OK, so "spread the virus" is not the rally’s official name, but you get the idea.

According to reports from conservative social media, a “Patriots Day Rally” is to take place at noon on Sunday and Monday at Wesley Bolin Plaza at the State Capitol in Phoenix. The gathering is supposed to demonstrate to Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona’s elected officials that those in attendance want the state to loosen restrictions that were placed on businesses and public places in order to hinder the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Should you happen to know anyone who plans to attend the festivities at the Capitol, it would be wise to avoid them for at least the following two weeks. That is, unless they wore masks and gloves and maintained proper social distancing during the event.

In which case they would have proved exactly why such a rally is reckless and dangerous, essentially reinforcing the wisdom and the need for the governor’s executive orders implementing restrictions.

Sort of a paradox, wouldn’t you say?

Social distancing proves why we're doing this

According to an article in The Arizona Mirror, one of those who plans to attend the rally said, “This is a gathering of patriots, not an organized event by any group or individual. We will each be responsible for ourselves and practice physical distancing to the extent feasible.”

There you go.

If attendees are planning to “practice physical distancing to the extent feasible” then they realize the need for such distancing in order to inhibit the spread of the virus and therefore the number of COVID-19 cases.

In other words, the rally is a bad idea.

There have been a number of these demonstrations in other states. One such event took place in Michigan recently, where the same types of restrictions are in place.

A large number of protesters in that state remained in their vehicles, honked their horns and waved flags. Again reinforcing the notion that they may not like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders to keep people at home and businesses locked, but they weren’t willing to risk their health or the health of their families to make the point.

Instead, their behavior made HER point.

It's not just a risk to you. We're all at risk

There were a number of protesters in Michigan who gathered outside in a crowd, however.

Whitmer said of them, “I saw someone handing out candy to little kids barehanded. People are flying the Confederate flag, and untold numbers who gassed up on the way here or grabbed a bite on the way home. We know that this rally endangered people. This kind of activity will put more people at risk and, sadly, it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture.”

There is a good chance that someone in the crowd – in any crowd – is an asymptomatic carrier of coronavirus. That person can infect others, who will infect others, and so on.

A reader told me recently that if he is willing to take the chance of getting sick it should be his right because he wouldn’t be hurting anyone but himself.

It’s not true.

Should that guy get sick he might infect others, and his reckless choice also could put at risk the medical professionals who would care for him or others he infected.

Our health care angels already carry too much of this awful load.

I suppose that those who show up at Wesley Bolin Plaza could swear an oath not to seek medical attention should they develop COVID-19 symptoms. Do you believe they would agree to such a thing and actually live up to it?

Neither do I.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.