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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, May 04, 2020

Do Masks Bother You?

How do you feel about being required to don a face covering when entering one of the few businesses still allowed to operate?

Personally, I consider this one of the least draconian measures imposed. I realize that a face covering offers me little protection but does help prevent me from infecting others. Also, I touch my face far less often when wearing a mask.

I do not wear when I am exercising outside because it's too hard to breathe.

I would have prefer having been asked to wear a mask as opposed to being ordered to do so. But as edicts from Governor Tom Wolf go, this one is far less offensive than telling me I have to shelter-in-place. It's also a good excuse to get a plague doctor mask.

83 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, they are a nuisance. They also help to save lives.

Anonymous said...

I’m OK with any business requiring a mask to enter. That’s their legal Right. I have the option not to shop in those places, do business by internet only, etc.

Anonymous said...

I've been drinking about 8oz of pure Clorox with breakfast in the morning just like my president said and I feel fine!

Anonymous said...

Anyone who won't wear a mask when they can't maintain social distancing is an asshole. It's just that simple.

Chris E said...

This is a great question. Requiring a mask in businesses puts me more at ease. I believe that this should have been put in place from the outset. I’ll explain... I believe that wearing a mask does a lot psychologically to the wearer. It forces them to recognize that they are part of a larger society and behave differently. Prior to the requirement I found it very stressful to go into the grocery store and see half the customers acting like business as usual; walking right up against me, not having any consideration for personal space, etc. Now that everyone has to wear a mask the overall behavior is much better because they are forced to acknowledge that something is going on and they need to act differently. That being said, these things are frigging hot when you wear them for a while and the summer is going to be a bitch.

On a side note, I am a semi-regular reader of your blog. And you often refer to the actions by Wolf as draconian (although I note that other governors are taking very similar actions). I am wondering what you feel would be non-draconian measures that governors could have taken in response to COVID19? (As a semi-regular reader I note that you often snap at commenters who I feel seem to be asking innocent, genuine questions. I assume this is likely due to the number of trolls out there and you assume everyone is a troll. But mine is a sincere question and I am curious about draconian vs non-draconian measures that could have been taken). Thanks.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Chris E, I have little patience for trolls, and this blog has more than a few. That's not going to change.

The measures imposed are draconian. That is reality. I am not addressing other Governors bc I am less familiar with the measures they have imposed, but many of them are draconian as well. What would you call an order that prevents you from earning a living, if not draconian? In Wolf's case, this was done without even bothering to discuss it with the people he was hurting. No notice or opportunity to be heard. There was no effort to see whether less draconian measures, like social distancing and masks, would have a salutary effect. It was done without beefing up unemployment so that the 1.6 million Pennsylvanians suddenly without a job could seek relief. It was done without setting up a system for the self-employed and gig workers, even though the federal government set aside money for them. Even now, the self-employed are unable to file.

The right to work is a property right. Taking it away is draconian. This has gone on for nearly two months.

Bernie O'Hare said...

And I by no means have exonerated Trump. His "leadership" has been disastrous as well.

Anonymous said...

Bernie O'Hare said...
Elitists like you are really bothered at being called out for what you are. Too bad.

This case is not in a good position for victory bc golf courses can now operate and it is very rare for a court to grant a stay. Courts are loathe to enter stays. But on the merits, the US S Ct would reverse.
May 4, 2020 at 9:09 AM


See--ALREADY you're with the name-calling again. Your have quite the problem there.

But at least you seem to understand that the Supreme Court is not likely to overrule the Gov. But the merits of the case are with his enemies and he's such a dictator, how is that possible? A guess we just need someone with your level of non-elite magnificence to explain that to us.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Virus Deniers? NO. Authoritarian, oppressive government resistors? YES.
May 4, 2020 at 9:44 AM

Sure. That's why pretty much everyone who's in the small protest groups are standing together and not wearing masks. The Confederate and Nazi flags are a nice touch as well.

Chris E said...

