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The Mask War

Posted on by fsadeq

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in the United States in March, masks were an optional rule for people to wear in public places. But when the cases started to spike after memorial day and 4th of July, the CDC finally suggested that masks were mandatory for all Americans to wear when going to public places to stop the spread of the virus. Although the mask does help with stopping the spread of the virus from others, it has become a political issue as the majority of the American public and President Trump disagreed that masks were helpful on COVID-19 safety. 

A masked person and a person not wearing a mask at a rally in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 27th.

 

In the months of April to the present month, many states in America had cases soared and glowing red zones of COVID-19. The concept of wearing masks to stop the spread of the virus became a unique kind of stupidity for the Americans who disagreed with the World Health Organization (WHO), the CDC, and health experts. This started a culture war on masks since videos were posted online and in the TV news showing angry individuals who were unmasked protesting on reopening the states, entering stores, and not practicing social distancing. Anti-masks tantrums of conspiracists attract the most attention as it sets the stage for a type of extreme individualism that extends to almost every aspect of a person’s life in America.

Secondly, the people who refused to wear masks states that it imposes their freedom which had nothing to do with the virus. In North Carolina, a group that disagrees with the shutdown of the state says that masks were “muzzles” and the way how mandatory temperature checks works were seen as “ways our freedom was eroded”. The rage over masks didn’t just spread through people, on social media angry individuals started a trend called “Burn Your Mask Challenge” where people posted videos of themselves burning their masks and posting the phrase “#IgniteFreedom”.

 

 

 

But in the end, the mask mandate became mandatory for all Americans as when Donald Trump wore the mask when visiting a military hospital on July 11th, 2020 as this encouraged others who follow Donald Trump to wear masks but not a lot of them. Trump still declined on mask mandate when he attended news conferences, coronavirus task force updates, and other public events. The people who were near or met him informed others that the president was concerned that the mask would look weak on him and that it would shift his focus to the public health crisis rather than economic recovery and re-election.

 

Although the mask itself won’t stop the virus, health experts and the CDC members still recommend and agree that the mask mandate was the only way to stop the transmission of the disease. The majority of Americans took the advice on mask mandate as Dr. Fauci mentioned that the mask should not be a political issue, it should be a public health issue and that everyone should wear the mask. In August according to the news media like CNN, some states were handling COVID-19 like California, Alaska, Texas, Michigan, Arizona, and New York. While other states were in the steady range and a few are in the red zone of the pandemic which shows a good sign of a decrease in the virus spreading. Since we are seeing the increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths, people should continue wearing masks in public places and should not make a complaint on the CDC or health experts.

 

Sources:

 

Aratani, Lauren. “How Did Face Masks Become a Political Issue in America?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 June 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/29/face-masks-us-politics-coronavirus.

 

Lemire, Jonathan. “Trump Wears Mask in Public for First Time during Pandemic.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 11 July 2020, apnews.com/7651589ac439646e5cf873d021f1f4b6.

 

Lopez, Linette, et al. “The Great Mask War Is Finally Ending. It Was so Stupid.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 14 July 2020, www.businessinsider.com/good-people-finally-wearing-masks-pandemic-coronavirus-fight-was-dumb-2020-7.

 

Pan, J.C. “Conservative Austerity Created the Mask Wars.” The New Republic, 3 July 2020, newrepublic.com/article/158359/conservative-austerity-created-mask-wars.

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  1. Masks have become a controversial issue throughout the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I enjoyed how you were able to highlight those instances, and as well were able to discuss how it has “become a political issue as the majority of the American public and President Trump disagreed that masks were helpful on COVID-19 safety.” Masks have demonstrated to have an influential effect despite it now being officially mandated. President Trump’s views and actions in not implementing the use of face masks, has most definitely impacted people’s choices in using masks. With the constant rate of various people testing positive, do you think people only start to take the virus seriously once a family member has been affected? How could influencers implement their platform to educate society of the importance of wearing a face mask? As you mentioned previously, that “the mask itself won’t stop the virus,” but has made a difference in the level of transmission from one person to another. With providing many sources of evidence and examples you were able to deliver your point directly to the reader. And provide a well organized article overall.

