The Civil Rights Struggle of 2021
By Phil Orenstein
The civil rights movement led to the end of legalized racial segregation and the beginning of the ability of African Americans to be free and equal citizens in the United States of America. But similar oppressive government injustice is happening in New York City today.
About a third of all citizens of New York City, among them the majority of African Americans, have not been vaccinated. De Blasio’s mandate to show proof of vaccination and IDs at NYC restaurants, bars, museums, gyms, theaters, concerts, and other indoor settings, discriminates against millions of unvaccinated New Yorkers, who will be prevented from engaging in normal everyday activities, and even students who are prevented from playing in high school sports. Forced vaccination mandates will prevent many New Yorkers from keeping their jobs. Unvaccinated New Yorkers will be legally prohibited from traveling by subway, bus, or plane. But it also normalizes the outrageous mandate that people are required to show their private health papers and personal identification.
Mandated vaccines for all is the civil rights issue of our time. Government overreach has now created loss of privacy of our personal health information and has demonstrated that we can be fined and even jailed for not complying with their unconstitutional and illegal “laws.” But we know that these are not laws, they are government proclamations from the mayor and public officials.
