Fact check: 1964 law does not create religious exemption from masks
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 4 years ago • 16 commentsBy: President Lyndon B. Johnson (USA TODAY)
Devon LinkUSA TODAY
The claim: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 allows religious exemptions to mask mandates
After several failed efforts to use the ADA, HIPAA and the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to fight mask mandates, those opposed to masks are adding a new tool to their arsenal: the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
YouTuber Nathan Roberts explored the effectiveness of employing this law to argue for a religious exemption from mask mandates in a video July 22.
"Anything that's open to the public for public accommodation has got to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, not to discriminate, based on many different things, including religion," Roberts said. "Religion meaning that if you, or your religious conviction, believe that you shouldn't be wearing a mask, that's all you have to have."
Roberts tested his argument in a Georgia Kroger store. An employee asked Roberts to think of other customers and obey the mask policy before her manager told Roberts the store did not discriminate.
"You don't know the law, so enjoy your shopping," Roberts told a shopper.
In the video's description, Roberts urged viewers to employ religious exemptions and shared links to forms that customers and employees can use to report stores to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
Facebook community Open Your Eyes People shared Roberts' video on July 23, where it received more than 15,000 comments and 30,000 reactions.
Roberts, who identifies himself as a journalist, has previously been criticized for his promotion of the flat Earth conspiracy theory.
Fact check:What's true and what's false about face masks?
When USA TODAY asked Roberts where he'd learned about religious mask exemptions, he shared an article written about his YouTube video as his source.
Website provides religious exemption cards
A website called The Healthy American is using the same argument to sell religious mask exemption cards.
"Religious Exemption: The bearer of this card is LEGALLY EXEMPT from wearing any face coverings or being subjected to temperature taking, viral testing or vaccination, as protected by U.S. Federal Law, Title II of the Civil Rights Act, U.S. Code 42 ss 2000 (a)," reads the card, which @missioninactionpodcast shared on Instagram July 25.
Through a quick visit to the site, individuals can purchase an identical card for a $12 donation. The exemption notice claims to be valid through Dec. 31, 2021, and is signed by pastoral representative David Hall.
"We need all hands on deck to fight this growing tyranny sweeping across our country. Spread the word, learn the laws, get active in your communities and educate them," @missioninactionpodcast captioned the photo.
But legal experts say the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not provide a basis for a religious exemption from mask-wearing requirements.
Neither Open Your Eyes People, The Healthy American nor @missioninactionpodcast has returned USA TODAY's request for comment.
Fact check:No mask? You can ask why — it isn't against HIPAA or the Fourth or Fifth Amendments
What the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says
After years of advocacy from civil rights leaders, the Civil Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, to prohibit discrimination in public places and outlaw segregation.
"All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the grounds of race, color, religion, or natural origin," states Title II of the law, codified at 42 U.S. Code §2000a.
The Civil Rights Act prohibits acts of racial discrimination that the 14th and 15th Amendments failed to address.
Mask mandates vary by state and company policies
As of August 4, 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico mandated masks be worn in public places. Many states allow for exemptions for children, those with disabilities, those who are medically incapable of wearing a mask and those engaged in specific activities like exercise, eating or drinking.
USA TODAY has reviewed all 36 policies and has not found any explicitly detailed, religious-based exemptions for individuals entering stores and other public places. Some states do allow mask exemptions for individuals in places of worship.
President Donald Trump has said he will leave the decision about mask mandates to states.
In a July 19 interview with Fox News, Trump said he would not consider a federal mask mandate because he wanted people to "have certain freedoms."
"Everybody was saying don't wear a mask, all of a sudden everybody's gotta wear a mask and, as you know, masks cause problems too. With that being said, I'm a believer in masks. I think masks are good, but I leave it up to the governors," he said.
Many local leaders in states without mask mandates have adopted their own mask requirements. Palm Beach County, Florida, made headlines when leaders enacted a mask mandate that allowed for religious exemptions.
In response, Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino searched for a religion that objects to mask-wearing with no avail. Cerabino wrote that this policy allowed anyone to claim religious exception to mask mandates, regardless of the threat to public safety.
Some stores like Walmart have included religious exemptions in the company's mask policy.
Fact check:ADA does not provide blanket exemption from face mask requirements
Legal experts say 1964 Civil Rights Act doesn't apply
Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman, who specializes in constitutional studies, with an emphasis on law and religion, said the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not grant individuals religious mask exemptions.
"The government can't discriminate against you on the basis of your religion, but it doesn't appear to be discriminating against you here by telling you to wear a mask," Feldman told USA TODAY. "Contrary to what this card is saying, federal law cannot get you an exemption from a neutral, generally applicable state law."
Cornell Law School professor Nelson Tebbe, who teaches constitutional law and religious freedom, also said that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not apply to religious mask exemptions.
