Well, kinda puts this in perspective now, eh?
More Oregon counties vote to move into Idaho, part of rural effort to ‘to gain political refuge from blue states’ https://t.co/UgMwcS01U7 pic.twitter.com/0JqMMVxWJu
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) May 19, 2021
Papers, please! Oregon now requires ‘proof of vaccination’
If you want to participate in Oregon society without being forced to wear a mask, you better have your paperwork in order.
The state is now requiring individuals to display “proof of vaccination†if they’d like to take their masks off indoors, Oregon’s Health Authority has announced.
In rejecting the more practical and individual liberty embracing “honor system†approach that we’ve seen across the United States, the authorities in Salem are taking the fascist policy route.
“Oregon will allow people to go maskless outside but will require them to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — and be able to prove it — to forgo masks in most public indoor settings,†the Oregonian reports.
Yes, you read that correctly. Oregon finally ended its *outdoor* mask mandate, a full year and a half into Covid Mania. And in exchange for “granting†systems the freedom to breathe fresh air, they will now be forced to show “proof of vaccination†if they want to participate in society.
If you want to go into a businesses, workplaces, or houses of worship you are required to show your proof, and they are required to demand the proof. The above photo comes from the main link, which is part of the order. Where do they get the statutory authority to do this? Is there existing law? Are they diving deep into existing law, using loopholes and extensions, since lawmakers so often make laws too broad and leave cracks to do this? Or, are they just drunk on power, and want to flex their authoritarianism? You can bet most places that voted to join Idaho will ignore the order.
It would be worth seriously debating the merits of this authoritarian insanity if in fact Oregon could demonstrate that they were “following the science†on this issue, but it’s clear that this order has nothing to do with science, and everything to do with power and control.
Pretty much. The NY Times story, for which the above article is based on, notes
“We have serious concerns about the practicality of requiring business owners and workers to be the enforcer,†said Nathaniel Brown, a spokesman for Oregon Business and Industry, which represents companies like Nike, as well as small businesses. “We are hearing from retailers and small businesses who are concerned about putting their frontline workers in a potentially untenable position when dealing with customers.â€
If they didn’t enjoy asking people to put on their masks, cover their noses, they’re going to love this.
