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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
July 9, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
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July 9, 2020
 
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Page A-4 Shelton-Mason Journal Thursday, July 9, 2020 ‘9) M TIMES - I’ll take one freedom mask ere are some tales from America’s latest great de— bate about the nature of nature: We’re only two weeks into Gov. Jay Inslee’s order requiring every Washingtonian to wear a facial covering in public places, but Hardware Distillery Co. co-owner Jan Morris had an early jump on what a lot of people, espe— cially business owners, are learning only now: When it comes to following rules on masks, some people behave like they’re related to the king. Starting in May, Jan had a sign on the door of the distillery in Hoodsport that asked customers to wear a mask while inside. She also has them present their hands for a spritz of the sanitizing spray made at the dis- tillery. Most people follow her mask request. A few have not. “I have to ask some of them to put on a mask, and it’s rough some- times,” Jan said during a Visit I made to her store May 28. “I’ve had a few people say they have a mask, but they just left it in the car.” That’s some warped thinking: I’m not wearing a mask now, but because I have a mask in my car, you can trust that I’m a mask- wearer and therefore not a risk to you. I witnessed that same line of thought while standing in a store line with five other people earlier this weekuA man without a mask walked past us to the back of the line while explaining that while he didn’t have a mask on now, he was wearing one earlier in the day. Jan said she tries to keep her distance from people in the dis; tillery who disrespect her mask request, and she has heard many a lame excuse from those unmasked folks. “The best line I’ve heard,” she told me, “is ‘I don’t need to wear a mask because I worked in a Clorox factory for a number of years.’ ” In the injection division most likely. A couple of weeks ago at an ' anti-mask rally in downtown Shel- ton that drew 25 people, Shelton- Mason County Journal reporter Gordon Weeks had a conversation with a female demonstrator. Gordon asked her why she By KIRK ERICSON doesn’t wear a mask. “This is based on fear and false statistics,” she explained. For in- stance, “on the side of the mask box it says, ‘Not to be used for CO- VID-19.’ So why are we wearing them?” Gordon followed up: “Where did you get that information?” “I saw it on my phone,” the anti- masker said. She waved her phone in front of Gor- don’s face — just in case Gordon didn’t fully appreci- ate the credibility of her phone. The anti-mask com- munity likely has a lot of diversity of opinion among its ranks and this woman shouldn’t be treated as an exemplar of all anti— maskers, but imagine if her idea of citing her phone as a reliable source catches on. I could then write this sentence in good conscience: “The coronavirus infection rate among peOple who attend anti- mask protests is 10 times lower than it is among people Who attend Black Lives Matter protests,” ac— cording to my phone. “Scientists believe,” my phone continued, “that the infection rate is lower when a protest is made up of at least percent white people.” Because my cellphone tells me so I pulled my purple bandana up over my nose and face as I walked through the doors of a li- quor store in Olympia three weeks ago. The fellow behind the counter said hello, and I told him how weird it is to enter a liquor store while pulling a mask over my face, like only robbers used to do. If I had entered that store just five months ago while wearing a face mask, our relationship would have taken a far more disagreeable path. “You want to know what’s really weird?” he asked. “Sure,” I replied. “A lot of times people come in here wearing a face mask and they have a gun strapped to their back,” the clerk said. “We have a gun range in the back of the store, but it’s still really weird to see that.” These are some times, these times. I Contact Kirk Ericson at kirk@ masoncounty.com Wltmflmwnntonntn time USPS 492-800 The Shelton-Mason county Jour- nal is a member of the Wash— Publisher: Tom Mullen EDITORIAL The politicization of masks. r. I The Anderson County Review in Kansas became a Viral sensation recently, calling attention to it- self well beyond its 2,900 circulation. The newspaper posted a politi- cal cartoon on its social media page about the state’s governor, Democrat Laura Kelly, and a recent mandate ' she signed requiring residents to wear masks in public areas and in places where social distancing can’t be ac— complished. The cartoon features Kelly, wearing a mask with the Star of David printed on it, standing in front of people being loaded onto cattle cars. The cartoon’s caption-reads “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask and step onto the cattle car.” Comparing the mask mandate with the Holocaust —— that escalated quickly. > After a firestorm of criticism, the newspaper’s publisher apologized for the cartoon and removed it from the newspaper’s website. Beyond almost universally seen as being in poor taste, the cartoon highlights the growing politicizing of face masks and Orders to wear them, Restaurants and other service- based businesses in some states have reclosed their lobbies because of abuse their employees received from those opposing the idea of wearing a mask I in public. They are a very vocal minor- ity, but seem intent on challenging the idea any chance they get. The big question is this: Why is / wearing a mask such a polarizing act? Masks help slow the spread of most communicable diseases, not just COVIDwIQ, and as we’re still living in a pandemic, they’re recommended by health care providers. We didn’t see this sort of opposition to recom- mendations made to frequently wash our hands. Yet, orders to wear masks in public, designed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, are being seen by some as an infringement of their rights. This pandemic is a temporary event. As such, wearing a mask in public in places with orders in place isn’t going to be a permanent man- date. The claim that such require- ments infringe on individual liberties is also very shaky. A person can’t have a 30—foot bonfire in their backyard and not expect a visit from police and fire- fighters because the risk to other resi- dents’ property is too great. Likewise, people aren’t supposed to drive beyond posted speed limits for similar reasons — the risk to both their safety and the safety of others becomes greater the further the speedometer climbs beyond that limit. A mask isn’t a big deal and wearing I one isn’t part of some grand conspiracy to control the population. It’s part of an effort to reduce infections from a disease the nation has had a very poor response to..The day will come where this will be all behind us, but for now, put the mask on. WHICH ONE REQUIRES COMMON AND NO CONSTIUTUTIONAL GUARANTEE OF FREEDOM? SEAT BELT (Mary) in- SUN SCREEN (skin Cancer) (comm) Jam?” Front office: Dave Pierik, office administrator All regular editorial, advertising and legal deadlines are pm. the Monday prior to publication. ington Newspaper Publishers Advertising: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason County Journal. PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Association. John Lester, general manager Delivery: Theresa Murray, ad representative Jon Garza To submit a letter to the editor, SUBSCRIPTION RATES: David Olson email adam@masoncounty.com. Published weekly by the Shelton-Mason County Journal at 227 W. Cota St., Shelton, Washington. Mailing address: P.0. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone: 360-426—441 2 Website: www.masoncounty.com Periodicals postage paid in Shelton, Washington. Newsroom: I Niel Challstrom Adam Rudnick, editor in chief Gordon Weeks, reporter Justin Johnson, sports/outdoors editor Kirk Erlcson, columnist/ proofreader Lloyd Mullen, creative director Isabella Breda, reporter $62 per year ($43 for six months) for Mason County addresses and $75 per year ($55 for six months) outside of Mason County. Composing room: William Adams, advertising and technical support Owned and published by Shelton-Mason County Journal, lnc.