To mask or not to mask

Let me start with a simple fact. I hate wearing a mask and I resent like hell being told by the government that I have to wear one. I don’t care if it is local, state or national government making the proclamation. I hate it and have questions about the efficacy of such measures. And that leads us to why this post.

Yesterday a friend of mine wrote a post over at Victory Girls about wearing masks. To say she got some pushback is putting it mildly. This is a topic so many people feel strongly about. Unfortunately, some feel so strongly about it, they aren’t willing to listen to what others who feel differently have to say.

More and more often, we’re seeing folks pitching fits in grocery stores and elsewhere that would have a toddler acting similarly hauled outside and “talked to” by his parents. What these people forget in a lot of situations is the businesses are between the proverbial rock and hard place. They are being told by corporate headquarters that everyone entering the premises must be masked. They are being threatened in some areas by local government with fines if they allow anyone in who isn’t wearing a mask. But the person being asked to wear a mask makes a choice to act like the spoiled toddler instead of the responsible adult who either complies or simply leaves and takes their business elsewhere.

Let’s face it. The mask requirement is nothing more than a wink and a nod on the part of the government. First, most people haven’t a clue how to effectively wear a mask. Second, the masks they have are not meant to prevent the spread of a virus. Third, being told a neck gaiter or bandanna will work is foolish. They aren’t meant to prevent the spread of germs. But it is something the government has told us, with support from the medical community, to make everyone feel they are doing something to stop the spread.

It is also something many feel is a minor inconvenience that is also, whether they want to admit it or not, an incursion against our personal liberties.

But here is where I get upset with folks on both side of the argument. No one is listening to anyone else. We’ve dug our heels in and, by Ghu, we aren’t going to give up another inch of territory. That needs to stoop. The other person might not agree with you but they might have a good reason why they are wearing a mask and why they would prefer for you to as well if you are coming to their business or home. It is then up to you to explain why you don’t want to wear a mask. It is your decision after hearing their concerns whether you do business with them or not.

Going back to the video I saw this morning. A woman was at a grocery store in Dallas. She had a mask in her hand and a basket full of groceries. My guess is she had the mask on when she entered the business. The store is part of a chain and even in my county, where the mask requirement isn’t being strictly enforced, the store has someone at the door greeting you, asking you to wear and mask and offering one if you don’t have one.

Anyway, back to the woman. Instead of putting on the mask that she had in her hand, she pitched a fit. The only thing missing was throwing herself down on the floor and kicking her feet. But she did the next best thing. As she ranted and raved, she threw each item out of her basket–with the mask still in her hand. Then she stomped out, before the cops arrived. Now the video of her acting like a spoiled child is all over social media and the news. She has the cops looking for her and she has, in all likelihood, been banned from that store and possibly from the entire chain.

What makes this doubly bad is that she is being used as an example of why those of us who don’t want to wear masks are “bad”. We are being painted as ignoring the stats and numbers. of being willing to kill the elderly and of being racist. Yep, you read that right. Oh, and every person who doesn’t wear a mask is a Trump supporter.

Riiiight.

There was a time when this country was free and we were treated like adults. That’s been changing for the last century. It is now a critical time. We need to secure our freedoms. We need to stop the encroachment by the government with the help of the media. We need to value our Constitutional Rights. But by acting like a child having a tantrum, we are working against our own best interests.

Don’t give in but don’t give them ammo to use against you either.

Featured Image by anjawbk from Pixabay