A New York Republican club responded on Tuesday to outrage over a video showing people at a party that arranged to meet in a Conga queue without masks, writing in a Facebook post that “adults have an absolute right to make their own decisions”.
The Whitestone Republican Club, whose meeting in Queens, NY, took place before the governor of New York. Andrew Cuomo
Andrew CuomoHillicon Valley: Google denies accusations in DOJ antitrust complaint | Biden fails Trump after hack | Biden campaign says Twitter will wipe out followers of POTUS account New York suspends use of facial recognition in schools Survey considers Andrew Yang favorite for New York Mayor MORE (D) interrupted meals indoors since December 14, receiving at least 50 guests indoors in an Italian restaurant, Il Bacco. New York banned meetings of more than 10 people at the time.
The group wrote in its social media post on Tuesday, “Yes, we had a Christmas party. Everyone had fun. We respect all precautions. But we are not the police mask, nor are we the police of social detachment.
“Adults have an absolute right to make their own decisions, and clearly many have chosen to interact as normal humans, not as paranoid zombies in protective suits against danger,” continued the club. “This is, for some reason, controversial for people who believe it is their job to tell us what to do.
“We all have an inalienable right under the First Amendment to assemble peacefully, and that is what we did,” continued the post. “There is no pandemic clause in the Constitution, no matter how much the media and Cuomo want you to believe otherwise.”
“We ask ALL New Yorkers, regardless of political affiliation, to go out and enjoy their holidays in any way that makes them happy and comfortable. Make your own calculated decisions, don’t give in to fear or blindly obey the media and politicians, and respect the decisions of others, ”added the organization.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month issued guidance saying, “TThe safest way to celebrate winter holidays is to celebrate at home with the people who live with you. ”Other health professionals, including leading infectious disease specialists Anthony Fauci
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This occurs at a time when New York is experiencing a new outbreak of coronavirus infections, especially in Queens. As of Tuesday, the state health department recorded a total of more than 878,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with nearly 12,000 new infections reported on Tuesday alone.
The state also had more than 29,000 coronavirus-related deaths, with more than 5,000 of them occurring in Queens County alone.
The owners of Il Bacco filed a class action lawsuit against city and state officials earlier this year for banning meals indoors. The restaurant’s owner, Tina Maria Oppedisano, told Queens Daily Eagle that the restaurant followed the coronavirus restriction rules for the Republican club meeting.
“That party didn’t violate anything at all. We did exactly what we were told, ”she said. “Each person who entered the company was verified and subjected to a temperature check.”