Walking the Dogs

 

This afternoon, for reason immaterial to this post, I decided to take the dogs into a local city park for their afternoon walk. Not a long walk, about a mile. Nice park, baseball diamonds, jogging trail, pool (shut down ‘cause covid), playground area. The “city” population I’m guessing at 1,500. It’s the county seat for a county with a population of 7,000 but Tennessee helped with the finances.

So on the way back to the car with the two dogs, I see that people are gathering for baseball practice: mom, dad, the kids. Made me feel good. Then I noticed something that caused me to slow down to look closer.

The children, both boys and girls, were about the age of my grandson – say 6 or 7.  It was clear, humid, and 86 degrees: All the kids wore masks. Not me, not the parents. The kids. No, not catcher’s masks.

That’s just wrong.

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There are 32 comments.

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  1. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    Gross.

    • #1
  2. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    They’ve become a fixture of children’s fashion. They stay on hour after hour, rain or shine. The kids in my neighborhood robotically wear them while walking to and from school, or when they’re waiting, alone, at the bus stop. It’s appalling to see.

    • #2
  3. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    In February, I visited Thomas Edison’s hometown — a village of about 1,500. At the center of the village is a park. In this park, two parents were sitting on a bench beside their daughter, who couldn’t have been older than six or seven. She was wearing a mask. They weren’t. I retched and cursed modernity.

    • #3
  4. Living High and Wide Member
    Living High and Wide
    @OldDanRhody

    The trend I’m seeing, in general but with exceptions both ways, is the older people (ahem) are ditching the masks but the younger ones tend to wear them religiously (adverb intentionally chosen).

    • #4
  5. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    Phooey.  

    • #5
  6. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    Living High and Wide (View Comment):

    The trend I’m seeing, in general but with exceptions both ways, is the older people (ahem) are ditching the masks but the younger ones tend to wear them religiously (adverb intentionally chosen).

    It’s weird.  When I was in my 20’s I thought I was invincible.  I probably was.   I presume the problem of unnecessary masking is the parents of those kids.   Karen and Darren of suburbia. 

    • #6
  7. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    Living High and Wide (View Comment): The trend I’m seeing, in general but with exceptions both ways, is the older people (ahem) are ditching the masks but the younger ones tend to wear them religiously (adverb intentionally chosen).

    Behold, our future ruling class!

    • #7
  8. OkieSailor Member
    OkieSailor
    @OkieSailor

    A not illogical extension of the super high-tech safety seats we buckle them into to ride in the car for 5 minutes to the grocery store. Safe, secure, immobilized and lacking human contact. No wonder they have no sense of adventure.

    I said on Day One of the Pandemic Panic that we, our Society, has become way too risk averse.  Yes life can be dangerous but live it anyway. Take Sensible precautions, then go for it!

    • #8
  9. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    It’s hard to understand.  Have those little kids internalized what they have been told and are too frightened to be unmasked?  I find the habitual mask wearing by young adults even more troublesome.  To me the scariest sign of doom is how after a year of lockdown birth rates plummeted.  That’s a sign of a society with big long term problems. 

    • #9
  10. OmegaPaladin Moderator
    OmegaPaladin
    @OmegaPaladin

    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.  

    • #10
  11. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    Depressing.

    • #11
  12. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    Tex929rr (View Comment): To me the scariest sign of doom is how after a year of lockdown birth rates plummeted. That’s a sign of a society with big long term problems.

    If the pandemic causes a decline in the birthrate (which it almost certainly has), it’ll show up more in 2021’s data than 2020’s. The birthrate is plummeting as-is. It would’ve plummeted without the pandemic.

    I also expect a dramatic, terrifying drop in the (already terrifyingly low) marriage rate. People who met before the pandemic will marry each other. People might meet after the pandemic, and might marry each other. But very few people met during the pandemic, and this will manifest as a bizarre, year-long drought which’ll be noticed by pastors, government clerks, and professional photographers.

    • #12
  13. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    I will say it again, and again, and again: there is something soul-crushing about children needlessly masked against a disease they’re unlikely to get and that won’t hurt them. As Charlotte says, it’s gross.

    I watch my 8th grade cousin compete in her track season, sprinting around the course with the other kids on a sunny afternoon, everyone masked. I remember track; it’s hard enough to breathe without this insult being added.

    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

     

    • #13
  14. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Tex929rr (View Comment):
    To me the scariest sign of doom is how after a year of lockdown birth rates plummeted.  That’s a sign of a society with big long term problems. 

    Lockdowns have little to do with the decline. It’s been going on much longer.

    https://www.steynonline.com/11314/the-coming-of-age-fifteen-years-late

    • #14
  15. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):

    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.

