‘Mortified’ Atlanta business owners have no intention of following Trump-loving governor’s order to reopen

Trump-loving Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp shocked many residents in his own state on Monday when he announced that bowling alleys, gyms, and other businesses would be allowed to open as soon as Friday.

The Daily Beast reports that many residents in Atlanta, including some who are small business owners who have been economically hammered by the pandemic shutdown, are seething about Kemp's decision to reopen at a time when the number of daily new cases in the state is still rising.

"I am mortified and appalled he would open us up in the middle of our coronavirus peak," said Jamie Booth, owner of Melange Hair Salon in Atlanta.

"I know small business owners are hurting and desperate—we are too," local restaurant owner Meherwan Irani said. "But if we lose the public’s trust and confidence right now, because we reopened even though it wasn’t safe, we’ll risk losing that trust for a long time to come."

Alison Auerbach, whose husband works in emergency rooms in Cobb County, denounced Kemp in even more scathing terms.

"The lack of testing and reliable data in Georgia means reopening is based on absolutely nothing but greed and the desire to kiss the president’s ass," she said. "I think he’s an asshat, and you can quote me."