Right now, multiple mask ban bills are being introduced in New York State.
Lawmakers are trying to say that wearing masks makes Jews less safe. But we know that criminalizing masks won't keep Jews safe — it will negatively impact Jews and other New Yorkers — and we can't let them use Jewish pain to push their agenda.
A new grassroots community group called Jews for Mask Rights has put together an open letter in opposition to these bills. Join us and sign on to protect New Yorkers!
Banning masks in New York will have dire impacts on New Yorkers. Wearing masks protects health and saves lives. This mask ban would be enforced by police and will disproportionally impact Black New Yorkers and people of color,1 who are more likely to mask,2 and more likely to have poor health outcomes.3 This is not what Jewish safety looks like.
This is about protecting one another. This is about our First Amendment rights. Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, and other local and statewide officials are putting our communities at risk with these policies - we cannot let that happen.
All Jews could be impacted by this legislation, whether they live in New York, are commuters, or potential visitors. Join us by signing on to this letter and sharing it with your networks.
Better together,
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Riverdale
Sources:
1. "Asian Americans and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic," Pew Research. https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/30/asian-americans-and-discrimination-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
2. "Black and Hispanic Americans Are More Likely to View Face Masks as Essential," Bloomberg Línea. https://www.bloomberglinea.com/english/black-and-hispanic-americans-are-more-likely-to-view-face-masks-as-essential/
3. "Disparities in COVID-19 related outcomes in the United States by race and ethnicity pre-vaccination era: an umbrella review of meta-analyses," National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
