Rick Scott Believes the Bill of Rights Trumps COVID Orders
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott leaves no doubts about where he stands.
He believes Americans are free to make their own decisions when it comes to wearing a mask or going to church amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
And he made his opinion on the matter clear to CNN’s Dana Bash during Sunday’s airing of “State of the Union.”
Scott told Bash that he believes the First Amendment supersedes any government degree aimed at restricting a person’s rights under the amendment, especially the right to worship.
“It doesn’t matter” what elected officials say, according to Scott.
“We have the Bill of Rights. We have a right to worship. We have a right to get together, and respect — and we need to respect people’s religion,” the Florida Republican said.
“Do I believe that government should be telling us what to do? Do I believe government can tell us we don’t have a right to worship? I don’t believe they can,” Scott told Bash.
“All Floridians, all Americans, have a Bill of Rights, and we have a right to worship if we want to. I believe people are going to do it safely.”
As Americans, we all have the right to worship, to practice our religion and to gather with our communities.
This must be done safely, but government shouldn’t be dictating your Americans. The bill of rights comes first. pic.twitter.com/PNXTnKdJce
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 24, 2020
His remarks came days after President Donald Trump declared that all churches are “essential,” and instructed authorities on Friday to allow them to reopen for this past Sunday.
American citizens should never be told they cannot gather to worship freely in this nation.
In fact, the right to worship freely is one of America’s founding ideals, as evidenced by its prominent placement at the beginning of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Originally, we were told that social distancing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and those in charge during the pandemic were part of an effort to flatten the curve and combat the coronavirus.
But these guidelines quickly evolved into government-imposed lockdown orders that forced churches to shut down in-person services.
Cooperation and leadership turned into tyranny and totalitarianism.
In recent months, churches have been ordered to close, people have been arrested for trying to make a living and ordinary Americans have been cited or threatened by authorities simply for going about their lives.
As for masks, Scott said he feels that wearing them is a good idea, but it also is a personal choice.
“Do I believe people ought to wear masks? Yep, I do believe people ought to wear masks. Do I believe people ought to social distance? Yes, I believe people ought to social distance,” he said, according to Politico.
“Do we need the president, the governors and all the local officials to tell us how to lead our lives every day? No. We’ll figure this out.”
Scott is absolutely correct when he says Americans should be allowed to make their own choices.
No person should be made to wear a mask, or ridiculed or even threatened by law enforcement if they choose not to wear one.
This is America, where each person is supposed to have the freedom to make his or her own choices.
The senator strongly believes that the American people are smart enough to live their own lives.
Scott is on the right and logical side of this issue, as he combined common sense with the Constitution to make an excellent argument.
It’s a winning combination, and more elected officials need to follow his lead.
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