Of a different generation
Speaking of moral density…a license facility in Texas had to close because of a case of the virus.
Since reopening on 3 June, the facility had spaced seats inside to meet social distancing guidelines, cleaned surfaces regularly and only served those who booked appointments online. All workers wore masks, and anybody allowed in was required to wear a face covering. But despite the precautions, a Covid-19 case had been reported there.
One of the people turned away was Laurie Smith, 50. She is an administrative employee at a local church, where she is also a member, and calls mandatory mask requirements a sign of “sad” government manipulation. “My college-age kids are able to follow the recommendations without questioning it, but my husband and I are of a different generation, and we value our liberty to be able to make our own choices. So we question it more than they do,” she said.
No, see, that’s not it. We all value our liberty to make our own choices, ffs. We don’t go to BurgerKing and say “You choose for me.” We all like to make our own choices, we all like our freedom, nobody likes wearing a mask. The issue is that wearing or not wearing a mask is not a purely personal choice, and that’s why we don’t get to treat it as if it is. The choice affects others, and in a non-trivial way. What speed we drive our cars is also not a purely personal choice, and for the same reason. If we’re all alone on a driving range we can go as fast as we like, and if we’re not we can’t, because the choice does not just affect us. It’s a pretty simple idea, I think.
The science of wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus seems to be largely settled, but the politics around it is still raging, especially in conservative strongholds like Texas. Stores, churches, small businesses, government offices and other institutions across the state are grappling with how to enforce public health rules without alienating those who disagree.
You know, often “conservative” means people who pay a lot of attention to how we treat each other. It’s not at all obvious to me that it has to mean refusing to wear a mask during a pandemic. It’s a pretty warped brand of conservatism that thinks it does.
“We don’t live in a communist country! This is supposed to be America,” said Tee Allen Parker, who has banned wearing of masks at her bar.
But communism isn’t about wearing masks. Also? Capitalism isn’t about refusing to wear masks to slow a pandemic.
Just a thought.
It’s sad that I can with near certainty predict someone’s political affiliation by which pseudoscientific bullshit they subscribe to. I guess this is yet one more reliable indicator.
Yip. Pee.
Conservativism: “You can’t make me wear a mask! That’s an unconscionable intrusion on my bodily integrity!”
Also conservatism: “Oh, you’re pregnant but don’t want to be? Well, tough shit, we’re going to force you to carry that fetus to term.”
How many of these people would be willing to be srved by waiters who refused to wash their hands, or surgeons who refused to sterilize their instruments?
I find her “different generation” amusing, in a sick sort of way. We are being told here that the students are “of a different generation” and are not used to having the sort of rules we grew up with, so we can’t tell them to wear masks.
In other words, it has nothing to do with generation at all. It is really just about political affiliation and assholery.
And how is it freedom to forbid the wearing of masks in a place of business? That seems to me to be nothing but telling pepole what they can or can’t do. But no one ever accused these individuals of consistency.
I’d like to engage these people on the question of…uhhh…speed limits.
How do you feel about speed limits? Do you think we should have them? Do they infringe your liberty to make your own choices? How do speed limits differ from mask requirements?
The “different generation” is such a bullshit excuse.
Anyways I thought of this song that provides a better explanation.
Quand on est con, on est con by Georges Brassens
It is in French.
https://youtu.be/zMALuEYxK6U