The Face Mask Debate: 7 Questions for People Who Oppose Wearing a Face Mask During the Coronavirus Pandemic to Think About by Bernice Wood

I have a legitimate question. I know that there are those who are vehemently opposed to being made to wear a mask. I also know that some people think that the entire pandemic is a hoax. I know that those against masks say that it’s a violation of their personal freedom. I know that some say that masks don’t work. Personally, I am somewhere in the middle of all of the above.

Let me play the devil's advocate for a minute and ask a few questions for you to think about:

1. First of all, many of y’all remember when the laws were put into place requiring people to wear their seatbelt. Same protests back then – personal freedom, my vehicle, my body, I can’t breathe, it’s too uncomfortable. Yet it became the law and very few people would consider balking at this nowadays as it has proven to save lives.
2. If wearing a mask could possibly keep not only you from getting sick, but your children or elderly parents, why wouldn’t you want to protect those you love?
3. Even if you haven’t been directly affected by coronavirus (COVID-19), almost everyone knows someone in their circle who has gotten very sick or even died. So even if you think that the government is behind all the hype and hoopla (and the media) it doesn’t change the fact that people are sick and dying. Someone’s mother, father, child. Whether the numbers are skewed or not, people are dying.
4. If there is a slim chance that you may be asymptomatic and that wearing a mask while out in public could possibly keep you from spreading the virus to a child or cancer patient or someone’s grandparents, wouldn’t you want to protect them? Imagine how you would feel if you were to inadvertently infect someone who died?
5. Health-care workers and other occupations wear masks all day long, many for 12-hour shifts. If they can do it, the majority of the population could wear masks on a regular basis. Sure it sucks and would take some getting used to, but people are tough and resilient when we need to be! Stop being such wimps!
6. If it turns out to be a hoax, well, we were all inconvenienced for a couple of months, big deal. But what if it’s not a hoax, not just a cold, not just a flu? What if we could have saved the life of your coworker, your neighbor, your child, by wearing a mask??? Isn’t that worth the inconvenience?
7. And one last thought about personal freedom being infringed upon. How many of y’all have a social security number? An emissions sticker on your car? Have taxes taken out of your paycheck? A driver’s license? And you are balking about wearing a mask??

I know that some of my friends may not like what I’ve said. And if you don’t agree that is fine. But before you post your rebuttal, I want you to seriously consider all the points of my post.

Edit: I am never going to call someone out in public for not wearing a mask, nor would I do so on social media. I have no idea who is for or against unless you have specifically stated such, and even then I’m not going to remember!

What do YOU think? Tell us below. 

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community. Inspire and be inspired.