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I will NOT wear a mask

A new fad has sprung up among our power-hungry and very ignorant politicians and leftist press who are panicking over the Wuhan flu. It apparently has not been enough that they have successfully destroyed a thriving economy, put millions out of work, destroyed the airline, entertainment, sports, and restaurant industries, over a disease that, at best is nothing more than a slight blip in the overall death rate, and at worst will be comparable to similar past epidemics that we lived through without government-imposed panic or economic disaster.

No, destroying millions of lives has not been enough. They need to do more. They need to find more ways to squelch our freedom, nullify the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and, to paraphrase Orwell, stamp a boot down on our faces, forever.

And in this case, they mean to do this, almost literally.

They are now beginning to demand that we wear masks at all times in public, in the mindless and stupid belief that this will somehow stop COVID-19 from spreading. Consider these stories:

These orders, which are only a few examples, are so out of order that it boggles the mind. The science on mask use remains very inconclusive. Some studies recommend them, especially during medical procedures. Other studies however reject them for widespread public use, noting that their general use will do no good, and in fact could do a lot of harm, helping to spread disease.

Which studies do you believe? I personally have no idea. What I do know however is that the science is uncertain, and thus, the uncertainty demands that the use of masks be left up to each individual. Let each person review the facts, as they see them, and make their own decision.

That is what you do in a free society. You respect the decisions of each citizen, and allow them to make that decision, freely. In a free society it is not the place of any elected official, or their bureaucratic minions, to impose such a requirement on everyone. Ever.

Moreover, these edicts are mindless and pointless. Even if masks were proven to be of some benefit, they in the end will do nothing to stop the spread of COVID-19. The virus is here, and it is going to spread through the entire population, no matter what we do. All we can do is slow that spread, but only temporarily, and without much effect.

In fact, the sooner the virus spreads to the younger healthy population that can fight it off with little problem and thus develop antibodies, the sooner we will succeed in protecting the more vulnerable older populations from the virus, denying it further hosts from which to spread to that older population.

None of these facts matter however to our new fascist generation of political leaders. It appears instead that many of them have decided they know best, and that they have the god-like power to impose their will on everyone else, by edict.

Well, I am here to tell those fascist politicians this: I will not wear a mask, and if you demand it of me you will have a revolution on your hands.

Nor is this all. Our corporate business community, which has worked hand-in-glove with these fascist politicians from day one of this panic, reinforcing the fear and panic by imposing their own rules of behavior without consulting anyone else, have now begun demanding that customers wear masks as well.

It began with Costco, which as of May 4 required all customers over the age of two to wear masks in their stores. The airline industry has now followed, mandating the use of masks for all customers.

Well, let those businesses hear from me now: I will not wear a mask, and if you demand it of me, you will lose my business forever.

I have already made this position very clear to Southwest Airlines, which I have been a loyal frequent flyer for almost twenty years. As of May 11th they have declared that all customers must wear masks. I called them, and told them in no uncertain terms that as of May 11th, I am no longer their customer. Nor will I fly on any other airline that makes this demand. They can go to hell. When they went along with the odious over-the-top TSA search restrictions back after 9/11, I cut back my flying significantly. I can end it just as easily.

Losing 96% of their business is apparently not enough for them. They want to drive it down lower.

In my own state, Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey (Republican in name only) has so far refrained from following the herd of the governors in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, and elsewhere. He has not yet imposed such an order.

If he tries it however he will find me just as defiant. He has no right, either scientifically, morally, ethically, or legally, to make such a demand, and I will not obey or submit. Nor do I believe I am alone in this. I think thousands of people will do the same.

He is now warned. As I said, if he tries it he will have a revolution on his hands, something neither he nor I want.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

61 comments

  • Christopher Cresta

    You are so right Bob, once these Rinos and Democrats get a taste of blood, they will never back off. I recently had some health issues that would’ve made me a prime candidate to die from covid19, but when I and my sister’s family came down with it, it was not as bad as the media and the government said it would be. During the 2-3 weeks I had it, all I had was a fever, a cough that wasn’t dry, and loss of appetite for a few days, and I am on dialysis, diabetic, and suffer from hypertension. I should be dead according to the media. Keep up the good fight.

  • John

    “No mask, no service” signs are on every open establishment in MD. You need a mask unless you grow and slaughter your own food.

    If people get angry enough and things get sporty, no way will they allow masks anymore. Irony can be so ironic.