  2. I was intrigued by your explanation of the movement #ignitefreedom, I had no idea that this hashtag has become a trend on social media, I think it sends the wrong message as masks are proven to help, and it’s ironic that Americans could be freer, ending quarantine if people abided by the rules to wear a mask. As Donald Trump has been the defense in many peoples rationing whether to or not to wear a mask it is frustrating that our leader has not been a positive role model during this time. It raises the question, had Trump not been president during this time how would the pandemic be different? Better or worse? In my personal opinion wearing a mask is a selfless act to not protect yourself, but the others around you who cannot medically wear a mask. Working in a restaurant during this time I have had several altercations with customers negligent to wearing a mask. It is not easy on anyone to cover your face in the summer heat however if working in a 110 degree kitchen while wearing a masks for ten hours hasn’t been a problem for me, then a thirty second walk to your table shouldn’t turn into a debate.

  3. I think a lot of people find this topic frustrating. It’s really interesting how controversial masks have become these past few months. Why do you think masks and face coverings are so disputed and have become so political? As you mentioned, masks will not stop the virus, but they will prevent transmission, potentially saving thousands of lives. Since the U.S is currently spiking in cases, do you think that if masks were mandatory in all states, there would be a significant backlash? The #IgniteFreedom and Burn Your Mask Challenge, where people posted videos of themselves burning masks and face coverings, can easily be seen as privileged. Especially when there have been instances of mask shortages for essential workers. Do you think that there will eventually be repercussions from society to those who refuse to wear a mask? What group of people do you think supports the use of masks the most?

  4. The pandemic that the corona virus has caused was not expected to happen at all. In these times, the world has been flipped upside down and new rules and regulations have been mandated to help prevent the spread of the virus. Ignoring the impact and damage that the virus is doing to the world is the same as ignoring homicides and injustices. These rules and regulations aren’t meant to hurt our freedoms nor to rewrite our constitution but rather to help reduce the spread of the sickness. The simple task of wearing a mask is helping prevent the virus and saving lives. Yes it may be “uncomfortable” or can be “difficult to breath with” but respecting and understanding the reason why we are doing this brings us a very long way as a human race. We don’t have to agree with it to understand the deaths and harms it is doing to this world.

  5. I kept going back and forth on whether to write my second blog post on the issues with mask or the environmental impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. I chose the second option so when I came across this blog post I was really excited to read it. This is structured almost like the point I was going to try and prove if I had chosen to write about the mask issue in our country. I agree completely when you wrote about masks becoming a political issue. Even though the CDC has said it will slow down the spread of the coronavirus many people have turned it into a political battle. You mentioned how President Trump wore a mask for the first time publicly on July 11th and this encouraged others to follow him to wear masks. But he still declined the mask mandate when he attended news conferences, corona task force updates, and other public events which is crazy to me because I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that people listen to politicians over Health experts with proven evidence. To take this issue a step further, I wonder if people who are anti-masks are more worried about being under control and exercising their amendment rights over keeping themselves and everyone around them safe. It’s as if some Americans don’t trust or like the government enough to follow orders and therefore do the complete opposite to prove a point.

  6. Throughout this blog post you mentioned how wearing masks has become a political issue, which is extremely true. However, I wish that the article elaborated on just how deep this issue cuts, and exactly how it reveals the faults in our divided system. I believe that one of the main issues surrounding the mask controversy is the mass amount of misinformation surrounding both the pandemic itself and also the rights in which these individuals have. Many have been led to believe that they themselves can decide where they choose to wear a mask and where they choose not to. However, businesses have always been able to refuse service to those in which they feel it is necessary, such as individuals not wearing clothes, or citizens who appear dangerous. And since Covid-19 is the current biggest danger, those who are not wearing masks are in fact dangerous individuals. It appears that many who refuse to wear masks are unaware of this basic concept, and how it is not their rights that are being affected, but the rights of the businesses themselves.

  7. I think that the political polarization that consumed the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic has found itself within this “mask war.” Instead of the nation treating the virus as an issue of public health and safety, it quickly became a political debate throughout the country. I completely agree with how you said the issue of wearing masks has become a culture war, as it genuinely feels like a battle between two sides with trends such as #IgniteFreedom. Does the partisan divide on mask mandates further the politicization of the pandemic and encourage this culture war? As you stated, President Trump has said wearing a mask would make him appear weak, thus leading his supporters to follow this way of thinking and inciting further resentment towards maks mandates. Do you believe that if political tensions weren’t as high as they were prior to the pandemic that there would be less backlash in mask mandates? It’s possible then that COVID-19 would have been treated as a public health issue, rather than a subject for political debate.

