Actor Kirk Cameron and his troupe of Christmas singers may be spreading more than holiday cheer this season.
The “Growing Pains” star has recently been criticized for encouraging large groups of people to sing Christmas carols – nearby and without masks – as a protest against California home stay orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cameron has proudly participated in several demonstrations, including one held on Tuesday in the parking lot of the Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks.
“Have you seen the revealing and exciting film, ‘The Giver’, with Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep?” Cameron wrote last week on Instagram, referencing the 2014 film adaptation of Lois Lowry’s classic dystopian novel.
“The ‘safety rules’ of today’s government leaders of’ not singing ‘,’ wearing your mask all the time ‘and’ socially distant ‘seem to have come straight out of a scene in this scary movie about redefining life and reality for’ community safety ‘. “
That’s how Cameron wrote the caption for a clip of him defending his singing antics in a recent interview with Fox News, during which he called the meetings “a chance for people to come and sing songs of hope” amid “devastation” in your community.
Currently, indoor singing in houses of worship in California is “strongly discouraged,” public health officials said, while health experts agree that facial coverage and social detachment are essential to protect yourself and others from respiratory illnesses. COVID-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States.
The Tuesday night carols took place near a testing facility, according to ABC7 News, which said that about 100 people were gathered to sing.
While COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Southern California continue to rise, and intensive care units in the state reach full capacity, several in the entertainment industry and beyond have condemned Cameron’s actions as “arrogant and thoughtless.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, an internal choir trial ended up being a super-propagating event that resulted in dozens of cases of COVID-19 and some deaths.
“We do not tolerate this irresponsible – albeit constitutionally protected – peaceful event of planned protest,” tweeted the Oaks shopping center. “We share your concern and we notify the sheriff’s office. In addition, we contacted the event planner to ask them not to use The Oaks as a location. “
We do not tolerate this irresponsible – although constitutionally protected – planned peaceful protest event. We share your concern and notify the sheriff’s office. In addition, we contacted the event planner to ask them not to use The Oaks as a location.
– The Oaks (@ShopTheOaks) December 23, 2020
Cameron’s former “Growing Pains” co-star and on-screen sister, Tracey Gold, also cared about her “dear brother Mike”, addressing the actor by the name of his character from the hit 80s sitcom .
“As your smartest sister, I want you to know that I disapprove,” Gold tweeted, along with a heart and a face mask emoji. “I am worried about you brother AND your family. Wear a mask. Stay at home. Sing later. “
See more reactions to Cameron’s anti-blocking crusade below.
Checking on my dear brother Mike. @KirkCameron As your smartest sister, I want you to know that I disapprove. I am worried about you brother AND your family. Wear a mask. Stay at home. Sing later. ❤️ 😷
– Tracey Gold (@TheTraceyGold) December 16, 2020
I try very hard not to speak ill of other former child actors, because most of us have been through enough, but I’m not surprised that Kirk Cameron doesn’t know that The Giver was a book.
– Wilson Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” (@MaraWilson) December 23, 2020
Will Kirk Cameron be arrested for deliberately trying to spread a deadly virus by hosting over-broadcast events disguised as Christmas carols like an unbalanced idiot in a Santa hat?
– Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) December 23, 2020
I would like to see Kirk Cameron and all the other ignorant and selfish cretins take a public vow that if they or anyone in their families obtain Covid, the only treatment they will seek is prayer and only prayer. https://t.co/blblzg22as
– Richard Marx (@richardmarx) December 17, 2020
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