Ian Smith


As is a custom on Sunday, I take my hat off to someone who should be deserving of our respect. Today that person is Ian Smith – truly a man of principle, courage, an fortitude. Back in May 2020 Ian Smith, the owner of the Atilis gym in  Bellmawr, New Jersey, refused to close his gym.

The defiant gym owner was fined $1.2 million for his noncompliance but he never backed down, going so far as to remove the gym’s doors so police couldn’t lock them.

In December, 2020 he said, “We have been open against unconstitutional shut down orders since May. Not once have we flinched, and the petty tyrant of New Jersey governor Murphy has tried everything he could possibly think of to ruin us. Over seven months later we opened our doors every single day. No government official will ever tell me that I am not able to provide for my family. I do not answer to public servants – no matter what threats or punishments they impose. I am a free man. I do not ask for permission. I do not ask for forgiveness. You work for us. The only way you’ll ever close these doors is when you close my casket.”

After the sentencing,Ian Smith tweeted, 

“Thanks to all who joined in on our sentencing hearing. So many came that the server crashed. We got one year probation for the crime of taking our doors off to prevent government goons from locking us out of our gym.”

He closed with:

@theatilisgym is open and will remain open at any cost.

There is a “rest of the story”:

Ian Smith, owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, posted on Twitter on 1/30 that he will seek to oust Democratic incumbent Rep. Andy Kim to represent New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District in Washington, D.C.

“I am truly excited to have the possibility to serve the people of [New Jersey] with a platform focused on liberty, small government, and America First policies,” Smith wrote.

2/6/22


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