Masks suck.
I get it. I wear glasses. When I have my mask on, my glasses tend to fog up. Wearing a mask makes me feel like I’m trying to breathe through a wet towel.
But I have worn and will continue to wear a mask when I go out in public because 1) I don’t suck that badly at being a human being, and 2) Fortunately, I’m healthy enough to be able to get out and do my own trading. But you know who might not be in that second category?
- The papaw who is working as a greeter at Wal-Mart because he can’t afford his blood pressure medication on his retirement income.
- The single mother who is working a couple of part-time jobs (that don’t offer health insurance) because that’s all the work she can find and she has to pay rent.
- The teacher who has an immunocompromised child at home and is working a side gig bagging your groceries.
- The young kid with asthma who’s busting her butt to earn the money she needs to buy textbooks and ramen noodles next semester.
- Your favorite aunt. She works retail. She just found a lump in her breast, but won’t say anything to her family until she saves up enough money to pay for a mammogram.
Refusing to wear a mask when you are in public is a gross display of privilege, and it sickens me to see and hear folks complain about having to do so. So, maybe you Karens out there who are so adamant about NOT wearing a mask ourt just forego the non-essential trips to Tar-jay to browse for hours on end for the foreseeable future. Go yell at some poor folks (from a safe distance), refuse to pay your landscaper for a shoddy boxwood shaping job, or, you know, do ANYTHING else that isn’t (sometimes literally) spitting in the faces of healthcare workers and essential employees.
The Homesick Homecomer 