It’s insanity, not compassion
I am a Moscow “senior citizen” who has seen panic spread faster than the coronavirus. At this writing, Latah County has had less than 300 confirmed cases and zero deaths. Most have fully recovered. The odds of dying from the flu is .06 percent, while dying from (not with) the virus is .02 percent. The politicization is more deleterious than the virus itself.
Statistics show that the mask mandate has had little to no effect on case numbers except in the minds of politicians. In fact, case numbers increased significantly after the mask mandate. Observe mask wearers. Most people continually fiddle with the thing, touching their faces much more than without. This alone may have led to the case spike. As well, seldom changed masks result in constantly breathing contaminated air.
The mantra of “following the science” will undoubtedly be invoked here to get all the sheep in line, but this talisman of the mask is mostly virtue signaling. Give the citizens of Moscow the courtesy of assuming they are responsible adults who will respect others and protect the vulnerable.
Let us see the smile on our neighbors’ faces and hear clear voices rather than a mask mumble, even while we keep a reasonable distance. Continuation of this mask mandate will merely serve to further divide the community and marginalize those who already feel isolated. Kids raised in such an atmos”fear” will not become the future leaders this country needs.
I have no desire to get sick or pass along an illness to my fellow citizens. However, killing the country and the community to save “just one life” of an old guy like me is neither science nor compassion. It is insanity.
Let Moscow live, and the mask mandate die the death it deserves.
Otto Keyes
Moscow