    I sleep soundly knowing thin layers of fabric are out there protecting me. Every one at work has to have one, no matter how ridiculous.

  • Gary

    Once a standard has been declared, businesses fear the legal liability which follows from not meeting standards.

  • MDN

    Again, while I empathize with the feelings expressed here, I will repeat that we are not being productive in just venting. SOMEONE needs to start working on defining new Rule Sets that are appropriate, and working with the conservative legislatures who agree with us to promote them. The D’s and progressive left and neo-Nazi bureaucrats who are now abusing their power, can only do so because there is no defined and articulated rules to stop them. A pandemic IS serious, and we must agree that SOME measures are reasonable and appropriate, but the boundaries on those must be clearly defined.

    WRT masks I suggest that the rules we should adopt can be extremely simple, as Asian countries I have visited for years have already been using them for years. And these are:

    1. Healthy people have no obligation to wear masks

    2. Ill people who may be contagious DO need to wear masks
    – The purpose of the mask is not to stop the receipt of infectious germs, it is to stop sneezes and coughs from spreading them around as an aerosol that anyone can breath in or get on their eyes, or that will land on goods in a store that we then handle and ingest when we touch our faces.

    3. In my experience to date the wearing of masks has been an honor system thing. Given modern thermal thermometer tech we can improve on that (and need to as many in our culture, most particularly in the more FU oriented liberal urban zones where courtesy is often in short supply). Most employers are already screening the temp of employees and not allowing them to work if they have a temp, and that should become standard policy. And by extension stores and restaurants should scan customers as they enter if and you have a temp you can be denied entry/service, or be required to wear a mask.

    These simple policies achieve the public health mandate to protect the general population while also enabling the freedom to circulate to those who are ill if they need to be out and about (just because you are sick doesn’t mean that you don’t need to go to the store or something).

  • MDN: If there was the slightest chance that any state or local government would do as you suggest, my “venting” would never have happened.

    There is no chance. The goal has never been to slow or stop the virus. The goal is control, pure and simple. And I will not submit to that.

  • margie ryan

    At 86 I’ve been thru 50+ cases of measles ,mumps, chicken pox and Oh in the 40-50′ s the dreaded scarlet fever.
    My good health can be traced to farm living ,and presently still grow,can, and freeze fresh foods. Cooking shows have introduced so many to the marvels of baking
    So happy to learn many young people are joining communities that cater to living off the land , making and selling products that city folk need and buy. Big YEA our first great great youngin was born 4/11 of this year .

    Health happiness and positive to all. God bless and keep us all safe Hugs Grammy

  • Phill O

    MDN ” A pandemic IS serious,”

    Not true. Some pandemics are and some, like this one, are not. It depends on the agent. GMO smallpox would create a serious pandemic is the agent was released. For more on GMO smallpox read “The Hot Zone” or “Germs” as a starter.

    The problem with WHO is how a pandemic is viewed by the public. All a pandemic means is that it has crossed country borders. There is nothing about the seriousness of an agent.

    WHO needs to refine language. But if they did that, they could not play politics and get more for their research grants!!!!

  • Robert Pratt

    I have read and written quite a lot on this. If interested:Understanding why mask wearing is little more than virtue signaling @ https://prattontexas.com/2020/04/30/understanding-why-mask-wearing-is-little-more-than-virtue-signaling/ Also, Airlines join the stupid in requiring masks https://prattontexas.com/2020/05/06/airlines-join-the-anti-science-stupid-requiring-masks/

  • PJ O'Malley

    Excellent article. Mr. Zimmerman; I like your style. This is the first I’ve read of yours but will become a steadfast fan.

    (Noticed a minor typo, “Well, I am hear to tell those fascist politicians this”
    “Hear” should be here.)

  • ziegler von strahn

    This wont last. Consider this….. Facial recognition and defeating such. Alphabet or the alphabet agencies wont let that happen.

  • PJ O’Malley: Typo fixed. They are a curse of mine. I write too much, and my brain and fingers seem less and less aligned with each other.

  • tom_swift

    I don’t plan to wear a mask either. Like “no firearms” signs, I take “must wear a mask” signs as an indication that you don’t want my business.

    It’s not time for a revolution, but it may come.

  • pzatchok

    I remember being sent to measles and mumps parties.

