“THIS country was founded on protest — it is called the American Revolution,” former President Barack Obama said during an online roundtable event with his former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr. and activists from Minneapolis, voicing his support for George Floyd peaceful protesters and calling for police reform.
“Every step of progress in this country, every expansion of freedom, every expression of our deepest ideals have been won through efforts that made the status quo uncomfortable,” said Obama, “And we should all be thankful for folks who are willing, in a peaceful, disciplined way, to be out there making a difference.”
The right to protest peacefully is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
BUT these are very complicated and challenging times like no other because of the continued threat of the coronavirus pandemic, which has topped 2 million confirmed cases of infected people in the United States, killing more than 116,000, with a spike and second wave seen this summer as states start to open up.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said more than 130,000 people could be affected by July 4, and that number could rise up to 170,000 deaths by October.
America’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over, and the people should continue to practice social distancing, wear masks and protective gear, avoid crowds to mitigate the spread of the virus.
However, following the brutal killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, protests have erupted from all over the country to fight against racial injustice, racism and police brutality. Friday, June 12 marked the 18th consecutive day of the protests in different states.
While aware of the risks of congregating in this time of a pandemic, protesters deemed it important to air their grievances and demand for change. While protesters rally peacefully, wear masks, and practice social distancing, the altercation that follows the intrusion of looters and anarchists and the police caused challenges in keeping the distance as planned.
The American people have been hoping for President Donald Trump to be a true leader in uniting the country and avert further protests, but alas! Trump continued to stoke racial divisions, and even defended the harsh response to protests, threatening to use the military to quash the rights of the American people, instead of protecting them and their rights as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. He would not heed advice to change his rhetoric, saying this works for him politically.
Leaders of the Republican Party, 83 former U.S. Defense Officials — Republicans, Democrats, and Independent — and both civilians and military personnel declared that “Trump has betrayed his oath to the Constitution.”
Trump’s supporters used these protests as an argument to weaken the severity of the threat of COVID-19, echoing his assertion that America should re-open despite the undeniable threat as shown by the rising percentage of people being infected and the percentage of hospitalization rate.
YET, Trump couldn’t wait to resume his campaign rallies to be surrounded by his loyal worshipping fans, which were suspended by the COVID-19 shelter in place and social distancing safety orders.
Initially, Trump wanted North Carolina to be the venue of his comeback campaign rally, but Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said on June 2 that it’s “very unlikely” the state can permit a packed Republican National Convention in Charlotte to go forward this summer.
As the National Public Radio (NPR) reported, Gov. Cooper wrote Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel saying, “The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity.”
NPR reported that President Trump shot back that evening on Twitter, saying Cooper is “still in Shelter-In-Place Mode,” and “we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention.”
And so The Guardian reported that “Trump returns to his cherished campaign format of fronting adoring crowds that he will hold a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma next Friday, June 19, in the 19,000-seat BOK Center despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
And as previously reported, Trump campaign says the president wants to see a big crowd and would not want them to be wearing any mask, just as he and Vice President Mike Pence refused to wear masks even in public gatherings.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has said people still need to employ social distancing and “minimize time spent in crowded environments.”
Yet to overcome this impediment, The Guardian reported that “the Trump campaign is asking supporters to sign a waiver that makes clear the campaign is not responsible if anyone gets ill from crowding with thousands of others in an enclosed space.”
“By registering to attend, supporters ‘are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present’, the waiver states, adding that attendees and guests “voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree to not hold the Trump campaign, the venue or other organizers liable.”
The CDC just issued a warning on Friday that large gatherings in confined places pose the highest risk for spreading the coronavirus.
According to the CDC website, the risk of COVID-19 spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:
• Lowest risk: Virtual-only activities, events, and gatherings.
• More risk: Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear cloth face coverings, do not share objects, and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city, or county).
• Higher risk: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that are adapted to allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
• Highest risk: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.
MGA KABABAYAN, ingat po tayo. Let us follow what health officials advise us to do to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus and protect ourselves from being infected and/or be carriers of the virus that will infect the more vulnerable. Remember the virus knows no political party affiliations.
RESIST the temptation of giving in to the dangerous demand of Trump that uses people to be his pawns to make him look good politically, at the expense of your life and safety.
GOD BLESS US ALL.
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Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at [email protected], or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
