In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, everything has become a political symbol. From something as simple as wearing a mask to state lockdowns, the pandemic is further dividing the two parties and causing society to become even more polarized.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many governors have issued stay-at-home lockdown orders, shutting down nonessential businesses, and banning group gatherings. Unfortunately, this has caused many partisan issues to surface. For example, what is considered an “essential business” is still being hotly debated. Democrats, for example, have deemed gun stores to be “nonessential.” Considering the Democratic Party’s general attitude toward gun rights, this is no surprise to many people. However, groups like the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America have pushed back, saying that it is essential people are able to buy guns.
The issue of abortion has also been very controversial during the lockdown period. Should abortions be considered essential or not? Unfortunately, the answer to this question once again varies based on each party’s ideals. For example, Republican governors in states like Texas and Louisiana have tried to ban abortion during the lockdown, saying they were “nonessential.” This has caused a huge rift, and federal judges had to eventually step in, issuing an order saying that abortions were to continue.
In fact, some have even argued that lockdowns themselves were unconstitutional. Since lockdowns have banned religious gatherings, some people have argued that the lockdowns have violated their First Amendment rights. A North Carolina judge has even stated that coronavirus restrictions “violated religious expression.”
Some state Supreme Courts, like Wisconsin’s and Oregon’s, have stopped their governors from extending their lockdowns. An Oregonian judge stated that “the damage to Oregonians and their livelihoods were greater than the dangers presented by the coronavirus,” with regards to his decision to prohibit the governor from extending the lockdown further.
Another key issue is whether to allow absentee voting by mail or not. Republicans have generally been against absentee voting, with President Trump even claiming that they were “frauds.” This is likely to be because a lower voter turnout has historically favored the Republicans, which could explain why they are so eager to ban it.
In conclusion, lockdowns have caused a serious rift between parties and has caused society to become more polarized than it ever has been. Do you think that lockdowns infringe on people’s liberties? Let us know in the comments below.