I agree with you. The drastic measures and slow response are due to how woefully unprepared all levels of government are to pandemics.

Anonymous said...

We needed a president to lead the way. He failed miserably.

Anonymous said...

Yeah 10:05 AM.
Trump is the only leader who failed. Ignore the maps around the wrld, showing where the virus has hit. The United States should not have any indication of the virus.
OPEN BORDERS, etc. Funny how countries around the world sealed theirs though. I'm pissing my pants laughing.
Biden already talking catch and release. Idiots.

Anonymous said...

He's the president. The buck stops there and all that. He's the one who has entire agencies to write daily memos to him warning him of such dangers. Apparently he can't be bothered to read them or listen when they're read to him. Maybe he's waiting for the charades version, I don't know.

When governors or mayors try to do something even though they've been largely abandoned by the White House, all the spoiled children complain that they did too much--even while the death toll mounts.

History will recognize this as a major scandal. Open your eyes.

Chris Casey said...

I think we should pass out clear plastic bags with strong tie offs for the neck area to those who don't wish to wear a mask as an effort to meet them halfway. I would start with the gun toting neo Nazi brown shirt wannabees pretending to be freedom fighters. That way their neither their faces nor vision are not obscured when wearing them. Of course they might get sleeping and have trouble breathing, but that is a small inconvenience, right?

Anonymous said...

Now now, don't be "draconian". You must recognize their inalienable right to infect the rest of us with the virus.

Anonymous said...

I don't like wearing masks because I truly feel this is a false sense of security. It seems that people have suddenly become germy when we know that not to be the case.

Anonymous said...

It's not about the germs, dude. It's the virus. And we have become exceedingly virusy, so wear your mask when around people with whom you don't live.

Anonymous said...

OK, I looked it up: viruses are germs too. Sorry for the mistake.

So are you saying that there is no virus?

Anonymous said...

I do wear a mask because I was, unfortunately, raised to be a rule-follower. Please provide me with the data proving that masks save lives. I have followed this virus from the start and there is so much misinformation and changing information, it is hard to take any of these rules seriously. Smokers are more at risk. Whoops, smoking may actually help. Children aren't at risk. Whoops, children are at risk. This is an elderly-attacking virus. Whoops, it will infect -- and kill -- people of all ages, and all backgrounds. My problem with all of this is that so many decisions are being made with fingers crossed and a "I hope this works" prayer.

Anonymous said...

This is a Coronavirus. There have been other major Coronavirus Events in the past (MERS, SARS). Each and every Coronavirus mutates into something a little different continuously. Thus, there is NO guaranteed vaccine to wait for. We still haven’t found one for MERS or SARS over the past decade.

We can, however, make this COVID-19 virus easier to tolerate in humans. We’ve already made of health industry far more capable to attack this than it was when it came here.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I do wear a mask because I was, unfortunately, raised to be a rule-follower. Please provide me with the data proving that masks save lives. I have followed this virus from the start and there is so much misinformation and changing information, it is hard to take any of these rules seriously. Smokers are more at risk. Whoops, smoking may actually help. Children aren't at risk. Whoops, children are at risk. This is an elderly-attacking virus. Whoops, it will infect -- and kill -- people of all ages, and all backgrounds. My problem with all of this is that so many decisions are being made with fingers crossed and a "I hope this works" prayer.
May 4, 2020 at 12:57 PM


I'm relying on the doctors and epidemiologists, and what they say makes sense. That's good enough for me, as I don't have time to do their job, too. Can you spell e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y?

Why don't YOU provide data that masks DON'T work?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
This is a Coronavirus. There have been other major Coronavirus Events in the past (MERS, SARS). Each and every Coronavirus mutates into something a little different continuously. Thus, there is NO guaranteed vaccine to wait for. We still haven’t found one for MERS or SARS over the past decade.

