Ding Dong the Mask is Dead, but That’s Not Our Biggest Problem
It was a good day in America thanks to a Florida federal judge.
Masking on airlines will no longer be required. Florida, the sunny state for shady people, wins again.
Passengers, reportedly on at least one flight, cheered while the airline stewardess walked down the aisle with a trash bag, collecting masks.
And, of course, the evangelicals thanked their god for liberating them from government oppression.
Oh, yes! It was a particularly good day in America even though the majority of people in my neck of the woods hadn’t been wearing masks for ages. I guess just thinking about wearing a mask during a possible domestic flight was too much to contemplate. With the uptick of violence against airline employees on board flights, more and more Americans seemed to be reaching their proverbial tipping point. Too much personal sacrifice isn’t good for the soul, I reckon.
It’s the small victories that make a difference, don’t you know. On this day, a Florida judge stood against oppression.
(SARCASM intended)
Granted, I live in a red state, smack dab in the middle of America where our local news stations are constantly being taunted whenever they post stories of a scientific nature on Facebook. Maybe it’s better somewhere else, but where I live, hardcore ridicule is an ongoing pastime.
Daily! Nonstop. And, YES, I really must quit reading the comment sections.
For example, there was a news story the other day where the Wildlife Department was encouraging people to skip the bird feeders this summer as a precautionary measure against songbirds spreading the bird flu. There wasn’t a single supportive response from local readers.
Nada! Zilch!
Instead, hoosiers accused the big, mysterious THEY of creating fear. There were jokes about making birds wear masks. And, rallying calls to ignore the recommendation.
Have fun! Feed the birds. Who gives a bird shit about the chickens.
There was another article this morning about a mysterious illness causing liver damage in a few young children in Alabama. Out came the conspiracy theorists making claims that the disease was most likely caused by vaccines. Nobody had read the article, of course. If they had done so, it should have been abundantly clear that these children were too young to qualify for the vaccine.
Read the damn article before commenting!
We had a superintendent of schools who was attacked by parents at board meetings, received threats to himself and his family, and eventually resigned. We had to have police officers at board meetings because the mask issue was being so hotly debated by these middle American families.
I could go on and on and on and on. I won’t but I could. It’s overwhelming to witness such stubborn ignorance, but I need to chill out.
In America, there’s no longer such a thing as an expert in any field, unless maybe he’s a preacher. Education is seen as indoctrination and experts as part of the problem.
I have to accept this as reality, adjust accordingly, and then take care of myself.
Just in case you think this article is about masks, let me clarify. It is but it isn’t. It’s really about the growing number of uneducated people who thrive on misinformation. It’s also about people refusing to cooperate even if it kills them.
I’ll wear my mask on flights probably for the rest of my life. Even before COVID, I had a list of practices that I implemented when traveling by air.
Why?
Because whenever I flew, it seemed like I was destined to have at least one passenger sitting behind me who had a sloppy, unrelenting cough, hacking and spitting the whole way.
The last thing I wanted was to get sick on my trip.
That hasn’t changed, so I actually welcomed the mask as part of my travel gear.
Oh, I know. I know. As a pragmatist, I should be able to accept by now that fighting ignorance is a losing battle. I should just be happy that a fair number of educated and openminded individuals have befriended me. We’re out numbered, but at least we have each other.
I get it. And, I need to move on. I’m fully aware of that, too.
I need to just ignore people as much as possible by refusing to read the comment section and not sitting close to an idiot on a plane. I need to avoid crowds as well these days, especially since I live in a state where open carry and concealed weapons are legal. As they say, it’s not the gun that’s the problem. It’s the guy in the backwards baseball cap with the gun. Let’s face it! There’s a lot of angry men in red states.
Our problem solving skills are limited. I know that, too.
So, humans tend to resort to violence pretty quickly to resolve conflicts and disagreements. That’s a concern, because we have more problems that need solving than ever before, but I need to concentrate on my own life instead.
Do me as the saying goes. Yeah, I’m gonna do me.
Fortunately, I’m an introvert bordering on becoming a recluse, so if I don’t show up, I won’t miss most people. And, most likely they’ll never even notice that I’m not there which is probably a good thing, too.
I also take small comfort in knowing that I live pretty close to the Canadian border. It’s the little victories. Right?
Teresa Roberts is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
