Re-Open New York
In the last few days, New York has shifted from managing the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic to warding off looters and rioters while preserving the constitutional right to protest of those who are peacefully voicing their disgust at the tragic and heinous murder of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis.
Re-Open New York, a fast-growing grass-roots coalition of over 500 businesses from across New York who are safely opening their stores in defiance of the draconian and illogical attacks on their enterprises, stand with the thousands of peaceful protesters who are peacefully expressing their concerns over this injustice.
Despite the many peaceful and lawful protests, there has also been a tragic rise in violence across New York as looters and rioters have been taking over the streets in many of our beloved neighborhoods targeting law enforcement as well as local businesses.
On May 27th while alluding to Re-Open New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that “anybody who reopens in defiance with orders, of course, we’re going to enforce and if we have to we’ll do summonses, get a commissioner’s order and the place will not be allowed to reopen in any way shape or form,’ adding that, ‘we’re going to enforce it and we’re going to enforce it aggressively.”
Compare that to the Mayor de Blasio response to the rising tide of looting and rioting facing New York, who was quoted as telling Brian Lehrer on WNYC that, “the anger out there is real and unfortunately, very justified,” adding that, “I really believe that the NYPD knows how to handle protests and respect whoever is protesting but I want to see a light touch because people are undeniably angry for a reason.”
“The difference between Re-Open New York and the violent looters could not be more stark,” exclaimed Bruce Backman spokesman for Re-Open New York, “yet the mayor wants a ‘light touch’ against looters and rioters while he favors aggressive action versus peaceful small business owners representing people from all faiths, races, and ethnicities.
“The coalition of businesses who make up “Re-Open New York” are decent hardworking and taxpaying enterprises looking to follow all the same social distancing guidelines practiced by so-called essential businesses. They are all on the verge of permanent closure because the lockdown has actively forced their patrons into the hands of Amazon and large big box stores like Wal Mart and Target to fill their essential needs including the purchase of shoes, underwear, and baby clothes.
“We are pleading with the Mayor, as well as Governor Andrew Cuomo who has said in recent days that he, ‘stands with the protesters,’ to stand with us too as we safely re-open our businesses thereby endeavoring to salvage our livelihoods, feed our families and preserve the unique character that defines our diverse communities.”
For more on the coalition, visit https://www.change.org/p/tell-ny-governor-cuomo-to-allow-businsses-to-re-open-safely-before-it-s-too-late?signed=true
They are protesting anti black and racist sentiment. They need the Jewish community, their neighbors , to join with them and say black lives matter. If for any reason you have a hard time saying “black lives matter” you need to ask yourself why. We should be standing with our neighbors now.
– simcha baez
No one has an issue with peaceful protests on the opposite we all agree what happened is wrong.
We have an issue with the mayor of our city refusing to stop looters and criminals but when we want to open our business so we can feed our family the mayor shuts it down.
Destroying other people’s property is not “protesting”, yet our idiot mayor thinks it’s ok.
On the other hand, a small store owner just trying to make a living is not ok.
There is a reason for the lockdown. To stop the spread of the virus. Public riots will spread the virus much further than any responsible store will. What we are seeing are one set of rules by politicians trying to protect themselves from being accused of racism and therefore allowing the spread of the virus and another set of rules for small businesses and for Jews in general. Jews congregating in Williamsburg is wrong. Rioters congregating in cities throughout the US is wrong. There is no such thing as a peaceful protest if they are spreading the virus. The mayor… Read more »
And so does civility. I disagree with joining a misguided protest. The police system needs some help in figuring out a way to prevent bad apples from getting into their ranks, and or from acting inappropriately. Black lives matters is a skewed platform with lots of well meaning people. Black Lives Matter needs to do a better job of stopping illegality perpetrated in the name of Black Lives Matter. They should find out who and how the riots and vandalism start, and who torches a police car burning and who throws things at police and their cars, and root it… Read more »
Cause at night I’m scared to walk down the street cause of “them”.
Chiara de blasio, de blasios daughter was arrested in manhattan as one of the rioters
Not true, and unfair. Apparently she was arrested for unlawful assembly.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/mayor-bill-de-blasios-daughter-chiara-arrested-at-manhattan-protest
Many people in the Jewish community endorsed this mayor and encouraged others to vote for him. He was a horrible leader then and he’s only gotten worse.
The daily new case load is still above 1,000 for NY. That is the reported cases. The actual number of new cases per day, is likely much greater
Either way, it is more than enough to seed another round if the mitigations are removed. And, it is just about certain that the number of new deaths would be similar to the catastrophe just passed.
So, it’s a case of making somebody else die for your parnosa.
Liquor stores are essential? Target is essential Home depot is essential? So is this really about our safety or big donors from big box stores and tax revenue from alcohol sales.
How can we live and support our families without out parnosa
DeBlasio is the most astounding hypocrite ever! The dangers of the pandemic went out the window to allow these protests/riots under De Blasio’s encouragement and support! Why couldn’t they protest on social media and stay home? Why is the constitutional right to protest more important than other constitutional rights we gave up in order for people to be safe? Why does social distancing and not spreading the virus have no consideration here? Hes lacks everything a leader needs. Hard working business owners and workers who want to reopen NY have been treated like violators, and criminals are left to run… Read more »
Read the midrashim and aggados about how the Sedom “legal system” operated. That is now happening all over again. We are living in modern Sedom.
He doesn’t stand with violent people, looting and rioting. He stands with black people. Innocent people who do not deserve to die. Most of you talk the same way Israel haters talk about us. Not all black people are criminals. Not all police officers are bad. Not all protests are violent. Not all Jews are racist. Well at least I hope so.