I was dismayed recently to hear Lt. Gov. Dan Forest siding with the organizers of the Reopen N.C. rallies protesting Gov. Cooper’s current stay-at-home order.

Like many of the protesters, he is claiming that our state leader, Gov. Cooper, does not have the constitutional authority to tell us what to do, where we can go, who we can spend time with and how we can worship. Our state Constitution clearly authorized whoever is governor to declare a state of emergency, setting in motion any and all actions to protect the citizens of North Carolina.

Additionally, when I read the article about protesters wanting the order to end, I was further dismayed to see that our very own N.C. Sen. Carl Ford was in full support of their demands and opinions.

Gov. Cooper is not telling anyone how they can worship, trying to control their religious beliefs. He is, instead, trying to protect all citizens of our state from contracting COVID-19. He is asking members of a church to think of the health and welfare of the larger community to protect not just the ones we personally love but all of the someones other people love and cherish.

The true irony? The stay-at-home order started to come to an end in measured phases on Friday.

My point? Patience and concern and caring for all of this state’s citizens, regardless of political party and regardless of their faith beliefs and/or practices.

— Connie Byrne

Kannapolis