The protesters who assembled outside of Gov. Andy Beshear's press conference on Wednesday want you to die.

Or, at least they don't give a damn if you do.

The whole idea behind the rally they held on the Capitol lawn and then moved to the portico just outside the room where governors hold news conferences, was that their businesses are more important than your life.

More important than your mother's life.

More important than your father's life.

These are people that hate government. And they hate the idea that government does anything good for anyone.

For all they care, your grandmother and grandfather should already be dead. They've been sucking at the government's teat since they turned 65, anyway.

And they don't give a damn if COVID-19 sweeps across the state like a tsunami.

They just want to make a few bucks.

These people are not normal.

They were organized by the same crackpot who held press conferences last November to claim that former Gov. Matt Bevin had the election stolen from him.

Read this:Protests erupt outside Capitol over Beshear's handling of pandemic, disrupting briefing

You remember him. He's the guy who tweeted just over a month ago that those raising alarms about the coronavirus were like "Chicken Little."

The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Now, Erika Calihan and her merry band of mouthy malcontents are back threatening a revolt if Beshear doesn't reopen businesses in the state.

You want to know what kind of people these are? On the group's Facebook page, one guy was joking about assassinating Beshear. At least I hope he was joking.

"Maybe some(one) should ask Beshear in a press conference about his thoughts on William Goebel. For those of you who don't know the history ... it's a good read. ...," wrote someone identified as Greg Troutman.

Goebel, of course, was the only governor ever assassinated in the United States. He was declared winner of the disputed Kentucky election of 1899 and was shot outside the old State Capitol before taking office.

He was sworn in as governor just before he died.

To this crew, death is a joke.

That's why they want businesses reopened and don't care who suffers.

NOW!

There aren't too many ideas that are dumber than that. There might not be ANY ideas dumber than that.

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Except for maybe coronavirus parties, which is kinda what they held Wednesday. They stood just a few feet from one another as they shouted slogans and tried to drown out Beshear as he addressed a statewide audience on television.

Business leaders who have one whit of sense about them know better.

That's why in recent days a group of CEOs told President Donald Trump that there should be no attempt to reopen businesses in the country until widespread coronavirus testing is available to ensure that the person on the production line next to you or in the cubicle next to you aren't infected by the killer bug.

Also:Matt Bevin supporter spearheads COVID-19 protests against Gov. Andy Beshear

That's why in Louisville, Norton Hospital administrators said that Beshear should reject calls by Republicans in the state senate to restart elective surgeries, even though it would be a financial boon to struggling hospitals.

What's more, the clueless people shouting at the window have the audacity to claim they are pro-life — chanting "Abortion is not essential" — all the while calling for government action that would kill thousands.

Have these people been watching what has happened in places like Italy where more than 21,000 people have died? Or, Spain, where more than 18,000 have died? Maybe New York, where nearly 12,000 have died?

We're lucky to have only suffered 129 deaths in Kentucky so far, but with hundreds of people in nursing homes having been infected, that number is sure to rise.

To those protesting Wednesday to reopen businesses, the people in the nursing homes are expendable. They're not needed.

The people over age 60 are not wanted.

Those with asthma, diabetes, and heart disease won't be missed.

Neither will you.

Not if you and your health gets in between them and the almighty dollar.

What's sad is that apparently this line of thinking is just fine with Republicans in the state who have been sniping at Beshear for the past week, trying to erode the public support that he has gotten for his handing of this nightmare.

They're happy to let these people undermine him.

"People are getting restless and nervous. If they don't feel like there's a plan and a potential timeline for return to normalcy, I'm afraid you will see more and more of that and/or people simply disregarding the restrictions," state Sen. Chris McDaniel, a Taylor Mill Republican, said yesterday.

News:Kentucky to partner with Indiana, Ohio in exploring ways to lift COVID-19 restrictions

This comes after U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Republican state officials tried to undermine Beshear and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's efforts to get worshippers to stay away from Easter Sunday services.

McDaniel had the wrong answer.

Here's the right answer: "If we open businesses now, people will die. Period."

Luckily, the vast majority of people in Kentucky have been taking the social distancing that Beshear and the state's health experts have called for seriously. Streets are empty. Businesses are closed. People who can telecommute are working from home.

And fewer people have died than would have died if we let Calihan and her ilk call the shots.

Joseph Gerth can be reached at 502-582-4702 or by email at jgerth@courierjournal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/josephg.