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"It is time - past time - to make plain that while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutters churches, synagogues, and mosques."

Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch

In his concurring opinion regarding

the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn Vs.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

Like it or not, something seems so far out of line in this great country that it absolutely has to be fixed. Check your own philosophy before continuing to read. Real conservatives and the deeply religious are more likely to agree us than solid liberals or the less religious. Regardless, everyone is free to read and we urge everyone to do so.

To enlighten readers who may not be familiar, we are reviewing and endorsing the 5-4 decision by the United States Supreme Court about the way the State of New York allowed liquor and similar outlets in "color areas" to practically do business as usual while restricting religions to 10 or 25 worshippers in buildings that might accommodate hundreds of socially-distanced members. We agree with the five. Some readers will go with the four.

Yes, COVID-19 stalks and scares all of us and it was inevitable that some elected individuals would overstep their role. Some seem to be using this tragedy as if they were old-style czars. Oklahoma's governor, Kevin Stitt, may have sent some strange signals but hasn't strayed far yet. Colleagues in Michigan, California, New York and elsewhere have strayed down dangerous paths..

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is an example. Yes, New York has been the most highly populated state in our nation during the life of most Americans. But now California is first with 39.14 million, Texas second with 27.4 million and Florida third with 20.3 million. Pitiful little New York is fourth with 19.8 million.

Back to the point: As New York governor, Mr. Cuomo acted more like a king than a temporary leader. He even tried to push Donald Trump around. If we remember correctly, that the president ... likely soon to be the former president ... sent New York a hospital ship and allowed the military to set up a hospital under a huge tent. Gov. Cuomo, who at that time was on national television at least as frequently as Mr. Trump, pushed ahead with mandates that in certain "color" areas (red zones, orange zones and the like). Those zones evidently pushed religious groups to the rear.

What does that mean? Well, for example, churches, synagogues and mosques - many of which could seat up to a thousand people - were restricted to 10 or 25 folks wearing masks. The difference between the 10 or 25 depended on the color zone - red or orange mostly. Meanwhile, in the same areas, some stores and other businesses were allowed to handle as many people as they could handle. You don't have to possess a law degree to figure what's wrong with that. The four naysayers were Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan. The five who said "yes" were Justice Gorsuch, Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the latest addition, Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

For the record, we heard and read too many so-called "straight" news stories making a big deal of Justice Barrett "casting the deciding vote." Balderdash! Take it from someone who started a journalistic career at the old Jackson (Mississippi) Daily News in 1962. Even that not-liberal-in-any-way publication would have threatened throw a reporter out for injecting opinion into straight news. Leave that to columnists and editorial writers. Any one of the five Supreme Court members who voted for this could be roasted for "casting the deciding vote." This was a 5-4 decision. Write that. Never editorialize!

Stop it whether in print or on the air. There are some outlets (mostly newspapers) which try to edit out nonsense. Many television "news" shows stopped looking years ago. As for the web, it isn't even under the same libel laws covering newspapers, television, or radio. That's because Congress dropped the ball when the internet was young. The notion that the organizations turning astounding profits on the web fail to qualify as "publishers" is downright idiotic.

Get some gut, Congress. Put all distributors under the same laws. Your failure to act is ruining innocent lives. Either place all outlets with laws that have been tested and proven for centuries or repeal existing laws governing print, radio and TV and let all outlets go wild in a new ugly world of "common equality."

Do your job. You made this mess. Reconsider your error. The Founding Fathers showed you the path. Make every outlet equal! Now!