Founder of The Tennessee Holler Justin Kanew spoke out against anti-mask parents at the Williams County, Tennessee school his five-year-old daughter attends.
His speech blew a hole through anti-masker's "religious exemption" excuse saying there is no biblical reason that justifies not wearing a mask.
WATCH: \u201cCRT is not in our schools, you didn\u2019t know what it was 6 months ago\u2026 my 5yo gets that we mask up for others, wish more adults grasped that\u2026 if you only like democracy when it goes your way, you don\u2019t like democracy\u201d\n\nHoller\u2019s @Kanew at last night\u2019s WILCO board meetingpic.twitter.com/ACkn5HCWlL— The Tennessee Holler (@The Tennessee Holler) 1629214735
The Williamson County, Tennessee school board held a meeting after hundreds of anti-masker parents protested just the week before.
At that protest, a medical professional spoke in support of masks.
A parent was heard yelling at them:
"We know who you are."
"You can leave freely, but we will find you."
At the school board meeting that took place on Monday, Kanew said:
"I'm a dad of a new kindergartener and her first day was right after the chaos last week."
"She went to school and was one of just a few kids in her class wearing a mask which made her ask me why she had to."
"My answer was because we want to take care of other people. She's five years old, but she understood that concept, and it's disappointing that more adults around here can't seem to grasp it."
Kanew said it wasn't just his opinion, he talked to an actual pastor:
"I asked a pastor friend of mine and he was very clear, there's no actual biblical justification for using the Bible to get out of a mask mandate passed by a majority of this elected board, but thousands are doing it anyway, calling it a 'religious exemption,' which is frankly just sad."
"Avoiding masks is not in the Bible but taking care of others is."
Kanew said he didn't plan to speak at the meeting, but his unplanned speech now has near 840 thousand views.
Williamson County has an estimated weekly average of 134 new COVID-19 cases. With only a population of 238,412, the county has seen over 31 thousand cases total and the number is on the rise.
Republican Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order voiding any local mask mandates which allowed parents to opt-out of masks for their children.
Kanew ended his speech talking about the executive order:
"[It's] government overreach undercutting a local decision."
"If you only like democracy when it goes your way, you don't like democracy."
People on Twitter have praised Kanew for speaking up.
Thank you @Kanew! It\u2019s good to know there ARE some sane parents down in WillCo— Nick (@Nick) 1629215932
This man knows what to do when you put the ball in his hands— jody whelan (@jody whelan) 1629218145
If I was in attendance I would have stood up and started clapping. Loudly.— Someone's crazy uncle (@Someone's crazy uncle) 1629243762
Very much. In addition to everything else, knowing that your children might be singled out and picked on for wearing a mask to keep them safe. It\u2019s unbelievable. People are dying all over the world with no access to vaccine, & people here are arguing over wearing a mask.— Veronique Black (@Veronique Black) 1629216290
Based on the mobs that have been shouting down people I applaud the bravery of this man to specifically address these hot button issues. #SavageGentleman— Steve_Richards (@Steve_Richards) 1629217061
@Kanew that was beautiful. I\u2019m happy that social media allowed me the privilege of hearing that. Thank you for taking the podium.— Scientific Method Man (@Scientific Method Man) 1629247361
Thank you sir— Justin Kanew (@Justin Kanew) 1629217756
HERO!!— @RattleBoneJones (@@RattleBoneJones) 1629230008
Thank you for standing up and saying what a lot of people are thinking. You're daughter will be so proud looking back on this.— christine strickling (@christine strickling) 1629218771
What\u2019s so crazy about that is he was likely the only one who spoke like that on those topics. Good for him.— Elroy Jetson (@Elroy Jetson) 1629241418
Kanew also made a few comments on another highly debated topic, Critical Race Theory:
"First of all, Critical Race Theory is not in our schools, and it never was."
"The people here to complain about it did not know what it was six months ago and had never heard of it."
"That's why they're going after Diversity, Equity and Inclusion instead and trying to pretend they're the same thing. They aren't."
"And frankly, there aren't many communities around the globe that need DEI more than this one that we live in."
CRT has been around for over 40 years and people have just now, since Feb 2021, decided it will destroy Western Civilization.— Miss Robin (@Miss Robin) 1629215253
CRT is not taught in schools until you get to college. It never has been, either. These people want to whitewash our history of treating other races as beneath them, yet that has never really stopped and they are doing it again right now, forcefully.— Alien Cat Tweets (@Alien Cat Tweets) 1629231029
You might also know Justin Kanew from when he was on CBS's Amazing Racetwice and when he was the Democratic Party's 2018 nominee for a U.S. House seat.