By Carl Umegboro
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.
Umegboro, public affairs analyst and Associate,
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) can be reached
via: carl@carlumegboro.com
By Carl Umegboro
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.
Umegboro, public affairs analyst and Associate,
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) can be reached
via: carl@carlumegboro.com