  8. Many people debate about wearing and not wearing masks. The statistics have shown that you are much less likely to spread and get the coronavirus if you wear a mask. Masks have saved a lot of lives. The President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro didn’t take the coronavirus seriously and he got COVID-19. Doctors and emergency room workers wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID as well as other viruses. The debate about masks has definitely become political, rather than science or statistically based. Those that oppose a mask mandate feel it is not the government’s place to tell them how to fight the virus. However, some state government mandates take time to become widely accepted. Seat belts are now required (at least in the front seat) nationwide except New Hampshire. As of July 2018, only 12 states still had not enacted a statewide ban on indoor public smoking. Unfortunately, with COVID, time is not an option. Science should trump politics in this debate, but leadership on both sides should set the example by wearing and promoting masks.

  9. This is an extremely interesting topic, one that seems to be uniquely American. The phenomenon of “anti-maskers” derives from not only conspiracies, as you mentioned, but also denial or lack of knowledge regarding masks. A piece of fabric should not be political by any means, never mind cause enough of an outrage to spark protests. Additionally, I appreciate how you mentioned President Trump’s refusal to enact a mask mandate nationwide. To me, this is one of the many ways this virus has become political, with partisanship often deciding if someone complies with guidelines set by health experts. Without strong leadership relying on the CDC and WHO, how can we possibly expect the country to defeat the pandemic united? I completely agree that everyone should continue wearing masks, as the pandemic is not over simply because we are all tired of it. This was a great read!

  10. With masks being a main topic during this COVID-19 pandemic, I believe you did a really good job explaining and shedding light on both political and social topics regarding why people wear them. Your use of the discussion on how people believe masks are ‘“muzzles”’ and how people believe they are eroding the freedom of people, was well discussed. I know many people who believe that mask wearing is a way that the democratic is controlling us. I also agree that Trump’s decisions of having people to wear and not wear a mask is a bit crazy. It seems as if he was mandating wearing masks to prove a point to the Democrats on how they are ineffective. But I also believe he is unable to realize that people aren’t wearing them for themselves, but for others with the possibility that they may work. With that said I was wondering about your views about Trump’s actions and non-mask wearing gatherings, specifically the Black Lives Matter Protest. Do you believe they should’ve all been wearing masks?

  11. The problem with opposing opinions on wearing masks is real and super unfortunate. People will always have their own opinion, but now is not the time to play and risk things. we are in the midst of a global pandemic that is putting halt and lean on everything, everywhere. Things cannot be taken as a joke when it comes to people’s health. nothing works without healthy people. if all places were strict and serious about wearing a protective face covering, then people would be more afraid to outweigh the risks of a fine or legal issues. I do think the masks are an important role in the midst of a pandemic. for the sake of everyone and everything!

  12. I like how you talked about the effect Covid-19 has had on the growing partisanship. While American politics was already partisan pre-Covid, I believe it was amplified by the introduction of Coronavirus. The debate on whether or not masks should be required is a huge part of that amplification. Some people argue that it is their business whether or not they choose to wear a mask. However, their decision not to wear a mask in public spaces poses a health risk for those around them. These opposing views have taken off on social media through videos, threads, and comments. I think that a lot of the discourse is due to the virality of Covid-19 and possibility of being an asymptomatic carrier. If carriers always showed symptoms, I think more people would willingly distance themselves from others. A large part of the mask debate is that people don’t want laws that threaten their autonomy, while others don’t want someone else’s noncompliance to threaten their health. Many Americans are also looking towards political leaders on either side of the aisle for guidance on how they should respond to the debate on wearing a mask. Donald Trump decided not to wear a mask for months and to state that masks are optional. His decisions have affected many people’s opinions on the matter, influencing many individuals to believe that they should not be required to wear a mask.

  13. I hadn’t heard of the ignite your mask challenge and I am shocked to be reminded of how far people can take things. Going out to eat, going shopping, even going to the grocery store is a choice and privilege that a lot of people do not have. Being told to wear a mask while using this privilege does not violate personal freedom. I am also amazed that Trump was able to stay in office while publicly going against the CDC’s recommendations and encouraging people to do the same. It seems there should be a way to declare him incompetent from the way he has acted.

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  16. This is crazy! It was buzzing all over tiktok! People were download video tiktok and enjoying the fight! It’s sad tho! My personal opinion is to wear mask! Come on, Big deal! It’s just a mask!

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