We can, however, make this COVID-19 virus easier to tolerate in humans. We’ve already made of health industry far more capable to attack this than it was when it came here.
May 4, 2020 at 12:59 PM


So I gather that your point is that, over time, people will become more tolerant of COVID-19 so we shouldn't take so many precautions. But that's entirely speculative, so you'll have to understand if I choose to listed to acknowledged experts and not anonymous bloggers when it comes to science.

Anonymous said...

1:08 - instead of asking someone to prove a negative, simply tell us the point at which masks are no longer needed? You know, the marker that will say it’s OK not to wear one in public. Or, is this something we will now do forever?

Anonymous said...

1:11 - Precautions, like Condoms, are fine. It’s a choice most believe in, but not everyone believes in. The point is, if you are waiting for a cure, I suggest you will be waiting a very long time. If the economy is shut down until a cure is discovered, their will be no America left to save.

Anonymous said...

I assume that masks always will be needed for someone who has the virus, although the more obvious approach is to quarantine them. However, even then there might be some contact with others. I imagine that we also would want those who have a high chance of recent exposure to the virus to wear a mask when around others, although they also should be quarantined until they are shown, through proper testing, to be virus-free.

Otherwise, I imagine we'll need to wear masks when around others when the virus has subsided to low levels--and no, I can't quantify that. Of course, the failure of the Trump administration to make sure that adequate testing is available seriously complicates that, doesn't it? We may just have to wait until there's a reliable vaccine and it's been adequatelky administered.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
1:11 - Precautions, like Condoms, are fine. It’s a choice most believe in, but not everyone believes in. The point is, if you are waiting for a cure, I suggest you will be waiting a very long time. If the economy is shut down until a cure is discovered, their will be no America left to save.
May 4, 2020 at 1:19 PM

Your mask is to protect me, not you. I do not believe that you have a right to infect me during an epidemic. I'll take my America over yours any day.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we're in it for the long haul. Duh!

Anonymous said...

From the post: "Personally, I consider this one of the least draconian measures imposed. I realize that a face covering offers me little protection but does help prevent me from infecting others. Also, I touch my face far less often when wearing a mask."


I disagree on all three points. I think it's the MOST draconian measure imposed because it's also the most personal.

It wasn't all that long ago that we were told that masks DIDN'T work against the virus, and that we shouldn't try to get masks because we were too stupid to use them. Now we're told that they won't help us, but if we follow this government edict we are helping others and are good people. That allows us to feel like we're better people for wearing masks, and bully others mercilessly, as perfectly shown by Chris Casey (above) and others commenting here.

I also end up touching my face more to adjust my mask, and see others doing the same. Couple that with masks that likely aren't being cleaned on a regular basis, and you're going to see problems. As an aside, I also remember everyone saying that we had to have reusable grocery bags, but then we found out that reusable bags carry disease (who would have thought?).

The reality - masks don't offer one-way protection, and if you want to wear a mask because you think it will keep you and/or others safe, by all means do it.

But it should NOT be a government requirement.

We are well past the threat of our hospitals being overwhelmed, which was the reason given for ALL of these draconian measures in the first place. They need to be rolled back.

People will naturally go where they feel safe. If I go into a business that's packed to the gills and nobody in masks, I'll turn right back around and leave. Others might not feel the same way - best of luck to them. I won't be at their parties, or at businesses that allow crowded conditions.

But I don't feel the need to impose my desires on others. It should be an individual decision.

Anonymous said...

R governors opened on or before May 1. Dem governors haven't. The map of what states are opened/closed looks very similar to the 2016 red/blue elctoral college map.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to read that you are trying to act responsibly. I appreciate that.

But it should not an individual decision when someone comes out into public and has such proximity where they can infect me. If someone disagrees with the governor's judgment on that (I don't), that's their problem; we elected him to do a job. I don't know what information he has or doesn't have. I believe the state legislature has the option to override his emergency orders, and the state Supreme Court already has reviewed them twice, with a petition currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. So he's hardly the tyrant that some call him.

Those who don't want to comply with the law should be the ones to stay home.

Anonymous said...

