By Kris Bayer, Hamilton
I would also add willingness and vulnerability to the Guest Comment: Importance of respect, responsibility, integrity, and honesty! Too often we turn away or walk away from difficult situations. I know I have! It is not easy to stay in the situation and feel the conflict, anger, and fear! Instead we pick up our marbles and hurt personality and go home. Not helpful! We get nowhere.
Wear a mask, don’t wear a mask!!! You decide for yourself and leave me to decide. There is RARELY a one size fits all solution to anything! I love the poem, Behind the Mask. The separation that is occuring as you wear a mask is a reflection of fear, of a sense of responsibility, or of both. If you choose to wear a mask and that protects you, you do not need me to wear one also.
It seems no one is really listening to anyone. All I hear is spouting off what someone thinks is right trying to convince others where they are wrong. It is sad to me and frustrating that we cannot come together and figure this out. And do it respectfully!
“Where is the smile we once knew, the handshake, the hug, and the “How do you do?’” from the poem by Grace Wilson.
Separation and fear is killing us!
Tom Potts says
If someone feels wearing a seatbelt is an infringement of their freedom and refuses to do so, well, I don’t get it but OK, they will only hurt themselves if things go awry. But, if someone feels stopping at stop signs is an infringement, I have a little problem with that. The chances of something going wrong are increased and involves a fellow motorist. Masks are stop signs not seat belts.
Roger Mitchell says
What does wearing a seat belt or stopping at a stop sign have to do with being ordered to wear a face mask? There is no comparison at all, which just makes this a silly argument. Kris Bayer’s letter was named appropriately because it appears that you are trying to mask the issue by changing the subject.
The State owns the roads and licenses motorists to use them. These motorists have to follow the rules or they run the risk of punishment. Whether you agree with State ownership or not doesn’t matter, the roads are the property of the State and it can determine who can use them and the manner in which they are used.
The State does NOT own individual people. It has no authority to tell anyone what they can wear, cannot wear, or must wear. To say that the State can tell its citizens they must wear a face mask is to say that the State owns individual people and it can order them to do anything it wants. In a way, this is similar to saying that the State has authority to order everyone to buy “health insurance” at a very high cost and severely punish anyone who doesn’t.
Roger Mitchell says
Excellent comment! I am in agreement with you. Thanks.