  • wayne

    anecdotally–
    I see a lot of people wearing masks, in their cars.
    What’s that all about? (he pondered rhetorically…)

  • Moose

    The mask is your sign of deference to our all powerful all knowing leaders that have deigned to release you from house arrest on the condition that you show proper deference to their magnificence by covering your lowly face. Sort of like an ankle bracelet for honest citizens.

  • wayne

    Moose–
    Good stuff.

    …sorta ‘like having a yellow star on your shirt

  • Edward

    Good luck with that requirement for masks. It seems to me that 300 million Americans are sharing 30 million masks. Where are the other Americans going to find masks in order to go outside their houses?

    The problem with this mission creep is that our rulers have now set requirements that cannot be met. Masks or no masks, lockdown or no lockdown, we cannot stop the spread of this disease. With the new mission the cessation of spread, we are doomed to failure. We met the original mission with so much room to spare that now we are falling for this mission creep trap, thinking that our rulers know that they can achieve their new goals, too. Instead, we are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

  • Max

    They just announced at my employment that facemask are now PPE (mandatory personal protection equipment) and should be worn whenever there’s a gathering.
    They haven’t found a supplier of appropriate masks for everyone yet, so some individuals are getting creative.
    Some are wearing full face clear shield attached to the hardhat, one woman wore a Burka. Several wore their outdoor gear for winter, essentially a ski mask. One guy asked the foreman if he could wear a white sheet over his head… some people just found it easier to pull their uniform up over their nose when they were near others, the most popular is a rag tied around the face like a cowboy movie. I wore a scarf. For those with beards, it was actually suggested to put a cloth over your mouth then pull nylon stocking over your head like a bank robber to hold it tightly in place. The winner, in my opinion, is some of the bikers wore dirtbike or paintball face protectors that are very decorative, (werewolf teeth, skulls, vampires and aliens, scary clowns…)
    As you can see, the whole thing is being turned into a big joke.

  • Phil Berardelli

    Maybe address the mask requirement this way: If masks work, there should be no closures or social distancing — theaters and sporting events should re-open without restrictions.

    If masks don’t work, then why are they required?

    Also, it seems foolish in the extreme for overreaching authorities to be provoking the 100 million citizens who are armed in this country, many of whom have been superbly trained in the art of covert warfare. We are dangerously close to armed rebellion.

  • Jeff

    To: margie ryan

    Thank you for posting here. Your comments brought a smile to my face (instead of a mask) and a lot of memories.

    Hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day and congrats on the new youngin!

    Jeff

  • Andrew_W

    Phil Berardelli
    If masks work, there should be no closures or social distancing — theaters and sporting events should re-open without restrictions.
    Have you considered the possibility that masks work to some extent – but not perfectly, that social distancing works – but not perfectly. But if both work to some extent, using both methods together will have the effect of reducing the frequency of transmission more than using one or the other?
    No? You obviously haven’t put a lot of thought into something that should be obvious.

  • Robert, you are a man after my own heart! I’m going to use this and share it widely because it expresses so well just how fed up I am. If they want a second Revolution, bring it on!!! Thanks.

  • Cotour

    Finally, something that you propose that I can at least partially agree with:

    “Have you considered the possibility that masks work to some extent – but not perfectly, that social distancing works – but not perfectly. But if both work to some extent, using both methods together will have the effect of reducing the frequency of transmission more than using one or the other?”

    Why partially? Because masks and distancing are only short term “solutions” and are desired based in the fear that is fostered as it was realized that this particular contagion was active and spreading throughout the world uncontrolled. The unknown nature of this “Novel” virus in the medical world and not having any basis to strategize the medical counter measures to either control or defeat it is where the fear comes from. And that to me is reasonable, for a time anyway. Fear is a great motivator, and opportunity to control.

    So masks and distancing? Sure, for a short while, but nature, “Herd immunity”, and our ability to develop techniques and therapies to get people through it until those that are more susceptible to the virus for the many reasons that they may be susceptible is the long term strategy to moving into the future for America and the world.

    Its either that or “The bridge”, choose one.

  • Cotour

    And on the subject of drugs and therapies:

    https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/06/remdesivir-helps-coronavirus-patients-but-at-what-cost-240230

    “It’s not clear exactly how much the drug will cost. For context, one non-profit that evaluates drug costs says it costs about $9.32 to manufacture a 10-day course of remdesivir treatment for one patient. Calculating the cost of development and trials, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review says Gilead could charge as little as $390 for the drug. But Wall Street analysts are on an entirely different page, suggesting a price between $5,000 to $10,000, leading to billions in profits.”