1:23 said:

"Your mask is to protect me, not you. I do not believe that you have a right to infect me during an epidemic."

First off, nobody has to wear a mask. All you have to do to avoid it is to claim a medical purpose for not wearing it, and you are exempt. You also don't have to disclose the medical condition that you are using when claiming the exemption. I would assume that psychological health would be a reason for exemption, and there is no stated need for a doctor's order.

Secondly, you are buying a lie to if you think the masks only work one way. Have you noticed how hospitals are only putting masks on the patients so the doctors and nurses don't have to wear them and will still be protected? Yeah, I haven't seen that either. It's a lie to get you to comply and to make you bully others into compliance.

If you want to wear a mask, by all means do, and patronize those places that have decided to require them. Others can forego masks and go to mask-less establishments. If you still don't feel safe, stay in your underground bunker as long as you wish.

Just don't expect others to sit down there with you.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

1:23, your point 1: I'm talking about what responsible people generally do, not the exceptions.

Your point 2: I stand by what I said. Your mask is to protect me, not you--just as a patient's mask protects the health care worker, not the patient. If doctors and nurses also wear them, that's fine with me: we don't want them to infect anyone either.

Finally, obviously you are free to stand close to your fellow free-breathers. However, I support the government protecting me from you. Your alternative will be to stay in YOUR bunker.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Anon 1:49 said:

"But it should not an individual decision when someone comes out into public and has such proximity where they can infect me."

and

"Those who don't want to comply with the law should be the ones to stay home."


If you were talking about people who were sick and under court-imposed quarantine, you'd have a point. But you're talking about broad measures being dictated by one person to EVERYONE.

No politician has the right to indefinitely impose such measures in this country. They were originally imposed because of a concern that hospitals would be overwhelmed. That concern has (thankfully) not come to reality.

We are far past a reasonable period of time for these restrictions to have been in place. Our politicians are trying to change the rules for their own power and benefit. The mask requirement wasn't even part of the original measures.

If you want to wear a hazmat suit for the rest of your life to feel safe, please do. I won't be joining you.

Anonymous said...

1:38 - as you are well aware, this crisis ( a very real and dangerous event ) is being used by some posters to place blame on Trump and his administration. For those posters, it’s not about health at all. It’s a need to ‘win’ at all costs. But, it’s not winning. Those same posters are watching their economic futures get destroyed. But, they just need to get their guy/gal into the White House. That’s all that matters.

Some of these misguided posters are young enough to never see an individual retirement account to supplement other benefits that typically come from employment over time. Even worse for their children, given the path we are on. Add in our growing welfare state for non-earners, our reliance more on robots, and HUGE tax increases coming soon, there will disappointment ahead.

Not so much for me, as I’m old and financially stable. In 10 years, I’ll likely be more interested to know if I’ll be given ice cream that night.

The Government won’t save you, misguided posters. It can only spend/give away what it TAKES from you and others like you.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:55 said "Not one American's FREEDOM has been taken away."

You mean other than your Constitutional rights to freely exercise your religion and peaceably assemble?

And that's just the easy ones.

Anonymous said...

It's fake as yellow cake.

When President Reagan had meetings and passed around the jellybeans everyone HAD to take at least one, even if they were diabetic, as a show of obedience to the one in charge.

Do masks bother you? hmm... What's disturbing is that people time and time again fall for this bullshit.

The government and it's relentless propaganda news media are lairs, they lie about everything, just like the con artists they are, even when they tell the truth it is to enforce a false narrative.

I don't wear a mask, but I will when I begin to smell the bodies, I understand that over the next 85 years 8 billion people will die.



Anonymous said...

That "one person" is the governor, elected by the voters of this state. Try to get over that whole Constitution thing.

Gov. Wolf has indicated what public health conditions will allow for relaxing the restrictions. You are entitled to disagree with his reasoning, but you're not the one given this responsibility. Glad we dodged that bullet!

