Latest Round of “Snitch Line” Complaints Against Churches
Over the past few months, we have been apprising you of the complaints that have been submitted to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) on Gov. Northam’s “snitch line” – the statewide system managed by VDH that encourages Virginians to anonymously report businesses and churches for possible violations of the COVID-19 executive orders.
Through our third round of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, we obtained more complaints submitted to VDH against churches and even some Christian schools. These complaints provide further proof of targeting of those who would simply exercise their right to worship.
One can’t help but notice the similarity between the “snitch” tactics used by the Northam administration and those used by the Gestapo – the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. While this may sound like a stretch to some, keep in mind that the success of the Gestapo was primarily due to informants who denounced their friends and neighbors as enemies of the regime. Estimates show that, of those complaints, at least forty percent were personally motivated or the result of a personal grudge.
After reading the complaints that were submitted to the VDH, I can honestly say the vast majority are petty and inconsequential. For example, one snitch noted, “Church goers were congregating outside, talking in close quarters, hugging, and no one was wearing masks.” Another “complainer” noted, “Under a big tent outside but crowded beyond belief…socializing after the service Scary because they were all hugging each other. I drove by twice, once around 11:45, then at 12:30 same thing going on. Sunday service next week someone needs to check it out. Shut them down!!”
Let me be frank – Are you kidding me? Hugging – So What?
When we leave church, it is perfectly normal to stand outside and talk with our friends about a variety of things, including the service. Additionally, if we are outside in the fresh air, why do we need a mask? Finally, and most importantly, there are a variety of health benefits attributed to giving and receiving hugs. A 2015 Carnegie Mellon University study involving 404 healthy adults examined the effects of perceived social support and the receipt of hugs on the participants' susceptibility to developing the common cold after being exposed to the virus. Those individuals who identified greater social support were less likely to come down with a cold, and the researchers determined that the stress-reducing effects of hugging explained 32 percent of that beneficial effect. Furthermore, those who got a cold but received more frequent hugs had fewer severe symptoms.
There were several complaints about students not wearing masks at Christian schools, including “student chorus singing without masks or social distancing” and “They are giving parents the choice whether masks are worn or not. Leaving it to each parent. Camps are not spaced out.” First of all, Gov. Northam’s mandate specified that only children 10 and older are required to wear a mask. Second, how can a choir be expected to sing while wearing a mask? Third, it’s been well-established that children are highly unlikely to become sick from this virus, and virtually all who do recover just fine. And lastly, what’s so wrong about a private school allowing the actual parents (gasp!) to choose what is best for their child’s health and development?
Unfortunately for Virginians, thanks to Gov. Northam’s snitch line and a bunch of “Karens” who actually think they are doing a public service by spying on their neighbors, real businesses are being shut down throughout the Commonwealth.
The Hillsville Labor Day Flea Market and Gun Show was even forced to cancel their event for the first time in 53 years after a notice from VDH was issued to the town of Hillsville, Virginia and the event’s major sponsors advising them that if the festival went on, it would violate Gov. Northam’s emergency order banning large public gatherings, which could lead to court actions and fines for individuals, businesses, and localities. The economic impact of shutting this event down cannot be overstated. In recent years, this event, which takes place over a four day period, brings in hundreds of thousands of people who spend their hard-earned money in local businesses, restaurants, hotels, etc. Canceling an event of this magnitude only brings hardship to those who depend on it every year to help pay their bills. And that is only ONE of MANY examples, which are crippling our economy, stealing people’s freedom, and diminishing everyone’s quality of life in our communities.
Certainly, we are all mindful that COVID-19 needs to be taken seriously, and none of us wants to risk getting others sick if it can be reasonably avoided. But snitching on one another to “Big Brother” Northam is not going to help matters. Before bringing the government even further into our lives, we need to be mindful of the nine most terrifying words in the English language according to Ronald Reagan: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
COMPLAINT HIGHLIGHTS REEL FOR YOUR READING ENJOYMENT
We’ve compiled some of the highlights from the 118 complaints leveled against churches and a few Christian schools in our 3rd round of complaints, with some of our own commentary in parentheses:
"The church is encouraging others to come and not enforcing mask use." (Go figure…a church encouraging people to come… And since when did the Church become the government’s enforcer?)
