First Amendment Lense: Freedom of Religion

 In Sacramento California, the constitutional freedom clause of freedom of religion is definitely in question, when The California Department of Public Health implemented new rules on how churches and the amount of indoor attendance they can have as well as people congregating to sing and chant, which can be a vital aspect of worship. Pastor Les Simmons, of South Sacramento Christian Center expresses how upsetting it feels to have that right taken from him since singing has been and integral part of the culture of black churches. He said it has always been “their thing” and that the surrounding community is therefore not taking kindly to the concept of having to change tradition and customs in the face of a new era where social distancing for health purposes must, unfortunately, take precedence over our constitutional rights. Though some are trying to compromise and combat the issue by congregating in smaller groups six feet apart from each other. Singing can spread more germs than just simply praying or talking even with social distancing measures put in place because, as research shows, when one sings, particles can be expelled from the body much further than six feet - therefore increasing the chances of transmission dramatically. 

While some churches and places of worship are taking these new findings seriously, others choose to take it with a grain of salt. Pastor Jim Clark states that this new research with subsequent bans implemented are absolutely ridiculous and that this a direct violation of constitutional rights from the Bill of Rights. I happen to agree, to an exten

t. This research should not be taken lightly but it should also not take away the rights from people who choose to congregate with safety measures included. It’s prudent and fair to assume that not everyone will wish to abide by those rules and will want to express themselves religiously at their own risk. With all if this being said, if this what people decide they want to, then we should keep practicing good habits while doing so - having people’s temperature taken, proper social distancing, and having masks be mandatory as well. 

Link: https://www.kcra.com/article/california-pastor-covid-19-church-singing-ban-infringes-on-religious-rights/33146995

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