Dear Governor Murphy,
We recognize the incredibly difficult challenges you face every day as our beloved State battles the COVID-19 crisis. We have and remain supportive of you and your Administration as we go through this trying time together.
Your decision to close our State parks, however, is wrong for public health and our State’s residents. Your complete closure of parks appears to be based purely on anecdote and without any data or health science to support that decision. As you have repeatedly observed, access to fresh air and exercise for our citizenry, especially during this stressful time, is paramount. For that reason, safely and responsibly using our State’s open spaces should continue to be encouraged, not prohibited.
Our citizens are sacrificing their livelihoods, their connections with friends and loved ones, their recreation, and, in short, their lives as they have come to know them, to do their part to fight this disease. They have done so largely willingly, or at least without great protest, understanding that public health exigencies might dictate temporary collective action led by our State Government. In short, we are doing our part. Public health priorities and individual liberties are not always at odds, however.
Respectfully, Governor, you should trust us more. We are fully capable of making intelligent, common-sense, and responsible choices that permit us to both to meet our obligations to the fight Against COVID-19 and use our State park resources for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
We see no reason why State Parks cannot remain open, with appropriate social distancing and other common-sense measures kept in place. Break up and prevent use of the parks that violate those guidelines, as you should. Keep state restrooms and facilities closed, we understand. But do not close the parks altogether.
The State of New York has not closed its state parks, even though it has been hit harder by the virus than we. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has not closed its parks, even though it shares an extensive border with us. The State of Delaware to our south has not closed its parks. Not even the State of California has closed all of its state parks. We live in the most densely populated state in the Union, and our open space is too precious to us to have it taken away arbitrarily, especially in a time of crisis.
Please rescind Executive Order 118 closing the parks immediately.
Respectfully,
Jay Webber
Assemblyman, 26th Legislative District
Join the THOUSANDS who have already signed our petition to reopen our parks.
it won”t be long before those signs are ignored and people just show up.
NO NO NO
NEVER OPEN THE PARKS
If JUST ONE LIFECAN BE SAVED it will be WORTH IT.
Please do NOT open the parks. People were not adhering to social distance guidelines while they were open. Your choice to close them was wise and necessary. We have backyards, streets (at a distance) and sidewalks to use. People are using all of the above in my town without a problem and maintaining distance. Let’s flatten the curve!
Give it a week or two we will be open. Just relax
uh oh…Caps Boy is back….
Cuomo keeping NY shut until May 15..
SHUT IT DOWN!
DON’T TRUST THE PEOPLE!
HIDE HIDE . BE A HIDDEN HERO!
IF JUST ONE LIFE CAN BE SAVED !!!!
nj closed to may 15th
we can jam in a liquor store but can’t walk in a park….open the parks
No don’t – because like the 1 poster said, people will not social distance!
Loven It
Back in the beginning of March everybody thought this was a joke I guess this is no joke is it. Look how many people passed away. people wake up.
REOPEN THE PARKS – here’s why:
1 – OUR NATURAL, INALIENABLE RIGHTS: “The Gov” (quoted below) who is issuing these “diktates” almost daily has literally admitted his ignorance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights in a television interview yesterday with Tucker Carlson:
“By what authority did you nullify the Bill of Rights in issuing this order?” Carlson asked the governor, citing constitutional protections for freedom association and religious practice.
“That’s above my pay grade, Tucker,” Murphy responded. “I wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this. … We went to the scientists who said people have to stay away from each other.”
ABOVE HIS PAY GRADE?? Hmmm…
Above is quoted from – https://www.nationalreview.com/news/n-j-gov-says-he-wasnt-thinking-of-the-bill-of-rights-when-he-imposed-ban-on-religious-gatherings/
2 – BE REASONABLE, NOT EMOTIONAL: let’s disregard irrational fears, political grandstanding., and the Gov’s lack of knowledge of the basic Law of the Land. Just consider the common-sense, psychological and physical benefits of allowing the public to access the outdoors – and I mean all parks, not just NJ state parks. When I was a kid, my parents chased me out of the house, regardless of the season, saying, “Go outside! The fresh air will do you good.”.
3 – SCIENCE DOESN’T CARE HOW YOU FEEL: Let’s go one step further – here’s some information based on science. A new study ( link below) investigated the “transmittability” of the COVID-19 virus. Although not yet peer reviewed, this study finds that the virus is much less readily transmitted outdoors than indoors.
The article:
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/coronavirus-transmission-chinese-study-shows-covid-more-likely-spread-indoors/
The actual study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.04.20053058v1
As this situation is continuously evolving, our actions in response must do likewise. It’s time for all levels of government to re-think their initial position as held when they closed outdoor public areas. The People are not unintelligent , and have a right to conduct their lives as they see fit. Being outdoors is both physically and psychologically beneficial for all – it’s high time to OPEN THE PARKS!
the reaction IS a joke.
The COVID-19 death count is less than a bad flu season.
.
EVEN TODAY (with social distancing, a vaccine and proven treatments) in a light influenza season, the influenza death rate is still 50-75% of COVID-19.
.
COVID-19 response is an HYSTERICAL OVERREATION.
It’s Settle Science.
.
EVEN TODAY (with social distancing, a vaccine and proven treatments) in a light influenza season, the influenza death rate is still 50-75% of COVID-19.
You do realize you are arguing against your own point don’t you.
Even with distancing, etc. It is still worse than the flu.
No
COVID-19 deaths are still < 15k nationwide.
.
This is a VERY LIGHT influenza year (and a lot of Influenza related pnemonia cases – that are not coded to influenza – are being attributed to COVID-19).
EVEN with a very light influenza season AND all of the cures and vaccinations for influenza, the new COVID-19 virus – that has NO vaccine and NO treatment – is still ONLY 25%-50% greater than the miniscule influenza deaths this season.
.
Learn how to read (and interpret the math).
.
COVID-19 is being WAY WAY WAY overreacted to.
.
“COVID-19 deaths are still 37K nationwide.
Those deaths are not for a full season (6 months like flu), they are for about 7 weeks.
If the death toll continues at the rate of about 2K a day that number will be over 300K deaths within 6 months. Those numbers are with closures and social distancing. Far in excess of the worst recent year for influenza. If we open everything back up, those numbers could be much worse.
Comparing COVID-19 to the flu using partial or dishonest stats is reckless and FAKE.
But let’s not let real statistics get in the way of your argument.
fyi no evidence that 2,000 people a day are dying ,but almost 1/2 the deaths in NJ are at Nursing homes
https://theridgewoodblog.net/1530-of-the-3840-deaths-due-to-covid-19-in-new-jersey-were-in-nursing-homes/
Look, let’s work on the liquor stores first ok?
2535 recorded COVID-19 deaths yesterday.
Actually less than 2/5 of deaths reported in Nursing homes, butI guess you accept that statistic.
That means 2310 deaths were not in nursing homes. I guess according to your rationale those are the unacceptable deaths.
Why are you okay with so many old people dying? How many more are you willing to sacrifice?
where are you getting these numbers from??
banning people from parks or goldf does nothing for people in nursing homes