    And then we balance against that patents, like the patent for Hydroxychloroquine, which I am certain is an open source and anyone can make it.

    Why has Fuaci endorsed the one, but really not so much the other? You tell me where this is going to be steered.

  • Kevin

    MDM, my freedom is not superseeded by your pandemic. Period. I make the decisions, no one else.

  • Rose

    NavyNuke, are you following this thread? I wonder what you have to say about the utility of adding a bit of negative reactivity, or if nothing less effective than the emergency injection of a neutron poison should be considered.

  • David C.

    Why do we get flu shots? The answer I got was that the flu shot basically adds an antibody to the bloodstream which then attacks the actual flu virus. In effect, training our immune system to fight the flu. Social contact and lack of masks does the exact same thing. I’m not a doctor, but the way I look at it, people who wear masks are selfishly keeping whatever resistance to this virus which they’ve developed to themselves. Same with the ridiculous social distancing.

    Tens of thousands of years of human evolution, hundreds and hundreds of these viruses which come and go. And they die off or mutate into an additional defense against the next outbreak. Just in my short 63 years, I’ve seen far worse pandemics than this and all with minimal impact on the economy. Why did the entire world lose their little minds about this one? Like watching everyone walk off a cliff, screaming at me to join them.

    I wasn’t put on this Earth to exist, I was put here to live. I’ll never wear a mask. Ever. And I’ll never celebrate the 4th of July again either, we might have well all stayed in England in the 1600’s and saved ourselves the hundreds of thousands of lives lost fighting for real freedom.

  • Cotour

    David C:

    I do not believe that you can transfer the resistance to the virus through the air, that resistance is held within your blood, but you can transfer the virus through breathing.

    Any vaccine is derived from the anti bodies developed and held within your blood stream.

    This however I agree 100 percent with you on: “I wasn’t put on this Earth to exist, I was put here to live.”

  • TheCaptain

    Folks probably saw this, but if not you need to. I’m seriously considering pissing some karen’s off…

    From “It ain’t holy water” site. I’ll quote it rather than making you go there:

    “If we all started wearing masks with Trump 2020 printed across them, How long before the ex-spurts decided we don’t need them anymore.”

    (But if you want the graphic, here’s the link: https://itaintholywater.blogspot.com/2020/05/lickity-split.html)

    I’m actually scared of the Karens. I’m 70 now, and somewhat fragile, as all people are t that age. If I were knocked down, I might not be able to get up. But it might be worth it to see the rage machine in action…

  • Barnhill

    Andrew W,
    Thank you for your comment.

    Whatever the value of a mask, doesn’t it say to those around you, even if they don’t recognize it, ” I’m thoughtful enough to consider your wellbeing as well as my own? ” Maybe some of you should think about that.

    For all of you ” I’m not doing business ” folks, what do you plan to do should the day come when everything you want to do publicly isn’t available to you, for whatever reason you have chosen? ” I’m not going to fly because ” ; you plan to drive three days from, say, NC to LA? Your business associates may not allow that. Your restrictng your own access will one day end up being cutting off your nose to spite your face.

    I don’t do business with several companies for several different reasons. But if Store A is the only place I can get an X to make the whatever work today, and they require a mask, I’ll put one on.

  • Rodeo Clown

    I’ve used a mask twice now, once at Costco (I won’t go back until the ‘mask’ rule is gone); and once at Amvets (I won’t go back until the ‘mask’ rule is gone) … run by a bunch of millenials, who I don’t think really want to honor us Vets. I only carry a mask in my vehicle ‘just-in-case’ I get caught somewheres and find out I can’t get in without one – then I won’t return to that business until they stop the madness!!

    My newest idea for a mask ‘IF required/demanded/commanded’ will be the twice-used paper mask without the paper, which will be replaced by a single layer of cheese cloth …… some of these silly people are paying upwards of 20 bucks (US) for a stupid mask. and 1 layer of cheese cloth will allow me to breathe, thus not restricting my oxygen exchange in my lungs.

    NOTE: there are (so far) NO rules on what constitutes a ‘mask’!! AND, wearing a mask more than once is pretty unsanitary, wouldn’t you think??

  • Edward

    Barn hill wrote: “Whatever the value of a mask, doesn’t it say to those around you, even if they don’t recognize it, ” I’m thoughtful enough to consider your wellbeing as well as my own? ” Maybe some of you should think about that.

