about me!”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services appealed Judge Stewart’s decision, stating that Manke’s, “continued operation of a barbershop posed a significant risk to the public health in light of the COVID-19 crisis (and) poses a significant danger to the health and lives of the people of the State of Michigan.”
Manke says he will continue to ply his trade, “license or no license.” He said that the State of Michigan has become a “police state,” and called on his fellow barbers and hairstylists to go back to work. “Be bold, be courageous, ” he said, “It’s the right thing to do.”