You might remember Kirk Cameron from his role in the TV series Growing Pains, the movie Like Father Like Son, or any of the cringey Christian dramas he made throughout the 2000s. But in 2020, the 50-year-old Evangelical Christian has pivoted from acting to anti-masking.
On December 7th and December 13th, Cameron hosted gatherings of hundreds of people at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks, California to sing Christmas carols and commiserate in close quarters. In a video of the second event that Cameron posted to his Instagram with the caption “Joy over Fear” — a pointed rebuke of social distancing restrictions — very few attendees are seen wearing masks and almost everyone is singing in unison, mouth germs abound.
That same day, Ventura County (the location of the gathering) reported an additional 2,651 new cases of COVID, marking a 10% increase from the literal day before (via ABC7 News). Additionally, ICU capacity in Southern California is at a staggeringly low 1.7%, with only 100 beds available for the county’s 10,000 residents.
Nevertheless, the shithead Cameron labeled the caroling sessions “Peaceful Protest in Song”, and used the videos as an opportunity to show how much fun the maskless kids were having while their parents literally risked their lives (and the lives of anyone they came in contact with) to gather in the middle of a raging plague.
“Have you ever sung Christmas carols by candlelight at a time when your state Governor has prohibited you from doing that?” Cameron remarks in one of his Instagram videos. “In America? Well, this is something that is truly happening. You can’t make this up. It is such an uplifting, inspirational, and encouraging time, we want you to join us.”
As to be expected, and as was likely the intention of this sneering publicity stunt, many people are infuriated by the brazen acts of selfishness. One commenter succinctly replied with, “Protesting what? Health??” Thousand Oaks mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena even called the COVID caroling “unchristian”.
“Liberty and freedom are very fragile and they come with great responsibility,” said the mayor. “Continuing to hold large gatherings and ignoring all guidelines, I feel, is unchristian.”
Cameron has yet to announce a new event on his Instagram, but it would be no surprise if another one goes down before Christmas concludes. Fuck this guy.
