Oregon has issued official guidelines requiring churches, businesses, and workplaces to force those entering to either show proof of getting vaccinated or mask up. Suddenly, the idea of vaccine passports has precedent.
The move is sure to have repercussions beyond the state as liberals pushing for vaccine passports throughout the nation watch to see how far Oregon will go. At the same time, it’s ordinary people in the state, vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, who will be forced to deal with the negative repercussions of Governor Kate Brown’s decision.
A spokesperson for the Oregon Business and Industry has rightly pointed out that businesses would have a very difficult time enforcing such a rule. Employees assigned to check vaccination status would have to deal with issues ranging from denying entry to people who aren’t vaccinated to people who are vaccinated refusing to show their private medical records. Employees who can’t get vaccinated or who choose to avoid the jab could wind up out of work if they can’t wear masks on the job.
Churches opposed to vaccines would be forced to sanction a pro-vaccine stance by telling congregants to either wear a mask or get a shot.
Additionally, Governor Brown has made no mention of exceptions for people who refuse the shot because they have natural immunity after having contracted COVID-19 previously. There is also no exemption for people who can neither wear a mask nor get vaccinated for medical reasons.
Given these facts, even the ACLU has dumped on the idea of creating vaccine passport laws, noting that it would create a two-tiered society that has no place in a free nation. More importantly, the ACLU adds that it’s all too easy for government bureaucrats to move from demanding to see vaccine information to demanding to see all sorts of other personal information as well.
Free citizens have the right to make their own medical decisions without government interference. HIPAA laws make it clear that medical information is meant to remain private unless a person gives specific permission to access this information. Sadly, it’s become apparent in the past year that many Democrat governors are far more concerned with amassing as much power as possible at the expense of the very people they are meant to govern.
The move to force every single business, church, and workplace in Oregon to comply with a vaccine passport mandate sets a horrific precedent. It clear these governments have no interest in protecting basic rights.
