MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three pastors from across Tennessee are asking Governor Bill Lee to reconsider his decision to reopen the state.
Restaurants in 89 out of 95 counties have been allowed to reopen, and Wednesday that expands to non-essential retail.
Local 24's Jeni Diprizio talked with the pastors, including one from Arlington who says this decision is forcing workers to choose between their health or income.
“The state itself is creating a situation if you are poor you have got to choose," said Arlington pastor Gordon Myers.
Myers with the Living Word Lutheran Church in Arlington says opening non-essential businesses unfairly targets the working poor.
“You can go back to work knowing that every moment of exposure for you can have cataclysmic consequences, or you can choose not to go back to work," said Myers.
Myers says people shouldn't have to choose between money or their safety, and his fellow pastors agree. They say it’s too soon for the state to reopen.
“We are going against the White House, public health experts, epidemiologists - I cannot imagine what the rationale is," said Jared Ruari, a Shelbyville pastor.
“Doing this reopening at this time places money over people. And that is unloving," said Rev. Kelli X, a Nashville pastor.
“This is the same situation we were in when we started to take steps to social distance. So it seems to be that this is a hasty underinformed decision," said Ruari.
“The government should not place this burden on its people. We've got to do better," said Kelli X.
The pastors, like many people across the state, believe the reopening is too soon, and they say until there is a consistent decline in cases and improved testing, it's not safe.