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A Tiny Mask Rebellion
This evening, I discovered that I was out of yogurt, which is my favorite “soft food” for when I am recovering from a dental implant procedure (had it yesterday). So I got into my (fully paid-for) little SUV and drove down to my favorite grocery store to get some. I had just been reading @ryanm‘s post on “conservative friends”, and I decided that it was time to put my behavior where my sympathies lie. Our state has a universal “mask mandate” which requires all persons inside any business to wear a “face-covering” at all times. I just kept in mind that he and I live in the same state, and are subject to the same illegal and unconstitutional restrictions. He has been outspoken about his refusal to wear a mask anywhere. This time, I did not put on the mask that lives in my purse at all times. I walked into the store, got a basket, and bought the items that I was looking for. When I was done, I got into a checkout line. The cashier rang up my purchases, scanned my loyalty card, put my stuff in a bag, and I left. Not once during that entire time was I asked to put on my mask, not by a store employee or another customer (unusual, since our state has a lot of Karens). Boy, did that feel good! And every single other person in that store was masked. Every single one. I hope I can keep doing this, and maybe inspire others.
Published in Culture
I’m not so sure.
You all need vaccines! But you also need to keep wearing the face diaper and never touch another human being ever again! So, . . . that means the vaccines don’t work? Fauci is turning into quite an anti-vaxxer.
Exactly! But in the perversion of the truth that we call now “journalism,” the Democrat mass media is saying exactly the opposite.
It makes my head hurt. I am fighting my feelings of chronic discouragement. Sigh.
I’ve seen so many stories against Tucker Carlson’s line of questioning to Dr. Fauci that I am dumbfounded by how this has been twisted up.
I just saw a story about Eastern Washington residents not getting vaccinated. They say doses are in plentiful supply, but the people aren’t coming to the “mass vaccination” sites. Eastern Washington is farm and ranch country, and there are a lot more conservatives there than in deep-blue Western Washington where I live. No crowds, no need for vaccines? Even the cities there are pretty low-density.
My rebellion will stop at the door of my beauty salon. I will still wear the thing when going for my haircut. They and the nail salon still take many precautions, and I would not want them to incur any kind of penalty. I just wear the mask very loosely, obviating any effects it might otherwise have.
I stopped at Kwik Trip on my way back to work after lunch. I deliberately left my mask in the car. Decided I wasn’t even going to pretend to fiddle with it or hang it off one ear. I figured if I didn’t have it on me at all, I couldn’t give in to the temptation to put it on.
And . . . man, that felt good.
I still leave the house most mornings without a mask–I have to keep several in my computer bag. Denial is strong, even living in a Karen-occupied zone.
Do they do this? Surely there are people in your area pushing back on the gestapo tactics.
When historical anthropologists look back, Montgomery County MD will be regarded as the Olduvai Gorge for Karenism.
The climate change true-believers were all talk, somewhat interested in science, and almost universally left. The pandemic true-believers are all action, composed of all political and religious persuasions, ban scientific discussions and call it virtue. The pandemic people are far more dangerous and far crazier.
This is absolutely true, and it is maddening. What the hell is wrong with people?
The fear of the virus is immediate and personal. Photos of overflowing ERs and people on ventilators made people think that if they walked out their front doors they would get sick and die, and the press and Health Nazis did their best to spread that fear. The climate fear is in the future and more impersonal.
Makes me wonder how many of those initial video images of people dropping in the streets in Wuhan were faked.
I have a similar experience in Chicago. Masks are required in all indoor spaces and technically outdoor places where “social distancing” is not possible. I refuse to wear it outside but I notice that most of the population here does, indeed, mask outside even entirely alone. A young woman in a mask with her months-old baby in a sling rolled her eyes and made an expression of disgust in my direction (we were the only two people at the corner) when she saw I was unmasked. She was clearly far more aware of public safety than me.
At school masks are required for everyone inside the building. All teachers seem to take them off when they are alone in their rooms, despite explicit written instructions that they are supposed to be on even when alone, except when eating or drinking (most teachers seem to be sipping water constantly, even in the presence of students). There has been no comment on the CDC’s change from 6ft to 3ft of social distancing, but no matter- the kids are all sitting together, holding hands, hugging, etc. I’m happy to see them behaving normally though when we have ceremonies, great attention is paid to social distancing which is wildly hypocritical and silly. On nice days I take my students outside to have class and I tell them they can take their masks off and sit where they choose, so long as they can work efficiently. All of them take their masks off and sit close together (i.e. mere inches apart! Imagine the transmission!) with expressions of relief.
One of the things that I’m taken aback by a little is the boldness with which total strangers are willing to ask me if I’ve been vaccinated (first shot, Moderna). Vaccinations are a private health matter, aren’t they? No one ever asked me, “So…are you up to date on your measles vaccinations?” Since when do people we don’t know get to ask in casual conversation, “have you gotten your shots yet?” And I’m not even talking about vaccine passports/requirement of service situations. Just conversation. It’s rude and ridiculous all at once.
I’ve been wondering the same thing lately.
Went out for dinner for my birthday last night. Ray wore his mask. I did not wear a mask.
A small birthday present for yourself, but a birthday present nonetheless. Happy Birthday!