    We actually know better than that. We didn’t have to wear masks for far worse flu seasons, and we don’t actually need them now. They are counterproductive, because the people we come across are not the vulnerable ones, but being so selfish as to prevent becoming part of the immune means that we are making sure that the vulnerable ones will have to remain in their fetal positions at home for many more months than would otherwise be necessary.

    For all of you ‘ I’m not doing business ‘ folks, what do you plan to do should the day come when everything you want to do publicly isn’t available to you,

    I’ve been living that day for seven weeks and three days.

  • Barnhill wrote, “Whatever the value of a mask, doesn’t it say to those around you, even if they don’t recognize it, ‘I’m thoughtful enough to consider your wellbeing as well as my own?’” [emphasis mine]

    In other words, let’s do an empty gesture to make ourselves feel good.

    Well, I don’t believe in empty gestures. It is childish, irrational, emotional, and accomplishes nothing. In fact, such gestures are almost counter-productive, as they distract from the real and productive actions you should take.

    Maybe you, Barnhill, should think about that.

  • Jeff

    Heard this morning on the local news: Winston-Salem’s (NC) “Mask the City” program has acquired more masks for city residents. BUT – these will be reserved for those 65 years and older. Residents are required to show ID to obtain masks. (proof of age? proof of residency?)

    But don’t you DARE suggest they have to show ID to VOTE!

  • Bob C

    Amen to that. I will NOT wear a mask, I’ll go out whenever I want to, and no asshat governor (that would be Virginia Governor Coonman) will force me to. They want to cite me, arrest me, they’ll have a legal battle on their hands. Laws are made by the legislature, and signed by the governor. There is no law that mandates I stay at home, wear a mask, or any of the other ridiculous power grabs our “elites” are demanding. Period.

  • Cotour

    What someone wearing a mask thinks is:

    The Public: Because this contagion event is “new” and an unknown and I see people that I know dying from it and from what I can detect a relatively unknown to every medical professional of consequence who might or should have a clue as to what it may or may not result in, I have fear.

    Not knowing (Fear) and not having a detectable and reliable selection of drugs or established therapies with which to reliably deal with the virus if they do get it makes people in the public and within government look to other seemingly reasonable proactive steps that they may be able to take to minimize the potential for contracting the virus as they live their lives and govern. This and the theoretical potential for the crashing of the medical system where treatment becomes impossible drives these attempts at limiting the contracting of this virus, however symbolic or unrealistic they may in fact be.

    Is a mask really that effective? Its probably effective enough in limiting the spread if you have the virus to some degree if you are indoors and among others. I see people wearing full face shields, masks, gloves and scarves wrapped around their heads while walking on the side walk and I saw this exact set up the other day on someone riding a bicycle on a sunny day and there was a peasant breeze blowing. I just shook my head, but I understood just how fearful that person must have.

    So its really fear of the unknown at this point and it will be fear in the near future that will be the reason that people will be wearing a mask in what ever situations that makes them feel safe and protected.

    I personally deal with the public every day, I do not wear gloves, I am not wearing a mask I wear a neck gaiter and when dealing with the public have it just under my generous nose and over my mouth, more as a symbolic gesture related to the current state “suggested” protocol. I have the door open and the fans are on and I sanitize and wash my hands as a general rule many times a day, and do not touch my nose or my eyes. I do not wear a mask when I am outside walking or anywhere else, if I go to the grocery store I pull up my gaiter. And everyone is happy, whether it is because these measures are in fact effective or they are just a symbolic and make people “feel” as though they are protected. Fear is still in the air, but people at least have the perception they are being proactive and protecting themselves.

    This too will pass as this event fades and naturally and in nature resolves itself to what ever end. And if it resurges in the future? Then it will be fear of the unknown that causes these measures to be taken again. Is this just a black or white issue of wearing or not wearing a mask?

    The concept of being in “control” is in my experience too absolute. The perception of absolute control over anything is really usually the ability to influence. Like most things its a shade of gray, but a shade of gray that must not be allowed to ultimately be turned into an oppressive government mandate that steals the freedoms of the general public. Life implies risk.

    Not dead yet.

  • Roger Kaputnick

    Please put me in your wills.

  • commodude

    Roger,

    The hyperbole surrounding this pandemic aside, this is possibly the most intelligent commentariat on any website, despite our disagreements.

    I’m sure everyone is taking reasonable precautions. What we’re NOT doing is losing our mind over bad models,which lead to bad political decisions, which were reinforced by bad science reinforcing the bad political decisions. It became a positive feedback loop, leading to silliness like banning the sale of seeds for planting.

