Dennis Prager Show - Nassau County, NY Bill Will Criminalize Wearing A Mask While Protesting
Aired: 2024-08-12
Duration: 03:56


=== Legal Protests and Mask Bans (03:36) ===

[00:00:00]  A New York State County will ban protesters from wearing masks.
[00:00:09]  Now, I don't remember.
[00:00:12]  I can't say I don't remember.
[00:00:13]  I don't think I ever knew.
[00:00:14]  I knew the details of the law.
[00:00:18]  I knew you can't wear a mask in public.
[00:00:26]  In the midst of a crime, right?
[00:00:28]  Wasn't that the issue?
[00:00:31]  But there's no crime in protesting.
[00:00:34]  I am completely for banning masks in protest.
[00:00:40]  But if the protest is legal, if you're engaged in a legal activity, how can you ban the mask?
[00:00:47]  I hate saying this because I want the masks taken off.
[00:00:57]  Now, a lot of the protest activity is, in fact, illegal, though.
[00:01:01]  A lot of it is trespassing.
[00:01:02]  Everyone who took over a campus, and it'll be interesting to see will they take over campuses, you know, they resume classes very soon.
[00:01:15]  A Republican-controlled legislature, this is a national review, in a New York suburban county approved a bill.
[00:01:22]  To ban protesters from wearing masks in public spaces, though exceptions are made for people who cover their faces for health or religious reasons.
[00:01:33]  So that's another problem, right?
[00:01:35]  Because people could say, oh, that's a religious reason.
[00:01:39]  Or, you know, medical reason.
[00:01:44]  My grandfather, may he rest in peace, died of COVID three years ago.
[00:01:51]  And I've been very careful since.
[00:01:57]  Nassau County lawmakers introduced the Mask Transparency Act to target, quote, anti-Semitic incidents often perpetrated by those in masks, unquote, in the wake of Hamas' October 7th attack on Israel.
[00:02:15]  The county is located on Long Island.
[00:02:18]  Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is expected to sign the bill into law, as he has already expressed support for it.
[00:02:29]  unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in public.
[00:02:40]  Once it takes effect, the bill will classify mask wearing in the context of a public protest as a misdemeanor.
[00:02:53]  Those who violate the new law can serve up to one year in jail, receive a $1,000 fine, or face both punishments.
[00:03:03]  The New York City Civil Liberties Union condemned the mask ban.
[00:03:09]  Claiming it infringes on citizens' free speech rights.
[00:03:14]  Quote, masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular.

=== Ripe for Retaliation (00:35) ===

[00:03:21]  New York Civil Liberties Union's Nassau County Regional Director Susan Goderer said in a statement, making anonymous protests illegal.
[00:03:37]  Well, they're not making it.
[00:03:38]  Oh, anonymous.
[00:03:39]  They are making anonymous protest illegal.
[00:03:42]  That's correct.
[00:03:43]  Chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement, including to doxing, surveillance, and retaliation against protesters.
[00:03:55]  Unquote.