Some state and local governments in America have, in purported efforts to counter coronavirus, become in significant ways like communist countries suppressing religious activities while promoting certain favored large-scale political demonstrations. New York City has been a prime example of this development with Mayor Bill de Blasio praising select demonstrations in the streets while shutting down religious assemblies.
Thousands of individuals defied the suppression of religious assemblies in New York City on November 8 by attending a wedding. At the wedding held at a synagogue there also appears to have been widespread disregard for government mask wearing and “social distancing” mandates. In a Saturday New York Post article, Susan Edelman tells the fascinating story, reminiscent of brave defiance to government dictates in communist China and the Soviet Union, of how the wedding was arranged and carried out in secret.
The story of the secret wedding is inspiring in its demonstration of people’s commitment to continue to live their lives normally despite government efforts to impose a dystopian “new normal” world. At the same time, the story is depressing in its demonstration of the tyranny that has taken hold in much of America in the name of countering coronavirus that poses little risk of death or serious sickness for most people.
As in communist countries, the disclosure of the forbidden religious assembly has led to condemnation and punishment. New York Post articles detail some of the state and local government actions that have taken place in response to the wedding. On Sunday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo condemned the wedding as both “disrespectful to the people of New York” and “a blatant disregard of the law.” He also called on New York City to conduct a “robust investigation” of the wedding and for the “full consequences of legal action” to be imposed for law violations. On Monday, de Blasio said a 15,000 dollars fine would be imposed on the synagogue that hosted the wedding and stated “there could be additional consequences quite soon as well.”
