The American Constitutional Rights Union defines a crisis tyrant as a leader who uses a crisis — like the COVID-19 pandemic — to justify and grease the skids of their tyrannical behavior. The “crisis” element adds a layer or two of “despicable” as the exercise of power comes on the backs of those enduring a crisis or tragedy.

Most of us don’t have to look far to find a local crisis tyrant. Here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, we experienced crisis tyrants popping out of our city council chambers like whack-a-moles.

When federal, state, and local governments were scratching their heads, wondering how to formulate a public response to the pandemic, the leadership of our beach communities sprang into action in the most absurd way possible. The island city councils closed the beaches to all non-residents. If you lived on the island, you could enjoy the beach. If you lived on the other side of the bridge, you were banned. Of course, beach island residents were free to frequent Target, Costco and Starbucks on the mainland. Never mind the beaches here are controlled by the state, not the islands.

We’re struggling to limit a viral pandemic, communicable through shared air, so the crisis tyrants figured the best response was to drive people back out of the germ-killing sunlight and breezy air and inside to enclosed spaces where they could more easily cough and sneeze all over each other. Please excuse my lapse of editorial professionalism while I whip out an SMH emoji.

As you well know by now, the examples of crisis tyranny are legion. The ACRU has been reporting on Crisis Tyrants and the Tyrant of the week for quite some time. Hint: Michigan’s Governor Whitmer is a certified rock star in the Crisis Tyrant of the Week category.

Read More at TownHall: The Psychology of Crisis Tyrants