And I'm well aware that you don't believe in safety. Perhaps you also demand the right to get liquored up and drive on the wrong side of the highway, but that doesn't mean I have to go along. And I don't.

Get used to disappointment. Quit whining.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Anon 1:55 said "Not one American's FREEDOM has been taken away."

You mean other than your Constitutional rights to freely exercise your religion and peaceably assemble?

And that's just the easy ones.
May 4, 2020 at 2:05 PM

No right is absolute. Everything has a context. The current context is that we're in the midst of an epidemic.

Maybe you should realize that, for now, prayer actually can occur outside of a church. Try it!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Do masks bother you? hmm... What's disturbing is that people time and time again fall for this bullshit.

The government and it's relentless propaganda news media are lairs, they lie about everything, just like the con artists they are, even when they tell the truth it is to enforce a false narrative.

I don't wear a mask, but I will when I begin to smell the bodies, I understand that over the next 85 years 8 billion people will die.

May 4, 2020 at 2:06 PM



Most of us don't live in a world where we see a conspiracy around every corner. We actually believed that men landed on the moon and stuff like that. Call us crazy.

Get back to us from your hospital bed just before you go on the ventilator.

Anonymous said...

2:08 - I suspect you don’t understand, some who object to what they are seeing (like me) are NOT whining. We’ll be just fine, and do wear masks to help out. It’s ‘fundamentally changing America” that we caution others about. Look forward, sons and daughters.

Anonymous said...

Hokie Joe says....
Bernie, please wear a mask in public. All the men will appreciate it tremendously because You won't act as a chic magnet and our women will be immune to your manly charms..... Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Covid-19 is the new Magic Bullet, the trajectory first taking out Bernie Sanders and then Trump.

Beware the Ides of March warned the soothsayer Spurinna. Your mask is your dagger.

Anonymous said...

@2:05 "You mean other than your Constitutional rights to freely exercise your religion and peaceably assemble?"

Please spare me such an incredibly thin and contrived grievance. Are you in North Korea now? Has there been a congressional act removing those rights from the constitution? Does your church/synagogue/mosque/high & exalted sanctuary of the light being from plant Xenon-5, not have the ability to hold worship services on-line?

Stop calling yourself and even pretending you're some stand up American citizen. This is a global pandemic that in all likelihood will have an impact on the entire planet for the next 18-24 months, yet we already have fucking pussies complaining 8 weeks into it like a bunch of preteen girls when the wifi has gone down in the house.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
2:08 - I suspect you don’t understand, some who object to what they are seeing (like me) are NOT whining. We’ll be just fine, and do wear masks to help out. It’s ‘fundamentally changing America” that we caution others about. Look forward, sons and daughters.
May 4, 2020 at 2:16 PM


And what "fundamental change" is it that you consider yourself to oppose?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Covid-19 is the new Magic Bullet, the trajectory first taking out Bernie Sanders and then Trump.

Beware the Ides of March warned the soothsayer Spurinna. Your mask is your dagger.
May 4, 2020 at 2:28 PM


I think you're one of those people who really should get out more. (And I did beware the Ides of March, but my president totally ignored them.)

Anonymous said...

"Most of us don't live in a world where we see a conspiracy around every corner."

My world is round, it' doesn't have corners. Corners are just agreed upon stories mostly fiction.

Anonymous said...

Nobody's mask protects anybody, if recent antibody tests are to be believed. They indicate it's been around for a long time and can easily penetrate even N95 masks, The good news is that a high percentage of us already have it, many never had a symptom. Lockdown country death rates are the same as non-lockdown death rates. Our lockdown likely accomplished two things: delaying herd immunity and inviting a second wave that will be far worse than if we hadn't locked down. We should have locked down older people on a county by county, as needed basis - and let younger people party and lick doorknobs to their hearts' content.

Anonymous said...

2:31 -

Ok, how about these . . .

