Thread by @JuliaLMarcus, NEW: I wrote this piece for @TheAtlantic about the latest weapon being [...]

NEW: I wrote this piece for @TheAtlantic about the latest weapon being unleashed in the war against #COVID19: the cops. Crowded indoor parties need to be avoided during a pandemic, but policing people’s behavior will be toxic to public health efforts. 1/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

Enforcement may be ramping up now, but let's be real: we’ve already spent months policing each other. People have been widely shamed for enjoying themselves—even when their fun is low-risk. The message is clear: pleasure is not essential in a pandemic. 2/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

The instinct to yell at people for being careless and selfish is perfectly understandable. But public health is a service industry, and it can't serve customers without first trying to understand them. Let’s start by asking *why* people are partying. 3/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

People are socializing not out of selfishness but because, like the grocery store, human connection is essential. Are there safer ways to connect than indoor parties? Of course. Let's figure out how to minimize infection while maximizing well-being. 4/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

As long as new infections are linked to parties, public-health officials need to help people avoid them. But as we've learned from HIV, criminalization only deepens inequities and drives risky behavior underground, where it's even harder to address. 5/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

Instead of turning partygoers into criminals, we can encourage safer ways for people to stay connected: think more outdoor space with music, food trucks, drinks to go. Policing won't make Americans safer or healthier—compassion and creativity will. 6/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/containing-the-pandemic-isnt-a-job-for-cops/615298/

Social gatherings provoke moral indignation—but bringing in law enforcement will promote injustice, not reduce infections.

Many thanks to @zeynep, @sdbaral, @kenkatzmd, @edyong209, and @jsnowdenepi for invaluable input, and to @danteramos for the stellar editing.

You can follow @JuliaLMarcus.

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