"Title II protects against discrimination on the basis of religion (and other protected traits) in public accommodations. But requiring all customers to wear a mask is not discriminatory — it's neutral," Tebbe wrote in an email to USA TODAY. "So I'd say this claim is bogus."
Burt Neuborne, New York University Law professor and founding legal director of the Brennan Center for Justice, agreed in an email to USA TODAY.
"Mask mandates, if justified by public health concerns and applied in a non-discriminatory manner, do not violate religious liberty. Period. It's not a close question," wrote Neuborne.
Fact check:Document claiming to show CDC guidance about various types of masks is a fake
Experts question validity of card sale
And if there were a religious exemption to mask mandates recognized by the law, Feldman said the purchase of a card like the one The Healthy American is selling would not be necessary to exercise such a right.
"If you really have this right, you wouldn't need the card for it and if you don't have this right the card can't give it to you," Feldman said.
"Selling religious liberty exemptions is a scam," Neuborne wrote. "It's a flat out fraud."
Our rating: False
Legal experts say the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not allow individuals to claim religious exemption from mask mandates. The law protects individuals from discrimination in public places, but since mask mandates are neutral and generally applicable, they are not discriminatory and, hence, the law has no application in this situation. We rate this claim FALSE because it is not supported by our research.
Our fact-check sources:
- USA TODAY, "Fact check: ADA does not provide blanket exemption from face mask requirements"
- USA TODAY, "Fact check: No mask? You can ask why — it isn't against HIPAA or the Fourth or Fifth Amendments"
- YouTube, FlatEarthDoctrine "Are you religiously immune (exempt) from Face Mask/Covering Mandates?"
- Customer Religious Exemption Form
- Employee Religious Exemption Form
- Open Your Eyes People Facebook Community
- YouTube, Mr Sensible "Nathan Roberts Flat Earth fallacy"
- Sons of Liberty Media, "Georgia: Man Tests Mask Policies At Kroger - Informs About The Law - This Is What We Need More Of Today! (Video)"
- The Healthy American
- @missioninactionpodcast's post
- www.OurDocuments.gov, Civil Rights Act (1964)
- Title II of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S. Code § 2000a
- Axios, "The states where face coverings are mandatory"
- Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced, July 17, 2020, press release
- YouTube, Fox News "President Trump goes one-on-one with Chris Wallace | Full Interview"
- Palm Beach Post, "Cerabino: Religious exemption in PBC mask order adds to virus prey"
- CNN Business, "Walmart and others will still serve customers who refuse to wear masks, despite new rules"
- Harvard Law School, Professor Noah Feldman
- Cornell Law School, Professor Nelson Tebbe
- New York University Law, Professor Burt Neuborne
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
scumbags are trying to con people into giving them money for these useless "mask exemption" cards.
People are being stupid too. Why wouldn't one wear a mask during a pandemic? It makes no sense. Not surprising some are trying to use religion as an excuse too.
Well many on the right tried to use pseudo-science to claim wearing masks doesn't help but I haven't seen any of those articles in the last few weeks as more and more science came out showing masks were integral to getting the virus under control. Now all they have left is their ignorant faith to fall back on to claim they shouldn't have to conform to rational thinking.
It's science that will get us through this. "Faith" might make some feel better, but it won't stop or cure covid. And people who dismiss sound. science like the benefits of wearing masks are being selfish and ignorant. Faith may just be the excuse they use.
Any "license to kill" is void nonsense. Wear a mask.
Who wouldn't want Americans to except an enemy?
We see you doing Putin's dirty work wrapped in our flag. It is not working, but you are all revealing yourselves..
Good Job!
Why can't people understand that wearing a mask is a selfless act?
I thought religious people (with very few exceptions) were about charity, compassion, and kindness?
Why? Becase they are selfish and self entitled...
It's a rhetorical question.lol
I just wanted to rant and rave
I have come to believe that many who hold themselves up as being the most righteous are actually at their core basically evil. I am not talking merely dumb and thus benignly misguided, but actively and intentionally malignant. What they try to outwardly project is a disguise crafted so they may move easily among us serving virulent cocktails of hatred and Covid-19. And, both are catching...
I'm trying to immune myself from the hatred.
We have a few here who profess Christ with their mouths but I don't think Christ lives in their hearts
I believe most evangelicals in this country are completely self-centered (with very few exceptions). They couldn't care less whether their neighbor lives or dies unless their neighbor shares the same faith and skin color as they do.
All the non maskers should just go live in the mountains or the deserts. That way they can infect themselves to their hearts content and let the rest of us work on containing this thing by taking proper precautions.
Bottom line -
I bet those dumb asses are the same ones picketing Planned Parenthood.
In the form of . . . face masks? The need to wear face masks(not all the time, just in certain specific situations) during a deadly pandemic for which we are still working on a vaccine is tyranny? That's their idea of tyranny?
You know you live in a good (and free) time and place when your idea of tyranny is being told to wear a mask so as not to spread a deadly disease.