Tuesday, March 09, 2021

What Happens When Identity Trumps All?

TheGilliard
DoctrineVille


So, what's up with the government mandated unmasking in places like, say, Texas and Mississippi?

Mr. Krugman of the NY Times offers up a plausible explanation:

...Wearing a mask in public, like holding it in for a few minutes, is slightly inconvenient, but hardly a major burden. And the case for imposing that mild burden in a pandemic is overwhelming. The coronavirus variants that cause Covid-19 are spread largely by airborne droplets, and wearing masks drastically reducesthe variants’ spread.

So not wearing a mask is an act of reckless endangerment, not so much of yourself — although masks appear to provide some protection to the wearer — as of other people. Covering our faces while the pandemic lasts would appear to be simple good citizenship, not to mention an act of basic human decency...

{snip}

...Of course, we know what’s actually going on here: politics. Refusing to wear a mask has become a badge of political identity, a barefaced declaration that you reject liberal values like civic responsibility and belief in science...

{snip}

...Unfortunately, identity politics can do a lot of harm when it gets in the way of dealing with real problems. I don’t know how many people will die unnecessarily because the governor of Texas has decided that ignoring the science and ending the mask requirement is a good way to own the libs. But the number won’t be zero.


Of course, it would be silly for us to think that some of this same identity politics-based, anti-science thinking isn't brewing up here in Canada as well.

Personally, as members of the small flock of identity politics-driven trolls that have descended on this tiny, little F-troop list blog recently may already be aware of, I have no interest in debating them or their ilk. Instead, to swipe a phrase from the late, great Steve Gilliard, I only want to stop them.

OK?


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4 comments:

JR said...

I myself do not wear one when outside walking etc. If I go anywhere indoors I wear one. I have seen only 1 friend in the last year trying to keep my bubble minimized as my wife works in retail groceries. I do not understand the vitriolic hate by some of these people both for and against masks. I have been berated walking down the street for not wearing a mask when there is only 4 or 5 people in the entire block. I have also been told I am brainwashed when I wear one in a store. I am in a high risk group and as such very rarely go into an enclosed environment. Both sides need to take a deep breath and realize they only make themselves look foolish when they go into a rant never mind the spittle that flies. I just back away and tell them to have a good day.

Anonymous said...

How well did Texas independence electrical grid go?

Eleanor Gregory said...

Well said. I will share this one. EG

Anonymous said...

the independent texans can enjoy their independent electrical grid?