Posted on 05/12/2021 10:53:39 AM PDT by Kaslin
'This is all part of COVID theatre. So, if you want to wear it for your theatre, that's fine. But don't make everyone else see a new show.'
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Amid a nonprofit group’s lawsuit against Republican Gov. Bill Lee alleging his coronavirus restrictions were unconstitutional, the group is putting up billboards to encourage residents to return to normal.
Tennessee Stands, a conservative group with offices across the state, started the initiative in Johnson City and put up additional billboards in Bristol and Kingsport. The billboards read, “Your Compliance is prolonging this nightmare. Ditch the mask.”
Tri-City Director Danielle Goodrich led the effort in the three cities. She founded the group Johnson City Freedom to try and get kids in person for school during the pandemic. Goodrich also took issue with schools eventually requiring students to mask up upon reopening. She told The Federalist that Americans should not have to “bow down to these absurd, slavish, and oppressive rules, which the government doesn’t have the authority to do.”
“The government can’t tell you not to work,” Goodrich said. “You need to eat. These are unalienable rights. The government’s only purpose is to uphold and protect the unalienable rights of the people, not to infringe upon them.”
The group filed suit against Lee in August, alleging that a statute giving Lee emergency powers and the ability to grant such powers to counties is unconstitutional. The annotated code says Tennessee law lets governors “assume direct operational control” over management functions in a declared emergency with no oversight from the legislature. The governor is also permitted under the code “to delegate such powers as the governor may deem prudent.”
The group believes this law gives Lee an inordinate amount of power and authority. According to the Tennessee constitution, “duties shall be prescribed by the General Assembly” for all county executives. Further, the group alleges that a clause in article two — “No person or persons belonging to one of these departments shall exercise any of the powers properly belonging to either of the others,” provides a rationale for why Lee overstepped his boundaries.
Gary Humble, executive director of Tennessee Stands, told The Federalist Lee “handled [COVID] horribly.”
“Our governor likes to go around saying we didn’t have a statewide mask mandate and that he let the locals make decisions,” Humble said. “That’s partially true. But by executive order, he did issue a stay-at-home order. He did limit gatherings to 10 people. He did restrict businesses. He did deem some businesses non-essential and shut them down. And then he delegated power to county mayors to make mask mandates. And then he delegated powers to our six metro health departments across the state and gave them the authority to restrict businesses and close businesses.”
Lee ended public health orders in April and signed an executive order to do away with mask mandates in 89 counties. His administration also withdrew the state from federal $300 weekly unemployment benefits Tuesday as the state opens up. In August, then-President Donald Trump appointed the governor to serve on the Council of Governors, noting Lee has done a “fantastic job in a fantastic state.”
Probably because the private sector is forcing it on them. Without them, they can’t buy what they need.
Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. People are just sheep. Oh my, the store put up a sign, I must comply. Good grief. Just stop wearing the stupid masks.
“We’re past the mask.”
Agreed.
Hat tip to the folks in “The Volunteer State’’!
Somewhat true. I am taking names of stores that have someone at the front requiring me to put a mask on before entering. They are fewer and fewer, but still there. I am not entering those stores that are forcing the issue. I simply remind them that the mask mandate is over, that most people here are vaccinated, and that I will go elsewhere for my goods. It’s their store policy to keep me out, so they lose my support. Some of these are places I do like to shop, but not enough to put that d@mn mask back on.
However, I see LOTS of places that say “mask required” when you enter, but no one is stationed at the door. These places seem to prefer to have my business, so I give them my business. I distance myself from others still. I am very aware of my surroundings and how much space I take up.
To each his own.
Same here.
Lol, you’re the reason it’ll keep going.
If only you knew the negative health effects from masks or how much more likely you are to get sick from wearing one.
You do you though.
No Active cases are the reason it will keep going, if it does.
There will always be people with a cold, a flu, or some virus intentional released by the Chinese with the help of Fauci. The big question is, will you be free or just go along to get along?
‘Your compliance is prolonging this nightmare’ morning bump.
Health officials the world over have gone absurdly nuts this whole time. They just love the power and they love being in the upper class over the serfs now.
I was never onboard with any of it, not even initially.
Same here...'God has not given us the spirit of fear'...
To have that fear is to let God know that we don’t trust him, you’re absolutely right.
To my dismay, either the organizers, or Maryville, or Blount Co is requiring masks be worn for this OUTDOOR festival.
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It was the organizers. The games are held at Maryville College which requires masks on its campus. The organizers are following the college’s policy.
Governor Lee ordered TN counties to end their mask mandates on April 28. The exception was the “Big 6” counties, who were allowed to keep their mandates though May. But Blount County wasn’t one of those six so their mandate is now ended. But of course the college is free to require masks on their campus and apparently that is what they’ve done.
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