Making our Constitution a casual declaration that can be easily ignored.
Our population becoming majority ‘takers’ rather than ‘makers,’
Our public schools used for indoctrination.
Corporate control of speech and written opinion.
Loss of integrity in our election system.
American laws determined by unelected panels including non-American citizens, as we’ve seen with the EU.
Slipping into a police state of control, like China, Iran.
American states going rogue,

We’re coming real close to these!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"Most of us don't live in a world where we see a conspiracy around every corner."

My world is round, it' doesn't have corners. Corners are just agreed upon stories mostly fiction.
May 4, 2020 at 2:39 PM


Your lack of clarity s regrettable. The world certainly does have corners. They're in every house and around every building. My point was that they don't have boogey-men behind all of them.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
2:31 -

Ok, how about these . . .

Making our Constitution a casual declaration that can be easily ignored.
Our population becoming majority ‘takers’ rather than ‘makers,’
Our public schools used for indoctrination.
Corporate control of speech and written opinion.
Loss of integrity in our election system.
American laws determined by unelected panels including non-American citizens, as we’ve seen with the EU.
Slipping into a police state of control, like China, Iran.
American states going rogue,

We’re coming real close to these!

May 4, 2020 at 2:45 PM

Sorry, but you are unconvincing. Pick one and elaborate. I'll respond.

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Anonymous said...
The pussies are the ones who will accept without question whatever their leftist politicians spoon-feed them.

Thank you for showing us who you are.
May 4, 2020 at 3:01 PM


Yes, of course you are every so manly because you won't wear a mask. I'm happy to question government officials, but when the answer comes back that we're in the middle of an epidemic, that carries some weight with me. If you can convince me that there is no epidemic, have at it.

Anonymous said...

@2:45 - these non-fact based "statements" really say a lot about your unhinged and distorted world view. I am sure you can cherry pick any # of stories to fit whatever narrative you want to say about the undermining of society, but ultimately it all just plays into generic pants wetting over what are simplifications of highly complex issues.

Making our Constitution a casual declaration that can be easily ignored. = Pure bullshit

Our population becoming majority ‘takers’ rather than ‘makers,’ = Racist dog whistle bullshit.

Our public schools used for indoctrination. = I don't like my world view challenged bullshit.

Corporate control of speech and written opinion. = I am dangerously naive and blind to my own hypocrisy bullshit

Loss of integrity in our election system. = Tinfoil hat bullshit

American laws determined by unelected panels including non-American citizens, as we’ve seen with the EU. = Blame it on the Jews Bullshit

Slipping into a police state of control, like China, Iran. = I have no idea what I am talking about bullshit.

American states going rogue, = Makes no sense economically, socially or practicability, but its just how I feel so I'm going to type it out anyway bullshit.

Anonymous said...

2:51PM

The world certainly does have corners. They're in every house and around every building.

Yes, the Corona craze is just like those houses and buildings, manufactured.
Glad you clarified.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

3:15 - you were given plenty to expound upon, and all you can do is say ‘Bullshit?” Not surprising, many others would comment as elegantly as you have. Well done!

Anonymous said...

"I've been drinking about 8oz of pure Clorox with breakfast in the morning just like my president said and I feel fine!"

My peeps and I went to Chinese New Year in San Fran, Mardi Gras in NOLA, and several movies in NYC - all at the urging of Democratic Party politicians who said to go out and party! Good thing those places had no outbreaks. Did you call La Grande Orange a xenophobe when he banned Chinese flights? C'mon, did you? Be honest.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
2:51PM

The world certainly does have corners. They're in every house and around every building.

Yes, the Corona craze is just like those houses and buildings, manufactured.
Glad you clarified.
May 4, 2020 at 3:27 PM


So you don't believe that a single person has died from COVID-19?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
3:15 - you were given plenty to expound upon, and all you can do is say ‘Bullshit?” Not surprising, many others would comment as elegantly as you have. Well done!
May 4, 2020 at 3:28 PM

I'm not 3:15, and I invited you to elaborate. Are slogans really all you've got?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"I've been drinking about 8oz of pure Clorox with breakfast in the morning just like my president said and I feel fine!"

