Who is that Masked Man?
A firey spirit, with a commitment to truth, a glow of trust, and a hearty “We can do it!” Joe Biden
A central issue in the Presidential campaign has been the contentious debate over mask wearing. What should have been a very clear approach from a public health perspective deteriorated to an issue of what side of the political debate one was on.
President Trump and his supporters refused to wear masks. They disdained mask wearing as a sign of weakness and capitulation to the overreach of government bureaucrats; an infringement on the basic rights of American citizens to decide for themselves what is the best thing for them to do. They questioned whether the science was clear on whether mask wearing was that beneficial in protecting the public from the COVID-19 virus. Those who chose to wear masks were frequently derided as being sheep, even being called out in public spaces for doing so.
On the other hand, Joe Biden and his supporters wore masks. They called for all Americans to wear masks as a civic responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and anyone else they came into contact with. They argued that the science was clear on the benefits of mask wearing, pointing to the statements of infectious disease experts and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those who refused to wear masks were condemned as selfish and irresponsible, endangering themselves, their families, and the public at large.
ANOTHER HERO WHO WEARS A MASK
The contention over whether to wear masks spilled into the public arena. Law enforcement authorities in some areas announced that they would not enforce mask wearing mandates from State or local governmental leaders. Retail stores sent mixed messages. Some had no requirements to wear masks. Others posted mask wearing requirements but did little or nothing to enforce them; shoppers wandered through their stores with no consequences for not wearing masks. Others both posted and enforced mask wearing requirements. In such instances, there were encounters with customers who refused to wear masks. These customers would get into heated exchanges with store employees who were simply doing their jobs by informing the individual that they either had to put on a mask or leave. Security personnel would often have to be called to escort these individuals from the store over their loud protestations.
Meanwhile, the spread of the virus exploded across the nation. Deaths from the virus continually rose, now reaching over 200,000. Finally, the President himself, his family, and those who had contact with him have fallen ill. The President has been hospitalized. Unlike many Americans, he has access to the finest medical care in the country, being given the most advanced therapies which are out of the reach of many Americans who fall ill. At the same time, the President continues his assault against Obamacare which will result in millions of Americans losing the high cost, paltry medical care that they can receive.
All this over the rather straightforward issue of wearing a mask. With cases of the virus and the number of deaths rapidly rising, at rates much higher in other countries across the globe particularly those with mask wearing mandates, it would seem that the most cautionary and sensible approach would be to wear masks. Yet the President refused to take the lead on such a basic issue.
When George Trendle and Fran Striker developed the character of the Lone Ranger, they listed a moral code by which the Ranger lived. These included:
- I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one.
- That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
- In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for what is right.
- That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
- That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, live on forever.
Little wonder that Donald Trump disdains mask wearing and Joe Biden supports it
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