PRESIDENT of the United States of America, Donald Trump recently classified religious
places of worship as essential public places, thereby part of essential services providers
in the United States, and ordered governors of all the states to immediately lift
lockdown on all churches, mosques and synagogues. Trump went as far as threatening
that failure to carry out the order immediately, he would override the governors and
make it effective irrespective of objection.
However, it is still unclear how Trump intends to execute such threat considering that
the governors are empowered under emergency to put in place any measures that
could effectively secure lives of citizens and residents in their domains from any danger.
In fact, it is a trite principle all over the world that fundamental human rights may be
suspended during emergency for the purpose of saving lives.
Trump’s contention is that religious bodies should be categorized as essential services.
No doubt, religious bodies should. However, the issue is that whether classified as
essential services or not doesn’t address the crisis that necessitated the lockdown. It
must be noted the lockdown is not in place to distinguish essential and non-essential
services in the society. Clearly, it was put in place as a precautionary measure pending
when cures or vaccines are found against the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic.
Presently, data shows that the world has over 5.31 million confirmed cases, 2.11 million
recovered cases and 347,676 deaths of coronavirus epidemics. And the number
increases on daily basis. In United States, there are a total number of 1.66 million
confirmed cases; 335,000 recovery cases and 97.426 deaths of citizens and residents at
the moment.
United Kingdom has 36,675 deaths; Brazil – 22,165 deaths’; Spain 28,678 deaths, Italy –
32,854 deaths; France – 28,375 deaths; Belgium – 9,305 and the rest countries fall
below Belgium’s record including Africa that has a total number of 3,257 deaths but a
total of 107,747 confirmed cases and 42,924 recoveries.
A salient question for President Trump is; where did these figures amounting to a total
of 347,676 deaths from across the world come from? If the figures came largely from
public places including school, clubs, markets, religious places, it means the coronavirus
epidemic doesn’t exclude those on “essential services”. It means it can get hold of
anyone that didn’t observe the guidelines and precautionary measures in place by
health experts and governments.
Instructively, those in the essential services are adequately equipped with trainings and
necessary kits to resist the infection while on duty. They are guided by the
precautionary measures including social distancing and others. This attests that the
contagion does not exempt anyone but those that abide by the precautionary measures.
Thus, the categorized group on essential services are not exempted, but also adhering
to measures in place. If this is the case, will religious places be generously opened
merely for being essential services without precautionary measures to safeguard
worshippers?
It is therefore important at this juncture to note that the precautionary measures are in
place objectively to save lives, and not to hinder anyone from daily engagements. And
responsibly, Centre for Disease Control in conjunction with government of various
nations are having sleepless nights to come up with a remedy to the pandemic. Again,
having seen the negative effects of lockdown of the society, governments are working
out modalities to relax the lockdown gradually without jeopardizing lives of citizens.
It thus implies that until a definite cure if found on the contagion, the precautionary
measures should reasonably, not be subjected to arguments except the opposition will
guarantee to replace any lives that may be lost in the process of disregarding the
precautionary measures. Some popular churches in the United States lamented
following President Trump’s monocratic orders to lift lockdown on religious places
without any measures against spread of the pandemic. The pastors voluntarily rejected
Trump’s offer to open their churches stating that they have many old people that are
vulnerable and had already lost many members to the contagion. It therefore suggests
Trump goofed.
Without a doubt, politicians usually play with the intelligence of the electorates any
moment an election is around the corner. Nonetheless, human lives are sacred and
should not be used to play politics. Lives of people must be of utmost importance to any
serious-minded leader anywhere. To arbitrarily open religious places without any
precautionary measures in place suggests politics and ulterior motives knowing that the
lockdown was objectively to fight the spread of the dreaded coronavirus in the society.
One must be alive to cast a vote in an election.
In other words, President Trump owes Americans explanations on the precautionary
measures he put in place warranting him to announce the lift except he can substantiate
that the Coronavirus is not real. But if it is real and has truly recorded the number of
deaths made public, and as a proactive measure, he earlier shut down the airspace, all
public places including schools, religious places of worship and markets, what has he put
in place to prevent infection to save lives of citizens prior to the reopening order.
On this note, classifying religious places of worship as ‘essential services’ does not
address the issues at stake. They are and should be recognized as such. I totally agree
with President Trump on his categorization. But does the Coronavirus infection exclude
people in religious places of worship? That is the million dollar question. Of course,
religious bodies operate in diverse realms and capacities, hence, all cannot withstand
the same pressure and issues.
Suffice to say that extreme caution is requisite in the lockdown saga to avoid worsening
the predicament. The order to reopen religious places of worship is commendable but
must be regulated accordingly with precautionary measures by the appropriate quarters
beyond presidential order until remedy to the contagion is discovered. Yes, we can play
politics but not with human lives. America cannot afford to operate like a shithole.
