Where were they when the law was in force prior to the Chinese coronavirus? It was only on the books since 1953
NC anti-mask bill could violate federal law, disability rights and free speech advocates say
An effort by North Carolina lawmakers that would prohibit people from wearing masks for health reasons would violate federal laws that protect free speech and access to government services, disability rights and free speech advocates say.
Under the proposed law, House Bill 237, many people who want to wear a mask in public for ensuring physical health could face penalties for doing so. That would include people who want to wear a face covering in public to prevent spreading — or protect against contracting — an illness such as Covid-19 or influenza.
Oh, please. Almost no one did this before COVID. The flu was around long before that, and you saw almost no one do this. And, let’s be honest, the police won’t bother enforcing this on people wandering around wearing a high grade mask (not that they will really help). This is about those wearing them to protect from being identified as they commit crimes and such
Republican sponsors — who titled the bill “Unmasking Mobs and Criminals” — say the proposal is intended to crack down on protesters. They want to make it harder for protesters to hide their identities, and to make it easier for law enforcement to charge protesters who commit crimes. Without it, “the burden would be much higher for law enforcement,” Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, said Wednesday during a debate on the Senate floor.
Plus, it’s fun identifying wackos who support Islamic terrorist groups, especially when they apply for jobs.
Portions of the bill would violate free speech protections under the First Amendment — particularly if, when applied, they target only protesters, said Liz Barber, director of policy and advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. But the bill could be particularly chilling to people with disabilities. “Taking away their ability to mask safely, I think, would also then take away their ability to safely assemble,” she said.
Weirdly, the ACLU of NC wasn’t complaining when NC passed the same type of legislation which was aimed primarily at the KKK and it sat on the books till COVID. If the kiddies were truly concerned about catching COVID, which we know they’re not, they wouldn’t be gathering in large numbers. Listen, just admit you want criminals and people “protesting”, like how they’re protesting Israel and in favor of Hamas, the BLM and Antifa wackos, etc, to be able to hide their identities.
Sen. Sydney Batch, D-Wake, is a cancer survivor. She spoke Wednesday about how her husband and children wore masks to protect her while she was undergoing treatment and had a weakened immune system because of it.
“This bill criminalizes their behavior, and mine,” she said. “… We talk a lot about freedoms in this chamber. I hear it all the time. I should have the freedom — my children and my husband should have the freedom — to wear masks in order to protect and save my life, without fear of being arrested and charged.”
COVID really made these people crazy. Let’s check in with Sen. Batch
Grateful for the dedicated staff at Advance Community Health who work tirelessly to provide high quality healthcare for fellow NCians. It's critical they continue to receive the necessary state resources to provide these essential services to our neighbors. @AdvanceCHC pic.twitter.com/XP4YXyuBcf
— Sydney Batch (@friendsforbatch) April 16, 2024
Strange, no mask, despite her claims of being immunocompromised