A group of prominent civil rights and black religious leaders is calling on African American communities nationwide to continue to stay home and defy governors of states who have begun to reopen businesses and public spaces.
The group, organized by the Conference of National Black Churches and Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, said some governors are demonstrating “reckless disregard for the health and life of black residents.” The group is urging black churches and businesses to continue to remain closed until there’s reliable evidence that it’s safe to return to normal.
“We do not take it lightly to encourage members of our communities to defy the orders of state governors,” the officials said in a statement. “Our sacred duty is to support and advance the life and health of Black people, families and communities in our country.”
Leadership with the NAACP, the National Urban League and the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law are joining the group at encouraging the Black community to stay at home.
Covid-19 has deeply impacted African American communities and shined a spotlight on the issue of health disparities in people of color. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black patients have made up nearly 20% coronavirus deaths in the U.S., although African Americans make up about 13% of the nation’s population.
THE PANDEMIC
As many states began to phase out shelter-at-home restrictions this weekend, thousands of Americans ventured outdoors for recreation and protest.
In California, protestors showed up at the state capitol building without masks to protest restrictions put in place to combat coronavirus. Of the 1,000 protestors, more than 30 were arrested for disobeying a lawful order, demonstrating without a permit and resisting or delaying a police officer.
In the northeast, citizens of New York City and Washington DC enjoyed the warm weather in parks, golf courses and open spaces while maintaining social distancing.
STATES
Police agencies around the country are using drones to enforce stay-at-home orders. These drones, used in cities such as Daytona Beach, Florida and Westport, Connecticut, also broadcast announcements at parks, beaches and homeless camps to enforce social distancing guidelines and even detect body temperature. The technology is raising concerns among civil rights groups who believe that some of its capabilities are invasive and pose constitutional dangers.
Mayor Will Joyce of Stillwater, Oklahoma was forced to amend an emergency declaration requiring customers to wear face masks while in public after store employees were threatened with violence and peppered with verbal abuse. One frontline worker was threatened with a firearm.
Via Twitter, Joyce said that although he expected some pushback on the face mask requirement, he did not anticipate physical confrontations with employees and threatening phone calls to City Hall.
“To the people who resort to threats and intimidation when asked to take a simple step to protect your community: shame on you. Our freedom as Americans comes with responsibilities, too,” the mayor tweeted.
POLITICS & BUSINESS
Community groups say their efforts to inform minority populations about the importance of completing the census are failing. Census workers are challenged with the struggle citizens are enduring with the pandemic and find it difficult to get them to care about the census. Local census organizations are trying new ways to engage the community, connecting with food banks and health care centers to spread the word about the population count.
The White House has blocked Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying about the response to the pandemic crisis before the House Appropriations Committee next week. Dr. Fauci, who was asked to appear on May 6, will instead be allowed to testify at a Senate Health Committee hearing on May 12.
Forty percent of the staff at a Tyson Foods pork-processing plant in Indiana have tested positive for the coronavirus. The plant in Logansport, which closed its doors on April 25, as 900 employees have test positive so far. The county health department reports that a couple of hundred additional residents still need to be tested.
The Trump administration announced Sunday that at least 2.2 million loans have been paid out in the second round of federal emergency relief aid for small businesses. Roughly $175 billion has been paid since the second round of relief began distribution on April 27.
