Gavin Newsom can’t stop you from going to church, but he can certainly ruin it once you get inside.
In a stunningly petty and hateful COVID019 guideline update, Newsome’s state Department of Public Health now says that singing and “chanting” at church is forbidden.
Prior to this order, the People’s Republic of Kalifornia suggested churches consider not signing or doing “group recitation.”
But now that the media is back to peddling “COVID panic,” all bets are off.
Now, all singing and reciting are forbidden by law.
Health agencies such as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say shouting or singing can spread the coronavirus just as easily as coughing or sneezing.
California’s health department agrees, and as Gov. Gavin Newsom begins tightening protocols during a resurgence of the pandemic, it now says singing and chanting are outright banned.
“Activities such as singing and chanting negate the risk reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing,” the state said in its new guidelines.
Houses of worship are now being told to have masks available for congregants who don’t bring one.
The new guidelines were released the same day Newsom issued his most dramatic reversal yet on reopening the economy, calling on Sacramento and 18 other counties to halt indoor restaurant dining and close movie theaters, card rooms, indoor museums and other venues. Sacramento County’s closures took effect Thursday at 3 p.m.
Unlike the restaurant closures, Newsom said little about the new guidelines on houses of worship, mentioning them only in passing during a press conference Thursday.
It remains to be seen if, or how, the state or counties are expected to enforce the ban on singing in houses of worship. Churches were among the most aggressive institutions in pushing back on Newsom’s original stay-at-home order in mid-March. Several sued the governor to overturn the order, saying it violated their First Amendment rights, although none were successful in court.
How exactly do they plan to enforce this?
Will Newsom have cops stationed at churches all across the state ready to arrest people if they hear a chorus or two?
The absurdity in all of this, is that you can loot, riot, and protest with hundreds of thousands of people with no problem whatsoever, but you can’t sing in church.
You can dress up in a glittery speedo and head out to a PRIDE parade with a zillion other scantily clad people, but you can recite a prayer with fellow churchgoers.
This is pure insanity and any church that goes along with this is nuts.
I hope everyone here is wide awake and sees exactly what’s happening and starts getting really, really loud, and vocal before we have nothing left to fight for.
This piece was written by Missy Crane on July 2, 2020. It originally appeared in WayneDupree.com and is used by permission.
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Steve Gruber.
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