Who Was That Masked Person?

In this time of Covid-19, people have strong opinions about the validity of wearing masks.  Some argue against it as an impingement on our freedoms; so are safety belts, bicycle helmets, and having food workers wear gloves and pull their hair back --but I think the public as a general likes the idea of accidents we can walk away from, brains of our children inside their heads, and hair free food.  Policies are created to promote the greatest amount of good possible, and when we disagree about the how, that's where one's political affiliation comes into play.  Where it shouldn't apply, is in addressing reality.   So here's Sherry's Soap Box for July 20, 2020...I recommend emotional seatbelts and political helmets because it will be an unsafe ride otherwise.

1) A virus has no political affiliation and does not care about who it infects.  It merely travels easily on vapor from people's speech, coughs and sneezes, and can be transmitted by touch and as such, we need to give ourselves a protective circle to avoid coming into contact with others who might either be immunocomprimised or who might be asymptomatic.  None of this is arugable, it's the nature of the disease and why it has infected 3,773,260 people in the US and over 14.5 million world wide.  It's also why 140,534 people in the US have died.  Three million seven hundred seventy three throusand, two hundred and sixty people in the US being known to have been infected, is eleven percent of the population.   That's how many have endured the disease with the quarantine mostly in place! 

2) Masks help.  Now the government has tried not to be draconian in asking people to wear a mask or what type of mask, because any protection is better than none --but people are using that vagueness as proof that a mask itself is ineffectual by talking about fools who wear lace masks as if that's an argument against masks rather than an argument against foolishness.   They scream about their freedom --and at anyone who objects to being potentially infected because of their indifference.  Here's the thing.   Someone who refuses to wear a mask is probably not social distancing or limiting their range of motion, so the probability of their coming into contact with someone either infected without knowing it, or of infecting someone who is susceptible goes up.  If you want to not be asked (Asked) to wear a mask, stay home where you can boast of your immunity and indifference to the world all you want on the internet.   You can bet your own life if you wish, but not everyone else's. 

3) Wearing a mask is not a sign of living in fear, it's using the brains God gave us.  Wearing a coat in the winter is not living in fear of the cold, it's not wanting to be cold and doing something about it.   Masks are hot and bothersome (yes).   However, being sick is a lot hotter and permanently bothersome so --wear the mask.  Remind yourself of the reality we're trying to achieve for everyone, to keep people alive. 

4) The goal is as few people die as possible, and it will take everyone being creative and thoughtful to get there.   When will it be normal again?  I have no idea and no one else does either. 

There are already been many sacrifices and losses from this pandemic, graduations, proms, sporting events, wedding feasts, plays, awards, ceremonies, and the like.   I think of all funerals lacking the lots of people to provide comfort.   Even kids have surrendered classwork, class trips, movies, countless anticipated joys lost because we're all trying to beat this thing.  Everyone is suffering from what isn't, because of what is. 

These losses hurt, and they will continue to hurt, but they'll hurt more if they were surrendered for nothing because everyone got tired of sacrificing and started up just because and let the pandemic rage its course.   That's a Darwinian solution to a problem, "if they are to die, then let them die, and decrease the surplus population." It's not moral or ethical. 

5) Calling people sheeple or dupes from the media is childish and most of us don't allow our children to do it in the course of argument, so it should be tolerated by adults.  People who wear the mask are trying to do the right thing by each person they encounter. It doesn't make them saints, it makes them citizens trying to do the right thing in this circumstance. 

People who refuse the mask seem to think everyone who opts not to are somehow the enlightened unaffected by the media illuminati, wiser than everyone else by their independent streak and rebellious spirit.   The problem is, we are not fighting politics, we're fighting a disease, and your demand to be unimpeded in all your acts will affect others.  

Be a rebel in all the other ways, speaking your mind, writing your congressman, engaging in vigorous debate online, vote, do all those things that allow your voice and opinion to be heard. However, when you go out into the world, buckle up, wear a helmet, gloves and your hair back if you work in the food industry, and irrespective of all that, if you're going to a place indoors, where social distancing is not possible, wear a mask.   The life you save may be your own, but the rest of us, will thank you for your courtesy.