(Salem, OR) – The Freedom Foundation released the following statement regarding Governor Brown’s decision to implement “vaccine passports” in Oregon.
“Governor Brown is once again paving the way on a path that ultimately leads to the destruction of our state and the nation with the introduction of vaccine passports,” said Jason Dudash, Oregon Director of the Freedom Foundation.
“We are over a year into this pandemic and while states across the country are opening up and returning to normal life, Governor Brown is having a hard time relinquishing her dictatorial authority.”
He continued, “the state has not provided a single piece of data to justify this and has not bothered to explain what the order aims to accomplish, or how long it will last. Common sense and experiences of the last year tell us that vaccination passports will only place additional burdens on already struggling businesses, violate individuals’ right to privacy, and unnecessarily pit neighbor against neighbor”.
“The governor needs to give Oregonians and our state’s business owners credit for the immense sacrifices they have all made over the last year. She needs to recognize that a new case of Covid today is not the same as a case a year ago now that we know so much more about the virus and how it spreads, vaccines are available to everyone who wants one, and nearly our entire at-risk population has been vaccinated.”
“Instead, she in continuing to weaponize state agencies to break the backs of Oregonians who want to return to their normal lives and reclaim their most basic constitutional rights. Rights that none of us realized were so at risk just a year ago.”
Dudash concluded, “we are one of the only states in the entire country still playing this game where the governor and her bureaucratic henchmen handpick winners and losers. The governor needs to immediately rescind this order and fully reopen the state. The Freedom Foundation was the first to sue Gov. Brown over her mask mandates last year and we’re prepared to fight her in court over this ludicrous vaccine passport, as well.”