    New Mexico required masks outdoors until a week ago, regardless of the presence or absence of other people. To our daughter’s minor annoyance, on our few visits to the state, Mrs. Tabby and I declined to wear masks outdoors. No one hassled us about it. Though if we saw someone wearing a mask out of doors we tried to avoid getting near that person and to give the person plenty of space. On our most recent visit (March 2021) we saw universal mask-wearing by adults at the dog park, but mostly no mask wearing by adults or children at the playground park. 

    The school district there still requires everyone to wear a mask on school district property (indoors or outdoors), which means our 4 year old grandson has to wear a mask during outdoor t-ball practices and games, as they are held on school district property. 

    • #15
  16. Chuck Coolidge
    Chuck
    @Chuckles

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):

    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.

    New Mexico required masks outdoors until a week ago, regardless of the presence or absence of other people. To our daughter’s minor annoyance, on our few visits to the state, Mrs. Tabby and I declined to wear masks outdoors. No one hassled us about it. Though if we saw someone wearing a mask out of doors we tried to avoid getting near that person and to give the person plenty of space. On our most recent visit (March 2021) we saw universal mask-wearing by adults at the dog park, but mostly no mask wearing by adults or children at the playground park.

    The school district there still requires everyone to wear a mask on school district property (indoors or outdoors), which means our 4 year old grandson has to wear a mask during outdoor t-ball practices and games, as they are held on school district property.

    Good for you!  

    While walking I saw one woman masked going the other way the path is about 8 feet wide I smiled add said howdy she moved to the extreme other side (I was a bit off the pavement on my side) she responded “hello” and hurried on.  Masks here are in general not required. 

    But im guessing there’s some organizational policy mandating the kiddoes be masked. Henry has the right of it at comment 13.

    • #16
  17. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):
    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now. 

    I will never concede that wearing a mask outdoors was a necessary, or even advisable precaution, except in a very few specific tightly-packed crowd situations.

    • #17
  18. OmegaPaladin Moderator
    OmegaPaladin
    @OmegaPaladin

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):
    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.

    I will never concede that wearing a mask outdoors was a necessary, or even advisable precaution, except in a very few specific tightly-packed crowd situations.

    We had very good evidence early on that transmission outdoors was all but non-existent.  

    • #18
  19. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    Phooey.

    Man, you’re polite.

    Also, non-sequitur:  

    See the source image

    • #19
  20. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):
    To me the scariest sign of doom is how after a year of lockdown birth rates plummeted. That’s a sign of a society with big long term problems.

    Lockdowns have little to do with the decline. It’s been going on much longer.

    https://www.steynonline.com/11314/the-coming-of-age-fifteen-years-late

    Way to throw a cold bucket of water on it, sport.

    • #20
  21. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):
    The irony is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.

    I will never concede that wearing a mask outdoors was a necessary, or even advisable precaution, except in a very few specific tightly-packed crowd situations.

    We had very good evidence early on that transmission outdoors was all but non-existent.

    There is still no documented case of outdoor transmission via casual contact.  It simply does not exist.

    In my neighborhood, I’ve been moving off the sidewalk as people pass.  Some people wear masks, some do not.  

    It’s stupid.  I’m not sure why people cry SCIENCE at the drop of a hat in one case, and completely ignore it in another.  Other than fear being a prime motivator.

    • #21
  22. KCVolunteer Lincoln
    KCVolunteer
    @KCVolunteer

    OmegaPaladin (View Comment):

    The irony utter ignorance/stupidity/foolishness is that masking outdoors has not been required for at least a year now.

    FIFY

    Added to that is that children are not at risk and are not a vector for spreading.

    • #22
  23. GlennAmurgis Coolidge
    GlennAmurgis
    @GlennAmurgis

    In Pittsburgh   I seen baseball, cross country and soccer practices in my area – no one was wearing masks

    Most of the kids were not wearing masks outside for a while

    • #23
  24. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    • #24
  25. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    • #25
  26. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    Aaaargh! I just threw up a little in my mouth.

    • #26
  27. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    Bet she has matching underwear . . .

    • #27
  28. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Stad (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    Bet she has matching underwear . . .

    That is just so Stad!

    • #28
  29. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    Bet she has matching underwear . . .

    That is just so Stad!

    My wife said, “Your mind is in the gutter.”

    I replied, “That high?”

    • #29
  30. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):
    Damn Fauci and all these other public health “experts” who spin like a weather vane to explain their changing and wildly unscientific positions.

    You can stop after “Damn Fauci” . . .

    Earlier today I saw a lady wearing — I swear I am not making this up — an “I ❤️ Fauci” mask.

    Bet she has matching underwear . . .

    That is just so Stad!

    My wife said, “Your mind is in the gutter.”

    I replied, “That high?”

    That’s how you were able to look up and see the underwear.

     

    • #30
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