Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito recently said during a speech before the Federalist Society that “in certain quarters, religious liberty is fast becoming a disfavored right.”

Alito cited coronavirus cases in California and Nevada that were blatantly discriminatory yet they were upheld by the Supreme Court with the reasoning that those decisions should be made governors, not the court.

Santa Clara County, California, authorities filed a lawsuit against Calvary Chapel San Jose Senior Pastor Mike McClure.  McClure faces at least a $350,000 fine for an alleged violation of California Governor Gavin Newsom and county restrictions on maximum occupancy for in-person meeting for church services, as Calvary Chapel San Jose has been holding indoor services since May.

McClure said he wasn’t forcing anyone to come in person but that he was called to preach the Gospel. Now, the officials are calling him a murderer.

In five months, not one church member has contracted the coronavirus and they have contributed zero to the infection rate of this county.  Yet they have a restraining order to stay home from church.

“Essential services” like abortion mills, casinos and strip clubs are treated more favorably than churches in California and some other states.

This is wrong-headed and unconstitutional. The government has no right to restrict lawful assembly, especially when local policies are aimed solely at religious groups.

The First Amendment is under assault and protecting the public from the Chinese coronavirus pandemic is just an excuse to clamp down on the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech.