Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is urging people to ignore mask mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions as he claims the country is at a “moment of truth and a crossroads.”
In a video posted on Twitter on Sunday, the Kentucky senator said, “It’s time for us to resist. They can’t arrest all of us. They can’t keep all of your kids home from school. They can’t keep every government building closed. … We don’t have to accept the mandates, lockdowns, and harmful policies of the petty tyrants and bureaucrats. We can simply say, ‘No. Not again.’”
“Nancy Pelosi, you will not arrest, or stop me or anyone on my staff from doing our jobs. We have either had Covid, had the vaccine, or been offered the vaccine. We will make our own health choices. We will not show you a passport. We will not wear a mask. We will not be forced into random screenings and testings so you can continue your drunk with power reign over the Capitol,” he continued.
Paul also said that “no one should follow the CDC’s anti-science mask mandates.”
The senator went on to vow that he would hold up legislation, if federal agencies or schools do not bring students and employees back full time, by introducing amendments to slash their funding.
Watch the video below:
We are at a moment of truth and a crossroads. Will we allow these people to use fear and propaganda to do further harm to our society, economy, and children?
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) August 8, 2021
Or will we stand together and say, absolutely not. Not this time. I choose freedom. pic.twitter.com/XrI2tjdAHW
He concluded, “We are at a moment of truth and a crossroads. Will we allow these people to use fear and propaganda to do further harm to our society, economy, and children? Or will we stand together and say, ‘Absolutely not. Not this time. I choose freedom.'”
Paul has previously suggested people should not follow public health guidelines around the virus. In January, he said that those who have been vaccinated or had the virus should “throw your mask away.”
At the time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had not issued its guidance that vaccinated Americans did not need to wear masks.
Last month as new coronavirus infections began to rise, the CDC issued new guidance that recommends that people in areas with “high” or “substantial” levels of transmission wear masks indoors.