During the last month we’ve learned of an elementary teacher who removed her mask to read to her class and, in doing so, infected 12 of her 22 students with Covid-19 along with their friends and families. Just one of hundreds of examples of how masks can work to help stop the spread of this deadly plague.

We’ve also watched as school boards and city councils across the country have been verbally and physically assaulted by obdurate people opposed to wearing masks. Thankfully, the protests here in Pocatello have been of a milder variety, but all the arguments seem to be more emotional than intellectual, mostly based on some fallacious theory that masks somehow deprive us of our freedom. In this case the freedom being demanded is the freedom to infect, with a potentially deadly virus, whomever you come into contact with.

In the USA we’re blessed with many freedoms, most of which have been circumscribed for the common good and to protect innocent citizens from someone else’s bad behavior. You have the freedom to drive, but not to drive drunk. You might kill somebody. You have the freedom to smoke, but not to smoke in clean-air spaces. You might cause cancer & kill somebody. You have the freedom to speak and shout, but not to shout “FIRE” in a theatre. The stampede might kill somebody. You’re free to take a flight to anywhere, as soon as you’ve removed your shoes, belt, pocket contents, water bottle, etc., and put on your mask.

Many of the arguments against masks are about Me, Me, Me: If I get sick, I’ll deal with it. If you get sick because of my actions, that’s your problem. I am the only one I trust and I’m the only one who matters.

These beacons of selfishness demand the right to unnecessarily occupy a hospital bed, depriving that bed to people who truly need medical care. Stupid can’t always be fixed, but it can always be heard.

Masks may occasionally be a bit inconvenient, but they don’t hurt or diminish your freedom. If you are old enough to go around town by yourself, you’re probably old enough to understand the concept of shared sacrifice for the common good – essentially the Golden Rule.

Sorry, friend, but you don’t have the freedom to expose me and others to a deadly virus, since we all share the same air. If you don’t want to wear a mask, please stay home. If you want to go out in public, please have the decency to do what you can to stop this virus by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask so we can all return to normal lives.

Please don’t complain about the restrictions caused by this pandemic unless you’ve done your part to help end it.

Roy Miller,

Pocatello