Written by Urvi Sakurikar
Amidst an increasingly successful recall effort, Governor Gavin Newsom’s harsh coronavirus restrictions are being knocked down one-by-one in court.
On Friday, the US Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, declared California’s ban on at-home religious gatherings of more than three households to be in violation of the First Amendment.
This recent ruling makes the fifth time that California’s COVID-19 restrictions have been shot down by the US Supreme Court because of their impact on the exercise of religion, including a previous rejection of a ban on indoor church services.
The Court’s five conservative justices also commented that “California treats some comparable secular activities more favorably than at-home religious exercise”, and proceeded to mention the Governor’s considerably softer stance on hair salons, indoor dining, and movie theaters, all of which involve a large number of people in an indoor space.
The double standards and lack of logic displayed in California’s coronavirus restrictions show a clear abuse of power on Governor Newsom’s part, and the Supreme Court has not hesitated to hold him accountable.
Although the State is to resume indoor events starting April 15th, it is important to consider the unconstitutionality of all previously issued regulations, and every Supreme Court victory is one step forward against the unfairness of Governor Newsom’s orders.
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