DOJ warns California that re-opening could 'discriminate' against religious groups

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department on Tuesday put California Gov. Gavin Newsom on notice, claiming that his plan for the state's staggered re-opening from the threat posed by the coronavirus discriminates against religious groups and a return to in-person worship services.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, chief of the department's Civil Rights Division, warned the governor that places of worship were being forced to take a back seat to a gradual resumption of operations at schools, restaurants, offices and shopping malls.

Dreiband, in a letter to the governor, cast the policy as "differential treatment" that unfairly singled out religious worship for restrictions that the state would not impose on other activities.

"The Department of Justice does not seek to dictate how states such as California determine what degree of activity and personal interaction should be allowed to protect the safety of their citizens," the letter states. "However, we are charged with upholding the Constitution and federal statutory protections for civil rights. Whichever level of restrictions you adopt, these civil rights protections mandate equal treatment of persons and activities of a secular and religious nature."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/doj-warns-california-that-re-opening-could-discriminate-against-religious-groups/ar-BB14kK6b?li=BBnb7Kz

Opus Dei Barr says you're all a bunch of heathens.

[Turbineguy]

1. Luckily the virus does not discriminate.

So that makes sense. If you can't get sick, you're being discriminated against.

[superpatriotman]

2. Who would Jesus infect?

If your God can’t hear you from quarantine, it’s not much of a God.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. Let all places of worship open first.......let them roll the dice and test God.

[captain queeg]

4. I'm all for mega churches and Nazi rallies to get the go ahead

Though I do worry they’ll spread it far and wide, but maybe it’ll be worth it for those institutions to fall. The bad thing is that no doubt many of these people will end up asymptomatic or with mild symptoms and those people will see it as validation of their beliefs. They are pretty good at seeing just what they want to see.

[leftieNanner]

6. Agreed - to a point

If all of these people could just get sick and die in their own homes, that would be one thing.

But if they get sick and fill up the hospital beds, then that's not good.

[C_U_L8R]

5. There are easier ways to rapture yourself

[stopbush]

7. COVID-19 is real. Religious beliefs are based on make believe.

How is this even an issue?

You may as well assert that CA is discriminating against department store Santas.