Why I Wear a Mask in Public

            Face masks have become a big topic in our media over the past several weeks.  They have even been “weaponized” as a political issue, with Trump supporters claiming they are a denial of individual freedom and Trump opponents claiming that they save lives, something they believe is at least as important as reviving the economy.

            People on both sides of our gaping political divide in America today probably do or don’t wear face masks as political statements. Others, especially in my age group, wear them for other reasons, only a few of which might be deemed political.

I do agree with the members of the “non-wearing” community that face masks are both uncomfortable and can even be costly.

            When I was in Wal-Mart two weeks ago, I adjusted my mask once too often and managed to lose one of my hearing aids in the process. Of course, I didn’t realize this until I got home and it was too late. Fortunately, my three-year insurance warranty was not yet up and I “only” had to pay a $600 to replace the $2000.00 hearing aid I lost.

            Aside from that, face masks are a nuisance when one is speaking or listening to others; they force us to breathe our own carbon dioxide while wearing them, and they tend to slip off of our noses at times. They can itch too.

Nevertheless, as I thought about this issue over the past weekend, I came up with the following

reasons to explain why I do still wear a mask in public places when I am around other people.  You may find some of them interesting—or amusing.

1. Since I haven’t seen my hair guy since February, they cover part of my scraggly beard;
2. They make me feel safer and thus more confident when I walk through the still narrow aisles at the grocery store;
3. They help me feel compassion for the retail workers in all stores who must wear them all day. Just thinking about all the carbon dioxide they are breathing makes me tired;
4. They allow other mask wearers, some of whom are in a higher risk category than I am, to feel some comfort when I must stand near them;
5. Wearing a mask allows me to actually do something concrete to prevent transmission of a deadly virus; this is not something I have done before, and it is virtuous;
6. Even though I have tested negative for COVID-19, I know that we are still months away from even the fastest moving vaccine, so wearing a mask could protect me as well as others;
7. Sometimes people don’t recognize you when you wear a mask. This is not always a bad thing;
8. My governor wears one, and I want to stand with Andy as he attempts to protect our Kentucky population;
9. All of the medical people I visit wear masks and take my temperature.  They know more about disease in general and COVID-19 in particular than I do;
10. And, finally, I wear a mask because I do not confuse keeping myself and my neighbors healthy with losing my civil rights or personal freedom.

Having said all this, I acknowledge the very real dilemma Americans face in trying to balance our health and the lives of our fellow citizens with the need to restore or reopen the economy. I think the coronavirus is far more serious than the flu, and it pains me that so many of us are falling prey to various conspiracy theories and trying to blame someone else for making us sick instead of helping each other get well.

When all is said and done, perhaps that is what historians will say about this period—that too many of us have sadly allowed an event that should have brought us together (as it has for many already) to degenerate into a partisan political debate with much name and blame calling.                                                                              

And that may be yet another reason to wear a mask—to hide our own shame at letting this happen.