    After all, we all have to do SOMETHING…

  • “In a free society it is not the place of any elected official, or their bureaucratic minions, to impose such a requirement on everyone. Ever.”

    Is the issue the requirement being on everyone or being on anyone under any circumstance? If it was another 1918 influenza pandemic and masks were shown to be highly effective, would you support mandated mask wearing or would you instead advocate that people should be free to not wear a mask if they choose not to while recognizing that this could spread the death to others? How far do you take this?

  • DougSpace: As I indicated to MDN above, if there was the slightest bit of rationality to these draconian regulations and government-imposed lock downs, I would be quite willing to listen to reason, and accept some rules.

    The rules now however have nothing to do with rationality. They have to do with power, and imposing empty “feel-good” gestures, especially because it is well known that the benefits of masks when used so indiscriminately is highly uncertain, and could very well be counter-productive.

    Under those conditions, I stand for freedom.

  • Cotour

    “IF” plutonium in the atmosphere or the environment were the issue then the choices would be very clear cut, black or white, on or off. Just like a switch. And, If, May, Might? You can have that argument all day long and never come to agree on anything meaningful.

    There are two absolutes being argued related to this virus contagion: One where you MUST wear a mask and do as you are told. And the other argues for unbridled freedom, but freedom to do what? We are all fundamentally “free” and exist within those pretty well established and defined lines of behavior in our society.

    Who remembers the HIV / AIDS epidemic? Initially do to fear of the unknown you did not know who you could hug, who you could kiss and who you could have sex with, or even who you could be in the same room as. Paranoia was rampant, and for good cause, no one knew anything and we all witnessed those who were afflicted with this mysterious malady die very horrific deaths.

    (And remember, a vaccination has been talked about to deal with HIV, just like is being talked about for Covid 19, and that conversation has been had for 30 years and still no effective vaccine exists)

    Then as time marched on and the medical field came to better understand how to deal with the disease through different personal behavior techniques and through trial and error found combinations of drugs and therapies to effectively deal with the unknown. And slowly those who were still afflicted were generally again accepted and once again dealt with as human beings and not pariahs. In the general normal course of everyone’s lives most are not familiar with these types of extreme non “normal” situations and that is where fear lives and thrives, and that is not unreasonable. We hear of things like this virus contagion going on in the far reaches of Africa or Asia and they are not really a part of our first world life realities. And then things change because reality has no recognition of what world anyone lives in.

    We are at the beginning of the end of this initial fear of the unknown event and we now generally understand that this virus is transmitted by either touch and then transference to ones own body, and / or through inhalation of droplets in the free air, theoretically in more enclosed areas. Introduced by an infected person who may or may not know if they are infected.

    So where does that leave us all?

    We are all “free” to make decisions for ourselves within those reasonable societal rules and constraints that exist, or should be. The default in America MUST be freedom of the individual, that is the whole point of the country and its founding. As opposed to the freedom of the government to mandate and order behavior in the proposed interests of the overall general public good. And we as individuals have a general responsibility to limit and minimize, once we properly understand as best as we are able the nature of, in this instance this particular virus and its potentials.

    Like it or not there is certain risk associated in being alive and existing in the real world where people must continue on and live their lives in one form or another.

    So since we are not talking about plutonium in the atmosphere or the environment here, we as individuals must take reasonable actions as determined by us, and the government MUST find their way through reasonably doing their jobs in protecting the general public, but their power must be tempered and their default must always defer to individuals freedom.

    And so we all must walk generally through the middle between these two extremes, unbridled FREEDOM and unbridled government mandates and orders, and as Americans we must find our way through this without the total destruction of our economy and sense of reason and risk.

    And that is certainly and without doubt to be considered here as we understand that this virus contagion event is now being utilized as a political weapon aimed at the influencing the coming very substantial and consequential presidential election in one way or another.

    Have no doubt about that.

  • Moshe

    The Mask is the most dangerous thing to happen in America since 9/11 and on the Planet since the last days of Communism.

    It is a new and super insidious religion.

    The mask is nothing but a religious ritual/sacrifice.

    It comes in the name of Love and Salvation as it always does, and it is precisely as tolerant as it always is.

    Do not give an inch !

    The mask is what happens when Safespacists spread their ideology and feelz to the wider society.

    We have seen what Safespacism wrought on Evergreen and every other campus. Do not let them do it to the world at large.

