After Berating People For Violating Social Distancing - Chicago Mayor Goes Out For Haircut

Dan Montanaro | April 8, 2020
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It seems to be “do as I say, not as I do” for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Although Illinois social distancing guidelines have dictated that only essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and the like remain open, Lightfoot went out and got a haircut over the weekend.

When criticized, she defended her decision saying she was “the face of this city”.

In a press conference last month, Lightfoot stated that the growing coronavirus pandemic is “deadly serious. And we have to take it seriously, all of us.” The mayor also voiced concern over people not properly observing social distancing instructions, saying “I personally been concerned about what I’ve seen in our parks, people playing basketball...And what I’ve seen along our lakefront, way too many people gathering like it’s just another day. It’s not just another day.”

Despite such concern, the mayor decided over the weekend to go get a haircut. When criticized over the action Monday, Lightfoot defended herself saying, “I am practicing social distancing. The woman who cut my hair had a mask and gloves on. So...I’m practicing what I’m preaching...But as an elected official and the public face of the city, I need to make sure I am out there and visible through this crisis.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, when asked a follow-up question referencing the PSA Lightfoot had made wherein she had said “getting your roots done is not essential”, the mayor became “visibly annoyed” and responded even more defensively.

“I’m the public face of the city. I’m on national media, and I’m out in the public eye. I’m a person who, I take my personal hygiene very seriously. As I said, I felt like I needed to have a haircut. I’m not able to do that myself, so I got a haircut. You want to talk more about that?”

In addition, in a report by WBBM-TV, there was included a photo from a Facebook post by Lightfoot’s hair stylist, thanking the mayor for letting her cut her hair. In the photo, the pair appear to be standing next to each other, nowhere near the prescribed six feet of proper social distance.

There was no shortage of criticism from Twitter for the mayor’s actions. Chicago alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa highlighted the difference between the obligations Lightfoot believed herself to have and those which she actually had, writing “She is under no obligation to look good on national TV. She is under no obligation to book national interviews. But she is under an obligation to follow and promote social distancing in order to save lives. This is a bad example for our city.”

Conservative author Dana Loesch took aim at the absurd double standard which Lightfoot was employing, writing somewhat mockingly, “The woman closed parks and threatened $500 fines if people didn’t follow orders but she is THE FACE OF THE CITY thus cannot be denied beauty services. How dare anyone demand politicians follow the orders they give."

Blogger and Daily Wire host Matt Walsh echoed Loesch’s criticism, stating, “This woman literally threatened to arrest any citizen who jogs for too long outside. She’s a petty narcissist drunk with power. There are a lot of them in this country and they’re completely out of control.”

Remember kids: obey the law and follow the rules. Unless you make the rules, in which case... 

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