Yesterday, Gaston County leaders announced that they would be signing a new order at 5:30 pm to “Reopen” All Businesses and Churches in defiance of the North Carolina Governor’s Order.
In the morning, the leaders sent out a “Gaston Promise” proclamation which read, in part:
“We understand that what the Board supports is not in lock step with the Governor’s executive order, but we support putting our citizens back to work and allowing them to worship corporately, both of which are their constitutional rights. In fact, we are reminded by Article I, Section 13 of our North Carolina Constitution, that “all persons have a natural and inalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences, and no human authority shall, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience.” Worship – whether by oneself or corporately -is an inalienable right of the people.”
Early in the afternoon, the Governor’s office released a statement about Gaston County’s proclamation and impending order:
“This order’s only effect is to create confusion during a public health emergency, which is dangerous.”
Gaston County leaders then rushed to ‘amend’ their order to align with the broader state order, which essentially nullified the proclamation they made in the morning.
The new order, which was signed at 5:30pm last night, includes an all-caps revision in the beginning which reads:
“REVISED ORDER OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GASTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS…
…GASTON COUNTY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE STILL SUBJECT TO AND RESTRICTED BY ANY AND ALL OF THE GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS”
What do you think about the Governor’s Stay at Home Order?