My peeps and I went to Chinese New Year in San Fran, Mardi Gras in NOLA, and several movies in NYC - all at the urging of Democratic Party politicians who said to go out and party! Good thing those places had no outbreaks. Did you call La Grande Orange a xenophobe when he banned Chinese flights? C'mon, did you? Be honest.
May 4, 2020 at 3:39 PM

Democrats can do stupid things like anyone else. Had our president been a proper leader, they might've known better.

As to the Chinese non-ban, that was the first indication that I can recall that indicated that Trump took the virus at all seriously. He certainly has backtracked since that time.

And it wasn't a ban. 40,000 people were allowed to reenter the U.S. from China.

Anonymous said...

We've increased suicides, domestic violence, unemployment, substance abuse, and the national debt - all while destroying small businesses and infringing on personal rights. Yipee, we flattened the curve.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we saved some lives. You might sound at least a little happy about that. I'm guessing that you don't take the risk seriously in any case.

But because the Trump administration got off to a very later start and still hasn't dealt with the testing problem, we still don't know nearly as much as we should about the incidence of the virus. That's why we're not ready to reopen.

Anonymous said...

"So you don't believe that a single person has died from COVID-19?"

I think lots of people died WITH covid-19 and very, very, few have died FROM covid-19.

I think the builders are working hard at this edifice and have enlisted the usual suspects.

I think they see the popular candidates specifically Bernie and Trump as trying to burn the place down, and they are showing us what it's really like when you burn the house down.

I can respect that, even agree to point, but the news and shows and saccharine sweet commercials, the false hero creation is getting to be a little much. The pretentiousness is sickeningly obvious.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you understand that the rest of us have more faith in the doctors than you and prefer to err on the side of caution. Indeed, I believe that yours is an exceedingly lonely position.

Anonymous said...

Faith in doctors? God almighty, well, that is your right and you got lots of company, I prefer the road less traveled.

Anonymous said...

Be sure to invite us to your funeral.

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Bernie O'Hare said...

Sweeping condemnations of political parties or ideologies will be deleted. I have said and done this often now. If you are unable to comment without this kind of tribalism, it's pretty clear your comment is valueless.

Bernie O'Hare said...

i've temporarily enabled comment moderation.

Anonymous said...

My memory, and correct me if I am wrong, is that in early April the CDC recommended the use of face masks to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Within days, the state ordered it. I see no problem at all with this - it is a state matter, and hey, I myself was not wearing one until it became mandatory. Then I had to spend more to get a mask because I dragged my heals and they were harder to find. But I believe most everyone feels better knowing they are helping not infect others. Most everyone. If we had been wearing them weeks earlier, we would be in much better shape. Instead of being pretty much screwed.

John said...

In frightening times, some people fly their colors in order to signal who they are to others like them in order to band together against what is scary. Other people hide in order to avoid what’s so frightening. That’s human nature. There’s a time for action and a time for retreat. In my case, I wear a mask and wash my hands because I’m not so afraid of dying or so confident that I’ll get a fever and be sick for a few days but that one of the in-between possibilities - stroke, kidney disease, circulatory problems - prevent me from living the life I’m enjoying now.

People entering state legislative buildings while armed and being confrontational with peace officers may be within their rights but are winning few adherents who vote. Others who are quietly buying food for people unemployed and unable to register for unemployment or who are sitting cutting fabric and seeing masks may be convincing others to make this nasty worldwide situation a little better. Those are the fine people I want to emulate.

Anonymous said...



My body, my choice!!!

Anonymous said...

Not when you're going to infect me in a public place, it isn't.

Anonymous said...

This blahg is full of blah blah blah blah

Anonymous said...

Well, that certainly raises the level.

Anonymous said...

This is a matter of public health.

If you object to the government (which you elect to serve you) administrating public health, enlighten us with whom you think should be administering public health.

The church? The NRA? Your buddy Al and his family?

All of us benefit if all of us are cautious.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with that...