After 100 clergy from Valley Interfaith Project and other congregations across the state called on the Governor to issue a Stay-at-Home order in Arizona, the governor responded with an urging to “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected.” In an AZ Mirror Op-Ed, VIP Clergy write that Arizonans must go beyond the Executive Order.
[Photo Credit: Cliff Hawkins, Getty Images via Arizona Mirror]
While the order does call on residents to stay at home, the clergy now point out that:
"the order still loosely defines essential businesses as golf courses, nail salons and gun shops. These employees would have to continue reporting to work, catering to non-essential needs, at great risk of contracting the virus and spreading it to others. That’s in no one’s interest....
We know how to revive an economy, but not a lost human life....
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So, we, as clergy leaders of Valley Interfaith Project, ask our state leaders to reassess what we deem absolutely essential and to protect us all. There’s still time for improvements to this order that would diminish the spread of this epidemic." |
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Link to the VIP Op-Ed: COVID-19 Demands That We All Make Sacrifices for the Common Welfare, Arizona Mirror [pdf]
Other Press:
Ducey Orders Arizonans to Stay Home Except for 'Essential Activities' Due to Coronavirus, Arizona Daily Star [pdf]
Arizona Mayors to Gov. Ducey: Issue a Shelter-In-Place Order, AZ Family [pdf]