Governor Clamps Down on Christmas, Tells Families How Many Guests are Allowed

After nine months of grueling, worrisome stress in 2020, all that many Americans want right now is to have some semblance of normalcy at Christmas time.  This has been a horrid year, and gathering with friends and family could be a welcome and cathartic experience.

But, thanks to the increasing number of cases and deaths, elected officials around the country are warning that it may not yet be safe to have everyone over to unwrap presents in person.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) is the latest state leader to urge residents to drastically limit their holiday gatherings by spending them only with members of the same household, signing an executive order limiting indoor public events to ten.

In a Sunday evening address, the Republican governor identified Tennesee as “ground zero for a surge in sickness,” describing the ongoing pandemic as a “war.” Approximately 10,000 Tennesseans are getting sick daily, the governor said, largely attributing the spike to holiday gatherings — namely, the Thanksgiving gatherings.

“We have seen firsthand that Thanksgiving gatherings and extended time indoors have been the principal driver in spreading COVID-19 like wildfire,” Lee said.

And then…

“It only took a matter of days to see gatherings around Thanksgiving translate into a record level of sickness. Tennessee cannot sustain a similar surge after Christmas or New Year’s. Tonight, I am asking you to make some hard decisions,” he continued before formally asking residents to “not engage in indoor gatherings for the holidays that include anyone outside your household.”

“Family time and celebrations are important. I understand deeply how much Tennessee families need each other. But we must do all that we can to blunt this surge and keep more Tennesseans from getting sick,” he said, announcing an order limiting indoor public gatherings to ten […]

The ordinance will almost certainly be a controversial one, as Americans around the nation have repeatedly rebuked similar regulations in other locales, citing their constitution right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.