U.S. Lost Cause

 

“Sisters stab security guard 27 times after being asked to wear face mask;" “Riders push security officer from transit train after he requests they wear masks;” “Fast food employee punched after he refuses to serve customer not donning a mask;” “Walmart employee kicked in groin by customer when told to leave store for failure to wear a mask;” “Store customer is assaulted in store parking lot after he asks fellow customer why he doesn’t wear a mask;” “Woman assaulted and knocked to the ground for asking another Staple’s customer to put on mask;” “Two Trader Joe’s customers attacked employees when asked to put on masks;” etc., etc.  Sadly, these are actual media headlines. 

The list goes on and on as we as a nation have turned a simple request into a justifiable reason to violently, physically, attack others.  And regrettably, I suspect that some reading these headlines will applaud these actions and espouse, “Good, they got what they deserved!”

What an affront to our personal freedom, requesting that we wear a mask to possibly prevent us from infecting someone else; for that’s really what this is all about.   However, many don’t understand this because they operate from a self-centered point of view.   It’s the  me, me, me approach. 

Those who don’t mask and say things like, “I’m young, so I won’t get sick,” or “I am willing to take the risk and I have the right to do so,” completely, selfishly miss the point.  It’s the people who they come in contact with that just might need the virus  protection because of high risks such as their age, or pre-existing conditions.  Unless you can guarantee that before you start your journeys each day without a mask, that you tested negative for COVID-19, you are a potential contributor to the spreading of this disease, and the reason why we have, and will continue to have, economic shutdowns in our country.   Just because you have no overt symptoms, and are categorized as asymptomatic, doesn’t mean you can’t infect others. 

To address this mask issue I was thinking about getting some business cards printed that stated, “Thank you for helping spread COVID-19 and contributing to our economic shutdown by not wearing a mask.”  I was going to give them to everyone not donning a mask, but, then again, I came to the realization that I might get killed. 

Congratulations U.S.A, we have now added yet another divisive wedge to our society, Maskers vs Non-Maskers.  Don’t we have enough societal dissensions already?  What have we become as a nation?  Is this how we “Make America Great Again?”  Think about it the next time you choose not to wear a mask.