"There is often prayer time where people gather closely." (Oh, the horror! In case you’re unaware, that’s what happens in churches. People gather together in prayer.)
"We tried to confront the pastors about it, but they insisted to let people in without a mask." (Pastors…letting people in their church services…just as they are? Go figure. Should we really expect anything else from pastors?)
"It is a free for all - as in you can sit wherever you want to. Very few people wear masks. They have choir practice and don't social distance at all. Share hymn books etc. They are playing a very dangerous game." (When sharing a hymn book has become the definition of a very dangerous game, you know we’ve got bigger problems than a virus. But as for letting people sit wherever they want in church, they may have a point. Have you ever sat in someone else’s seat they ALWAYS sit in? Watch out.)
"Church goers were congregating outside, talking in close quarters, hugging and no one was wearing masks." (People at church hug each other. It’s just part of the deal.)
"ALL priests do NOT wear a mask while distributing communion and there is NO social distancing when standing in line for communion." (Can you imagine Jesus and his disciples wearing masks as they ate the Last Supper, under any conditions??)
(After VDH removed "Religious Service" from the dropdown menu options): "There is nowhere to report a church on this form, but this is a church. (I do not personally attend this church.) Drove by as church was being released on Sunday and everyone coming out was without a mask." (Wow, it’s clear that this person is QUITE the responsible citizen, going out of his way to protect everyone from themselves.)
"This church also has online Facebook. If you go there, you can see their whole service where nobody is wearing a face covering. I prefer to not be contacted, because if my family finds out it is me reporting, I will be in serious trouble." (No commentary necessary…)
(Wedding venue) "Recently I sent in a complaint about a wedding at this venue that was not following the masks/distance requirements (including link to photos of event as proof). I checked out their social media again to see if they've made changes to follow the rules and was very disappointed to see they haven't. Please check out photos from another Covid Summer wedding reception there and see how much it looks like a wedding from last Summer[.] Dancing on dance floor inside with no masks or distancing, tables full of guests inside with no masks, DJ with mask on her chin, bouquet throwing with a gaggle of girls full of smiles not masks. ... Weddings like this are such an obvious big part of the problem we are all living through." (Really?? Wedding celebrations and ceremonies, where families are smiling and sharing special traditions, is a BIG part of the problem we are living through??? Enough said.)
"Under a big tent outside but crowded beyond belief .... Socializing after the service. Scary because they were all hugging each other. I drove by twice once around 11:45 then at 12:30 same thing going on. Sunday service next week someone needs to check it out. Shut them down!!!" (This person missed their calling in life. Should have been a private investigator. And are we really saying that people hugging is scary?)
"The church does a great job at social distancing. However, on numerous occasions, numerous parishioners did not wear mask over nose at 11:30 mass." (Did this person consider that some removed the mask temporarily from their nose because it was hard for them to breathe – one of the several exemptions to the mask order?)
"This church is meeting at a house in our neighborhood to get around social distancing rules. ... There is no way they can socially distance in that house. ... We ask to remain anonymous but please investigate this." (No more having church in your homes, folks. Constitution? What’s that?)
"If you would like to view their service, it is available on their Facebook page. ... Everyone was touching each other, singing, etc." (Churches beware, informants are watching you through your streaming online services. Maybe they’ll hear the Gospel and be saved.)
"People who are not immediate family were packed closely beside each other, masks were "optional" instead of being enforced. People were not social distancing. People were gathered in groups, talking without masks, as if it was a normal Sunday service pre-pandemic." (“…as if it was a normal Sunday service pre-pandemic.” Wow, where’s that church, and when do they meet? )
"This church is having vacation Bible school all week in the evening. The entire parking lot is full. We have seen for two evenings...no masks...kids everywhere...no social distancing." (There’s no way in this world to keep a bunch of kids at VBS socially distanced 6 feet. Anyone who’s ever volunteered for it knows it’s just not possible.)
"Although there were chairs set up 6 ft apart from each other, many people were moving the chairs and sitting right next to people clearly not from their household." (That’s because, at church, everyone is one big family.)
"Mask wearing was discouraged for being political." (This has got to be the best one yet!)
(Hunger Prevention Program by local Church) "People in line for food not practicing social distancing or wearing face coverings." (Shut down that hunger prevention program! Someone should ask this person: Which is worse, going without food or minimally increasing your odds of getting a flu-like illness?)
