We see right through this, Andrew. The switch from mandating masks across the country to now criminalizing them for no
legitimate reason is wild…
In the 1940s and 50s, many states across the country passed anti-mask laws as an attempt to stop the hate and terrorism of the KKK whose members often hid their identities behind masks. Let's be clear: This wasn't to protect victims of the KKK — this was to make states who wanted to defend segregation look good.
Now, these same arcane laws are being repurposed to oppress. Threatening protestors with legal action for wearing face coverings is clearly twisting these anti-mask laws. This is an obvious attempt by the government to identify and punish protestors they deem as dangerous — regardless of the alarming public health consequences (
especially for immunocompromised people).
The rulings coming out of SCOTUS show us loud and clear: They don't have that same energy for January 6th insurrectionists. They certainly don't have that same energy for Trump and other right-wing, corrupt politicians who will abuse their power to incite hate and violence. We can't depend on the government to protect our constitutional rights. Instead, they're actively chipping away at them. This is happening in your state, Andrew. Can you take a moment to email your representative to call on them to oppose mask criminalization laws? It's clear that there's a different standard of protection for demonstrators who are protesting in the name of Black lives and liberation, for a ceasefire, and for our communities.
We've seen time and time again excessive force, arrests, military-grade weapons, and violence being used against peaceful protests led or organized by Black folks.
They don't want our communities protesting and pursuing liberation. This is an issue of the right to protest, but there's another layer of privacy. Criminalizing masks leaves protestors vulnerable to facial recognition, identification, doxxing, and punishment.
Join us in taking action today. Email your representatives now. Protest is essential to the pursuit of liberation. Eroding the rights around protesting is a direct threat to our fight to ensure that Black lives not only matter but thrive. Thank you for being a part of this movement,
Black Lives Matter
Comments
Post a Comment