Why Mask Bans Fail Jews and Other Marginalized Groups
While proponents of mask bans claim they protect "Jewish safety," these bans are deeply flawed and dangerous. Criminalizing masks only amplifies the stigma and danger for everyone who wears them, including Jews. The #UnmaskHateNY campaign, despite its stated goal, overlooks the needs of disabled Jews and marginalized groups, putting our safety and well-being at risk.
Stigmatizing Masks Fuels Harassment
Masks are crucial for safeguarding public health. Associating mask-wearing with anti-hate efforts undermines public safety and discriminates against health-conscious individuals.
Increased Danger for Mask-Wearers
Mask bans will increase mask stigma, increasing harassment and discrimination against mask-wearers. After North Carolina’s legislation was introduced in May 2024, a Stage 4 breast cancer patient in NC was intentionally spat on by someone who said he “hoped the cancer would kill her.” A man in New Jersey was left permanently blind after being attacked for wearing a mask in September 2023. New Yorkers have already been subject to physical attacks due to mask usage even before a ban.
Anti-Mask Hate at Nassau County’s Hearing
It's not just hypothetical. During the Nassau County mask ban hearing, we saw how mask bans embolden hate in real-time.
On August 5th, disabled and immunocompromised attendees were subject to severe harassment, including derogatory remarks, stalking, and heckling. Some immunocompromised individuals were intentionally coughed on. The immunocompromised former Mayor Wayne Hall was heckled for saying that COVID-19 was still a threat for him. Similarly, a co-writer of our Jews for Mask Rights letter faced boos and obscenities while sharing concerns about facing harassment as both a Jew and as someone disabled by Long Covid. The irony of a group allegedly “opposing hate speech” and ”concerned with Jewish safety” mocking a disabled Jewish speaker wasn’t lost on us.
The lack of effective intervention by law enforcement and legislators only fueled the hostility. If mask-wearers faced this hostility in a government building, we fear the consequences of these bills in action.
The hearing fostered the very hate and vitriol the bill claims to combat, targeting disabled individuals and others who dared to oppose it. It was not just a debate over a mask ban; it was a chilling display of hatred, intolerance, and disregard for vulnerable people.
- Statement: Anti-Mask Harassment at Nassau County’s Hearing
Misguided Comparisons
The campaign draws parallels to historical instances of masked intimidation, such as the Ku Klux Klan. However, this comparison is misguided. New York’s mask ban was created in 1845 - 20 years before the KKK’s creation. Today, most people wear masks to protect their health and the health of others, not to intimidate. This conflation unfairly penalizes those who mask for safety and contributes to a climate of fear and discrimination.
There is no substantial evidence that banning masks will deter crime or improve public safety. Data shows that crime rates decreased despite increased masked use in 2020. Studies have shown that face masks are less effective than sunglasses in hiding identity and do not deter facial recognition software.
Increased Risk of Profiling & Hate Crimes
The UnMaskHateNY campaign claims to protect marginalized communities but overlooks the impact of mask bans on communities of color. Studies have shown BIPOC New Yorkers face higher threats from police and the public when wearing masks. This will disproportionately impact Black and brown New Yorkers, who are more likely to mask and suffer poor health outcomes following COVID.
Asian Americans have also faced an uptick in racist violence often tied to masking. State Senator Iwen Chu expressed her concerns in a statement:
“I am concerned about the possibility of bias and hate crimes stemming from this new mask prohibition legislation. Legislation like this may lead to anti-Asian hate and discrimination towards the mask-needed population due to health, culture, religious reasons.”
The increased risk to marginalized groups This contradiction highlights the campaign's failure to consider how such a ban exacerbates existing social injustices.
A Dangerous Approach to Antisemitism
Antisemitism remains a persistent issue with a deep-rooted nature in society. Superficial solutions are inadequate to address this complex problem. Antisemitism often manifests through harmful stereotypes and conspiracy theories that won’t go away with a single policy. We must address antisemitism through education, bystander intervention training, and solidarity, not through measures that compromise the health and civil liberties of New Yorkers.
The principle of pikuach nefesh – the obligation to save a life – is a core tenet of Jewish tradition. Banning masks violates this principle by endangering lives and public health. It is a direct violation of Jewish values, as well as a threat to the safety and well-being of our communities.
Challenges of Health Exemptions
Health exemptions for mask bans are impractical and unfair to enforce. Determining eligibility would burden individuals and law enforcement, especially since many health conditions requiring masks can be invisible- At least 10% of Americans have invisible disabilities. Some individuals wear masks to protect their health or the health of family members, even if they do not have any documented health risks themselves.
Requiring disclosure of private medical information infringes on privacy rights and can lead to discrimination. The logistical challenges of verifying exemptions would result in inconsistent application and abuse, creating a civil rights and public health crisis.
Learn More: Why Health Exemptions are Fundamentally Flawed
Take Action to Protect Masks
The Unmask Hate campaign adopts a misguided approach that poses significant risks to public health and safety. We need your help to contact affiliated organizations to urge them to withdraw their support for this campaign:
Sign the Open Letter
If you are Jewish, sign the Jews for Mask Rights Open Letter to Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, and NY elected officials. This letter opposes mask bans and explains why these bills violate our values and put Jewish people in more danger.
Who Can Sign: Jewish New Yorkers, commuters, and potential visitors. (You don’t have to personally use masks to support the rights of others!)
Who Can Share: Everyone, Jewish or not, can help by sharing the letter and spreading the word about the dangers of mask bans! Visit our Social Media Kit for sample messaging and graphics to use!
Urge Groups to Withdraw Support
Please contact groups related to your own identities.
For Jewish people: Contact the ADL, ADL NY/NJ, JCRC-NY, and UJA-Federation of New York and request that they withdraw their support for the #UnmaskHateNY campaign. Explain how the campaign endangers public health for everyone, including Jewish people, by stigmatizing mask-wearing, which is crucial for everyone’s health. If you are a donor or potential donor, explain that you will withhold donations until they withdraw their support for this dangerous campaign.
For represented minorities: Contact the NAACP New York State and National Urban League and ask them to retract their endorsements. Highlight how mask bans will disproportionately affect communities of color, leading to increased racial profiling and discrimination.
Policymakers: Use Covid Advocacy NY’s #NoNYMaskBan toolkit to tell officials to reject mask bans in any form. Highlight that mask bans lack substantial evidence for reducing crime and instead heighten the risk for those wearing masks.
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Sharable Tweets:
- Politicians are exploiting Jewish pain to push harmful mask bans. Learn why these bills won't stop antisemitism: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Health exemptions for mask bans are impractical and unfair. Learn why enforcing these exemptions can lead to privacy infringements and discrimination: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Associating masks with anti-hate efforts undermines public safety and stigmatizes health-conscious individuals. Read more about the real impact: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Mask bans lead to increased harassment and discrimination against mask-wearers. Learn about the dangers and how to take action: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Associating masks with anti-hate efforts overlooks the impact of mask bans on marginalized communities. Read how these policies exacerbate existing social injustices: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Superficial solutions like mask bans won't solve antisemitism. So why are politicians saying it will? bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
- Join me in opposing the mask bans that endanger Jewish safety. Sign the open letter and urge groups to withdraw their support. Full details: bit.ly/4eRlz0m Tweet
