Posted on 04/08/2020 5:39:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
Plymouth Church is located in the City of Raleigh, which makes up much of Wake County, North Carolina. Plymouth’s pastor, Dr. Chris Partin, is struggling to assert his religious liberties in light of restrictions imposed by North Carolina’s Democratic Governor, Roy Cooper, and expanded on by local government. Recently, he came up with a creative idea to allow his congregants to have some semblance of religious freedom during Easter week. But government officials in North Carolina simply will not allow it.
Dr. Partin’s idea was simple. He wanted to do a so-called drive-through church on Easter with church staff remaining, not just six, but ten feet away from congregants at all times. The drive-through service would be little more than short readings of portions of the Easter story. Partin communicated this simple plan to Wake County Officials in the following simple email:
"Hi. I understand drive in churches are permitted. We want to do a drive through where we as a staff just say hello from a distance to our members and read in portions the eater [sic] story in stations while being 10 ft or more away. People will not get out of their vehicles. Is this ok?
"Thank you.
"Dr. Chris Partin."
The Wake County Attorney’s Office responded with a prompt rejection of the request. I have included highlights of the rejection letter below:
"A determination has been made that drive-in/drive-through church services are PROHIBITED and are NOT ALLOWED pursuant to Section 7 and Section 10(p) of the current Proclamation of Emergency Restrictions signed by the Chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners on March 26, 2020 (the "Proclamation.").
"Section 7 of the Proclamation states 'All public and private gatherings of any number of people, including non-Wake County residents, occurring outside of a single household or residential unit are prohibited, except for the purposes expressly permitted in Section 1 of this Proclamation.' Section 1 of the Proclamation requires that 'each Wake County resident remains in his/her/their household or residential living unit except as required or permitted for Essential Activities,' and the Proclamation does NOT include church attendance or attendance at faith organizations or institutions within its definition of 'Essential Activities.'"
In other words, the authorities in control in Wake County, North Carolina, are engaged in blatant viewpoint discrimination. And there is no need for it given the fact that even North Carolina’s far left governor sees no need for such stringent overreach. In fact, the N.C. Sheriffs’ Association has already asked Governor Cooper whether drive-in church services would be allowed under the state’s shelter in place order. In response, Cooper, told the sheriffs the following:
"I trust law enforcement’s judgment in directing people to abide by local and state health department guidance. These gatherings appear to be acceptable as long as individuals remain in their vehicles and avoid contact."
But herein lies the problem. The governor’s executive order is wrong for two reasons, not just one. First, it is overly restrictive in terms of what it mandates at the state level. Second, and perhaps more disturbing, it gives both counties and cities seemingly unlimited authority to issue even greater restrictions than the ones imposed by the governor. And Wake Country officials know that, which is why they told Partin the following:
"We are aware that this determination may differ with certain guidance that the Governor's Office has issued with respect to interpreting the State's Stay-at-Home Order, Executive Order 121, issued by Governor Cooper on March 27, 2020. However, Wake County's current Proclamation of Emergency Restrictions is more restrictive in some respects than the Governor's Executive Order 121, including on the issue addressed in the preceding paragraphs, and the Governor's Executive Order 121 clearly authorizes counties and cities to issue state of emergency declarations that impose greater restrictions or prohibitions than those imposed under the Governor's Executive Order 121, as Wake County has done in its Proclamation."
And there you have it. Unbridled discretion to shut down public worship by a county government that is freed by the governor to impose arbitrary demands on churches – such as that they operate with “minimal staff.” But don’t trust my interpretation. Read for yourself what Wake County Officials had to say:
"Since drive-in/drive-through church services would involve the presence of not just "minimal staff" but other individuals as well, they are prohibited under Section 10(p) of the (Wake County) Proclamation."
The Wake County proclamation specifically states that faith organizations and institutions may only be allowed to stay open “for the purpose of providing online distribution.” Violations of the county order could include fines and even jail time.
But what about this constitutes viewpoint discrimination as I have claimed above? It is pretty simple, actually. In addition to the government exempting government, the government also exempts newspapers, television, radio, and media services. Newspapers are free to distribute as they please. In fact, Wake County goes so far as to say that nothing in their Proclamation shall be construed to limit prohibit or restrict media operations in any way whatsoever. They are essential businesses but the Church is not. Thus the county has dissected the First Amendment in such a way as to choose certain clauses over others. Freedom of Press remains. Free exercise of religion is discarded.
It is a sad irony that the North Carolina County in which our liberties are being buried goes by the name of “wake.” The only question is whether the liberties that died this Easter will ever be resurrected.
There are three things that people might worry about these days:
1) There is a terrible disease and people are dying
2) The economy has taken a hit and my 401(k) looks bad
3) I suddenly live in a police state
Personally, I try to take the long view. I don’t think it’s about me and my family. And, no, I don’t think it’s about you and your family either.
Diseases come and go. 20 years from now, COVID-19 is not going to be talked about.
Economies go up and down. 20 years from now, the economy will be in a very different place and economists won’t be talking about COVID-19.
But if we slip into a police state, that’s different. Because 100 years from now, people will be saying, “Everything went to sh!t after COVID-19. That’s why we’re in this mess with this totally tyrannical government.
For me, the only thing going on right now that really gets my attention is the destruction of the US Constitution.
Rule # 1: NEVER ask “permission” for exercising Constitutionally protected rights.
By doing so you presume that you have no rights, merely privileges which the grantor may withdraw at any time and for any reason.
I just got chewed out by a Dollar General clerk for being in the store. Yeah...her open store. I foolishly tried to defuse the situation, then saw she was getting hysterical, so I left...er, not as nicely as I should have. It was Twilight Zone.
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States...shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both...
More at:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/242
Another good thing to memorize and/or print out and carry “just in case”.
Along with the First and Fourth Amendments.
Unless we have a declared police state, these restrictions are unconstitutional.
By doing so you presume that you have no rights, merely privileges which the grantor may withdraw at any time and for any reason.
Couldn't have said it any better myself. Amen brother you seem to be among the few here of late that truly understands this most valuable concept.
Thank you for posting your link. Explains a lot.
Been saying this since the beginning of this nightmare. I get so tired of the sheeple around me telling me that I must want to get sick and die from this horrible disease that is going to desecrate most of the world, i.e. they have bought into the media hype and scare mongering tactics hook line and sinker and understand why I'm not willing to give up my rights to protect us all.
..... hook line and sinker and can't understand why I'm not willing to give up my rights to protect us all.
The media has nothing more to sell other than fear. They have been doing that for years.
The virus of fear is the one that is most deadly.
Yoda the all-wise said it best:
Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate
Hate leads to suffering.
The people who founded this nation would be thoroughly disgusted by what sheep Americans have become.
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