    Call them out and put them on the defensive.

    Don’t give an inch.

    P.S. I do not oppose the mask out of inconsideration for those at risk of Covid-19. I am confident that wearing the mask will take more lives than it saves. I absolutely 100% believe that one of the jobs of modern government is to care for the wellbeing of its weaker citizens. I even support UBI (Universal Basic Income) and the NHS. And free spots in SAFE nursing homes for the very elderly so that THEY can be quarantined if they want to be (in case any real pandemic comes along). And I believe that opposing The Mask is worth going to the barricades for. Safespacism delando est!

  • There is a study that took two cages of rats
    One was infected and the other was not
    They set the cages next to each other and soon both cages of rats were infected.
    Then they tried another experiment
    But this time they put a mask cover over the infected cage.
    This stopped the virus from spreading to the. Healthy cage next to it!
    IF ….. EVERYONE wears a mask
    NOBODY WILL BE BSPREADING IT WHEN THEY ARE ASYMPTOMATIC
    (WHEN THEY HAVE NO SYMPTOMS!
    WHICH IS WHY THEY TRY TO MAKE IT MANDATORY!
    MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED VWITH NO SYMPTOMS FEEL NO NEED TO WEAR A MASK!
    YET THEY ARE EXPOSING EVERYONE THEY GET CLOSED TOO!

  • commodude

    Joey,

    First, no need for shouting.

    Second, if there was a study, provide the link to the peer reviewed paper that refutes most of the previous research on the efficacy of masks?

    It’s just theater, a control tool for the sheep.

  • John

    Inept Inslee just “mandated” masks for everyone in the state of Washington. That is everyone minus me and my kids because we will not comply. If Trader Joe’s won’t let me in to shop then I guess I’ll get my groceries online. Schools in September are going to require kids to wear masks. I’m working with my ex to find a solution before then.

  • John: Homeschool. The kids will be better educated, and will not be indoctrinated by anti-American garbage.

  • Brenda

    How do you boil a frog?
    Get the frog nice & complacent, believing things are a little warm, yet, still doable. Turn up the heat very slowly. Still bearable. Little by little it gets a bit more uncomfortable. In disbelief the frog becomes so warm that he is becoming irreversibly paralyzed.
    Finally at a point where the frog can’t escape, there are other frogs around, yet, also being paralyzed to the point that they couldn’t help even if they wanted to.
    The frog is offered a solution to the problem, take a massive dose of medication that it is well known is unsafe. The frog accepts the medication, dies 2 days later, anyway.

  • Michelle

    The headline: “Austin residents, visitors who refuse to wear a mask could get $2,000 fine”.
    The Austin City Council voted for this unanimously today. I’ll be really disappointed if people don’t protest this massive unconstitutional overreach.

  • ST

    I WILL NOT LIVE IN FEAR OF A “VIRUS” THAT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, BUT, HAS NOW, CONVENIENTLY, BECOME “SO SCARY AND MUTATED” IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION YEAR!!! I WILL NOT WEAR A MASK!!! These businesses that are REQUIRING patrons to wear masks are looking at a sharp down turn in sales. It’s time to stand up and PUSH BACK, HARD!!!

  • GDF

    This corona virus, the mask wearing, the upcoming “vaccine” aka bio weapon, the cell phone’s 5G?.. it’s all a process that has started. End result? Population control, military supremacy. It’s time we anti-maskers make our own way.

    We are now in the start of a very long and painful time ahead. If you think things are bad now, think again. Once the “vaccines” are distributed, we’re doomed. It’s all political, economical and power manipulations in working. The corona was made on purpose.

    Lets hunt for an island, empty our banks with cash in hand, rendezvous at different points, all to get to the island and start our own world together a new.

