CNN’s Chris Cuomo has a degree in law. Could have fooled me.
The cable news host and slowest of the Cuomo children argued this week that anti-police protesters are more deserving of First Amendment rights than people of faith.
“I want to go to church,” said Cuomo. “I miss going to church. I understand there’s a pandemic. You know who else does? My priest understands it.”
He added, “Oh, but you can protest. One has nothing to do with the other. You are dealing with people who are responding in this country to outrageous acts of social injustice. To say, well, it’s the same as going to church, no, it isn’t. If you told people they couldn’t protest, if you invoked martial law about these types of situations, you would have chaos.”
The cable host’s unique interpretation of U.S. law came Monday in response to a speech delivered on the first night of the 2020 Republican National Convention by Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk.
“The American way of life,” said Kirk, “means you can freely practice your religion and that church is more essential than a casino. It means that we judge people on their actions, not on their immutable characteristics.”
He added, “All of this is under attack by a group of bitter, deceitful, vengeful, arrogant activists who wish to tear down this gift we have been given. We are locking up pastors, but releasing violent criminals from prison. … The Left is judging people solely on the color of their skin, not on how they act or the values they hold.”
Following Kirk’s address, an indignant CNN host made the counterargument that, yes, of course the anti-police protesters should be exempt from the same restrictions that have barred people of faith from gathering for prayer and worship in their churches, mosques, and synagogues.
“I feel badly for [Kirk],” said Cuomo, “that he believes that that’s the world he lives in, that he’s being kept from going to church. Why? Because of a pandemic.”
Just so we are all on the same page: Cuomo the lesser is arguing that it is too dangerous to go to church, but not too dangerous to protest because the cause of the anti-police protests is important. Has anyone told the virus? Amazingly, Cuomo is also arguing that it is acceptable for the anti-police protesters to disregard the same coronavirus social distancing guidelines that have kept places of worship shuttered because the cause of the anti-police protest is righteous.
You would think that a guy who studied law at Fordham University would at least know that the amendment that affirms the protester’s right to assemble is the exact same amendment that affirms the worshipper’s right to practice his or her faith.
Then again, Cuomo is the same big-brain who believes incorrectly that the federal government can ban hate speech based on the “fighting words” exception to Supreme Court’s decision in the 1942 case Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire. Cuomo is also the same guy who demanded recently that someone “show me where it says that protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful,” even though the word “peaceably” is right there in the text of the First Amendment.
It may be too late at this point, but the CNN host may want to consider asking Fordham University for a refund.
