SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ – New Jersey can’t dance…literally, because there’s a law against it.
It was a beautiful summer weekend at the Jersey Shore and from Cape May to Sandy Hook life seemed to be getting back to normal. At least as normal as it’s allowed to be under New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s mountains of executive orders restricting what businesses and people alike can and cannot do.
The Seaside Heights Boardwalk was packed this weekend. The first week of May is usually rather quiet, but for millions of New Jerseyans who want to put a full year of COVID-19 quarantine pandemic behind them, they took the Jersey Shore to get their long-overdue dose of fresh and entertainment on the boardwalk as the sound of ocean waves crashing echoed above the dunes.
The restaurants were hopping as live music filled the air on the boardwalk at Spicy’s Cantina, Jimbo’s Bar and Grill and others. From a distance, it was like any other summer day at the Jersey Shore until you took a closer look. Although a large majority of visitors at the boardwalk walked the boards without facemasks, something did not feel right.
At every restaurant, the bars were roped off and closed. Signs told patrons what they can and cannot do. There is no bar service because New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has completely shut down bar service in New Jersey after a single bar had staff members test positive way back in 2020. Bar service is a huge part of operating a restaurant on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. The science in New Jersey on bar service differs from that of many other states which have allowed full bar service throughout the pandemic.
There was also dancing. That’s because dancing is still illegal in New Jersey under Governor Phil Murphy. There was no real-life to the party.
Murphy is sending the public mixed signals about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. He promised New Jersey that vaccinations would lead to the reopening of businesses. Now, he’s backing off of that promise. Just as we were going to shut down for 14 days to flatten the curve, the promise that vaccines would allow us to get back to normal, the goalposts are moving once again.
It’s evident that people in New Jersey aren’t trusting Murphy’s science anymore. Few listen to him. Many businesses operate against his mandates these days, just hoping they can make a few bucks to keep their lights on before Murphy’s Gestapo COVID-19 enforcers make a surprise inspection.
With more than half of the state’s adult population now fully vaccinated the shift in New Jersey back to normal needs to happen, but it’s not. Murphy doesn’t want it to happen. The pandemic has made Phil Murphy one of the most powerful governors in all of America.
Under an executive order passed by Murphy one year ago, dancing is illegal. That’s how powerful the governor is. He has stopped people from dancing for one full year.
“Dance floors at any business must be closed or cordoned off,” the Governor’s executive order states.