  • Ste

    To all, firstly I would like to say the virus is a fake, a fraud a made up method of control. All diagnosis have come from symptoms only, and those from tests, well the testing method is complete and utter nonsese as there is no accurate testing, Now I have got that out of the way, mask wearing for prolonged periods is extremely bad for you not only have you basically got a petri dish in front of your face with a nice suply of warm moist air you also increase the difficulty in breathing, putting your lungs, heart and blood pressure under increasing stress, videos have flown around showing doctors/nurses trying to debunk this but that’s fine when your doing very little whilst wearing it. While you are exerting your self your CO2 levels are rising and your breathing becomes alot more laboured, this isn’t hard to prove and common sense dictates covering any thing that has an airflow will either reduce the airflow or cause what ever is providing the flow to work harder. But the biggest problem we have hear is the loss of freedom with the fear of not only arrests and fines from the ruling bodies, but also the mob rule that seems to take off with the ignorant, even reading these comments so many people are defending social distancing and mask wearing out of pure and utter ignorance! Not only that but act like the goverments enforcers through mob mentality! In the UK they ahve now made it mandatory for anyone to wear one in a shop or take away. The death tole has been exponentially pushed up by made up statistics, basically all of the deaths have been wrongly registered and even stipulates in the ONS that deaths may have been recorded twice if more than one case of death has been registered! This is the thing we are going off alot of inept doctors who are ordered to list these deaths as Covid19 if they had the slightest symptom even though they died of heart attacks, cancer, etc. My wife’s friend called our NHS line about her sons sore toe and they said that he had covid19…WTF? We have doctors stipulating on TV that children don’t have to wear masks die to they are less symptomatic than adults and less likely to pass it on! Well firstly that flys in the face of everything they are forcing us to do! Firstly if anyone has children would know they are little spreaders of everything, kids have a much weaker immune system due to it being new, they touch lots of things, wipe there snotty noses on their clothes and generally don’t take note of what they are doing as they are kids, they pass germs round like no ones business! Secondly they are stating that mask wearing is compulsory for all due to people being asymptomatic? Well again your saying one of the reasons kids don’t have to wear them as they are LESS symptomatic and secondly if you are asymptomatic then you will not be sneezing, coughing and wont have a temperature etc, so your not going to spread it unless you go round snogging people!

    This entire thing is one big control mechanism, nothing should of been done we should of carried on as we always have!

    Sorry for bad grammar and spelling typing this on a phone is hard enough…. have a good day and ditch your masks!

  • Michelle

    Number 6 : I will not make any deals with you. I’ve resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. My life is my own.

  • wayne

    Michelle–
    A most excellent obscure cultural reference!

  • LocalFluff

    If you don’t wanna wear a mask, why don’t you wear your pet’s muzzle gear? And simply shut up as you are told to do.

  • Michelle

    I’m not a confrontation seeking kind of person, but recently I was the only person in at the post office not wearing a mask. The woman in front of me kept yelling at me to put on a mask. She kept yelling at me, asking if I had one, and reminding me that there is a fine for not wearing a mask. I didn’t know if she was going to call the police. I didn’t know if any of the roughly 15 masked people were going to join in. I didn’t know if I was going to be attacked; you never know — I’ve heard some nutty stories in the news. But, I just stood there and didn’t respond. My heart was racing, if I’m being honest. I don’t know if any of the others reconsidered their position. I don’t know how many agreed with her. But, we have to stand up to this nonsense. I was in full view of about four employees for about 15 minutes. Not one of them said a word to me about it and they helped me without any trouble once I reached the head of the line. The data on the masks is inconclusive. As such, it should be up to the individual to make up their own mind. Do not comply!

  • Michelle: Good for you! I wish more would have your courage. When you and I now go out without masks, we are literally the equivalent of the Jews in Germany, forced to wear gold Stars of David. We are a target for attack, because we will not submit to the will of others over something that we strongly disagree with.

    And as I wrote elsewhere, this ugly cultural atmosphere, so like Germany in the 1930s, can only lead to very horrible things.

  • Michelle

    Robert: Thank you! I wish more people would join us.

  • Questioner

    Watch the linked video with the demonstration against the Corona / Covid 19 measures of the Merkel regime on August 1st in Berlin. It’s phenomenal. My skin gets goose bumps. This is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, political demonstration in Germany since 1945. By the way, practically nobody wears a mask! And it is peaceful. Can’t we be proud of these people? The police are powerless!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKuGWFeQCN4

  • Michelle

    Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources requires employees to wear a face-mask on teleconferencing calls — even when they live alone. The justification? To set a good example.

  • Charles Odell

    So you think refusing to wear a mask in public is like being a jew in Germany? Why don’t you ask someone who was in that situation if they agree? They would laugh in your face.

  • Charles Odell: Read this essay: Genocide is coming to America

    You might also want to read this essay: American Kristallnacht

    While you are at it, this essay might also illuminate you: Persecution is now cool!

    Maybe this essay as well: Denying Americans the simple pursuit of happiness

    Took me five minutes to just come up with a small sampling. For you, however, I think the first applies the most.

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