On Monday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statewide mask mandate for New Yorkers.
Although it’s clear that masks are useless at best and harmful at worst, the governor continues to play COVID-19 theatre.
Hochul decreed that any indoor business that didn’t have a COVID-19 jab mandate must implement a mask mandate.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered a mask mandate at all indoor public places starting Monday unless a COVID-19 vaccine requirement is in effect at a particular business or venue. The requirement will apply to both staff and patrons. https://t.co/1aCREvt2Hx pic.twitter.com/9afhwF2WRb
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 10, 2021
Fortunately, several New York counties said they weren’t interested in playing COVID-19 theatre and would not enforce the idiotic mandate.
https://twitter.com/BradPorcellato/status/1470901785875394560
Bruce Blakeman, who will take his post as Nassau County Executive in January 2022, said he will not enforce New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) latest mask mandate. https://t.co/LAMCKaX56j
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) December 15, 2021
And here’s the funny thing.
Governor Hochul conceded and stated her administration wouldn’t seek to force counties to abide by her mandate.
“I do hope that the businesses will enforce this, and individuals will understand how important it is.”#NewYork Gov. @KathyHochul said her administration will not seek to compel counties to comply with her new #MaskMandate, which took effect on Dec. 13. https://t.co/rYXX9XlSRY
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) December 14, 2021
The governor admitted she’s powerless and has zero authority to enforce an illegal mandate.
The Epoch Times noted:
New York’s governor said Monday that her administration will not seek to compel counties to comply with her new mask mandate, which took effect on Dec. 13.
“I do hope that the businesses will enforce this, and individuals will understand how important it is,” Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters at a briefing in New York City.
“We have left it to the counties to enforce, so counties can choose not to enforce. But we hope counties are enforcing,” she added later.
Hochul, a Democrat who replaced Andrew Cuomo when he resigned earlier this year, on Friday announced that masks would be required in all indoor public places unless the entities imposed vaccine mandates.
The measure started Dec. 13 and runs until Jan. 15, 2022.
If some counties say they won’t enforce the mask mandate and Governor Hochul won’t compel the rebellious local governments, that means enforcement rests on the businesses.
And for consumers at businesses that attempt to enforce the mandate, you simply say no thank you.
It’s a mandate.
A mandate is not a law.
What about counties that wish to enforce the mask mandate?
What’s the appropriate response?
Watch this clip of one New Yorker who respectfully non-complied and refused to budge when confronted by a police officer.
The gentleman calmly tells him “this has been going on a long time and understand enough is enough.”
The man is non-aggressive, firm, and refused to alleviate from his routine.
If every citizen was unafraid to do this, COVID-19 theatre would have ended 21 months ago.
New York City is one location that’s sure to have many establishments attempt to enforce Hochul’s mask mandate.
But there’s an easy way to shut down policy enforcers that confront you for walking around with a free face.
From nyc.gov:
Reasonable accommodations: Public accommodations have an ongoing duty to provide people with accommodations for disabilities, including those related to COVID-19, unless doing so poses an undue hardship or would create a direct threat to health or safety that cannot be adequately mitigated by a reasonable accommodation. This obligation extends to all disabilities, including those directly related to COVID-19 and underlying conditions for which exposure to COVID-19 may pose a particular risk of complication, which the NYC Department of Health has identified here.
Public accommodations that choose to implement policies requiring customers to wear face coverings or show proof of vaccination before entering must still make reasonable accommodations for customers who are unable to comply because of a disability, including a pregnancy-related disability, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship or a direct threat. Examples of reasonable accommodations may include:
- Allowing customers to order by phone and do a no-contact pickup of purchases as an alternative to shopping inside.
- Allowing customers who are unable to stand in line for extended periods because of a disability to enter the store without waiting in the same line as other customers, or to shop during hours reserved for vulnerable populations.
- Allowing customers with disabilities who rely on the assistance of another person to enter the store with a companion, despite a general business policy restricting access to one person at a time.
- Allowing entrance to customers with disabilities who are unable to medically tolerate wearing a face covering, despite general policies requiring face coverings for all customers.
- Allowing customers who are unable to show proof of vaccination because of a disability, including a pregnancy-related disability, to enter the premises while taking other safety-related measures, such as wearing a face covering and ensuring social distancing (note that this example does not apply to entities covered by the Key to NYC Executive Order, discussed below).
When faced with a request for a reasonable accommodation for a disability, stores should limit their questions to understanding the type of accommodation that would address the customer’s disability-related need. Invasive inquiries about the nature of a person’s disability or demands for proof are prohibited.
The language of New York City’s COVID-19 protocols states that establishments cannot discriminate against people who are unable to medically tolerate wearing a face covering.
And demands for proof are prohibited.
But a mandate is not a law, so you don’t even need that.
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