The “Mask Mandate” – which, as of a week ago, was of such crucial “scientific” importance that it was on the table in negotiations about the bonding bill – will become official policy as of Friday midnight.
Not only long after Covid peaked in Minnesota, but long after most Americans led the world in voluntarily adopting masks:
Which is more or less what I said a couple weeks ago – give Americans good information, a transparent request, and clear statement of interests, and we’ll do what needs to be done.
Here’s the thing – as we’ve noted, Covid is a disease spread by density. It might be a red-county meat-packing plant, or a major-metro bar, restaurant, open-plan office, bus or train, but the correlation between packing people together for extended time and the spread of Covid seems pretty clear.
Here in Minnesota, about half the counties have had no Covid deaths. Outside the metro areas – Twin Cities, Saint Cloud, Duluth and Rochester – and a few rural meat-packing facilities, the disease is just plain rare.
Senate Majority Leader Gazelka had the termerity to point this out – that perhaps a one-size fits all state mandate for a disease for which one size does not fit all, makes absolutely no sense.
Governor Klink’s response:
Someday, there will need to be an accounting for the damage the American Left has inflicted on the term “science”. For much, indeed most, of the American left, “science” is treated like saying “no sipsies” in high school when you bought a can of pop – a way to pre-emptively foreclose any argument, because you were the first to invoke “science”.
But y’see, Governor Klink, science is observation.
Observe this – pattern of the spread of the disease after five months in Minnesota:
So explain the “science” to us, Governor Klink?
What is the special science-fu that means a disease that spread between metropoli halfway around the world from each other in a matter of weeks, has yet to ravage the low-density hinterlands after five months?
The Governor isn’t talking science. He’s talking Blue Fragility.
If by The Most Heinous Crime Of This Heinous Year you mean the blind worship of SCIENCEtm and tyranny of the expertsTM, than I agree 100%.
If people cared more about their neighbors and wore masks voluntarily, the mandate wouldn’t be necessary. Unfortunately, the masses have demonstrated their unwillingness to do the right thing on their own.
And right on schedule, Mr Science shows up to emote. For science.
Speaking of “heinous crimes”…
Derek Chauvin will be given due process of law in connection with these allegations and not summarily murdered by law enforcement.
Fired Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, wife charged with tax crimes
https://www.startribune.com/fired-minneapolis-officer-derek-chauvin-wife-charged-with-tax-crimes/571864051/
Are said tax crimes more egregious than possibly and unknowingly passing a counterfeit $20 bill? If so I’d like to revisit this decision.
And here comes JDM representing the Anti-Mask League, fresh off their successes in 1918 …
We’ve learned so much since then, eh, Weaz?
Who can forget that stunning rendition of The Star Spangled Banner by Jimmy Hendrix wearing that awesome American flag mask at Woodstock? Or the shameful behavior of those Hells Angels wearing skull and crossbone masks at Altamont?
And then there was that speech by Surgeon General Dr. Leroy E. Burney in 1957 demonstrating how to wear a mask. Man, people really cared about their neighbors each other back then.
Here is the text of the order.
https://www.leg.state.mn.us/archive/execorders/20-81.pdf
Speaking of “heinous crimes”…
Which we were, and will continue, your attempt at a threadjack notwithstanding.
If people cared more about their neighbors and wore masks voluntarily, the mandate wouldn’t be necessary
You did actually read my post, didn’t you? There was a very visual reference to how much Americans have adopted masks without need for “Mandates”, on their own?
You’re not Doggoning us, are you?
^^ What a disgrace that the GOP couldn’t go along with this. It will be less effective because they are making public health in a pandemic into a political issue.
Let’s pretend Governor Walz has a staff member lurking on conservative websites to monitor the opposition.
Let’s pretend the staff member saw my note to Merg
http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/?p=74019
and decided to adopt it as official policy.
Would Emery still defend it? Would any Republican legislator oppose it?
Let’s do a quick survey. How many SiTD readers will bend the knee and wear the maskie because your feckless governor says you have to?
When the city council of my little burg “discussed” a mandate, I told them straight out I wouldn’t comply, because it’s a charade, and I meant it.
Mask, Swiftee? Was already driving 30min to shop & eat in Hudson out of spite. Now it shall be out of necessity. No mask for me
I am in St Paul and although I don’t want to, will probably don a mask below my nostrils while entering business in this town. Not because I approve, but because I am not made of ‘$100 fine per occurrence’ type of money.
Ever since MBerg posted that image of the (cute) girl in the (loose) knit mask, I’ve been intrigued by wearing masks that are obviously useless. And/or in a way that is obviously counterproductive.
I had a custom mask with the text “This Protects You From Nothing” from zazzle rejected as inappropriate. This is interesting. If a guy does wear a mask, these might be of interest.
https://www.sadanduseless.com/anti-coronavirus-masks/
I’ve taken mask wearing up until now on a case-by-case basis and have mostly not worn them. Some situations are unavoidable. In the future, I’ll probably wear a “protest mask” in those situations that I see no reason to wear one.
People on both sides of the mask issue have cited Michael Osterholm to bolster their positions. Similarly, both sides have ripped him, including science-types who should know better, reacting to quotes out of context. He took the time to write down specifically what his beliefs and concerns are in the link. It’s an interesting reference, and one worth familiarizing oneself with, rather than repeating chanting points on either side.
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/07/commentary-my-views-cloth-face-coverings-public-preventing-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR2i9t-wGDA7YUmAnVrGjOAzPfiFbfxZdMCTV-zcGYPUZH1JfJ-UPXht2ZM
I’m still waiting for the science-y part.
This is your cue, Emery.
Here’s science. Fourteen randomized trials failed to show benefits to prevent transmission of laboratory confirmed influenza by masks and other environmental measures. Study published this spring. CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases. Volume 26 Number 5, May 2020. Read it, Emery. I know Governor Wimpy hasn’t.
On the topic of the appeal to authority fallacy, mask wearing is about to surpass climate change as the most outrageous example in the last fifty years. Just because a celebrity claims to be supported by “science” there is zero reason to believe its claims.
Pingback: In The Mailbox: 07.23.20 : The Other McCain
I’m convinced that in about four months, someone will send the police to do a wellness check on Emery. They will find him in one of the corners of his basement, cowering under a table, wearing a mask, surrounded by empty booze bottles and muttering; “The virus! The virus! Got to wear masks! Got to protect my neighbors!” Meanwhile, the world is no longer worried about it, because the election is over, Trump has been re-elected and Emery’s left wing idols and heroes are already off crafting another scam to pull off on the useful idiots that keep voting for them.
Hawaii has had mandatory mask wearing in public ofder since March.
The caseload there is increassing, just like everywhere else.
You know why? I don’t.
But Hawaii’s health director says it is spreading among groups who are not required to wear masks, that is, family groups who spend a lot of time in close contact.
FYI, when they do cobtract tracing in Hawaii, they want to know everyone you have been face to face with (not side by side}, for ten minutes or longer, mask or no mask.
Still waiting for Emery to show me the science.
MP;
We know that unless Emery can find a meme or some other left wing media source for his dumps, he deflects. He is using the same super secret, flawed “science” that Kim Jong Walz is using.
Monday, on the always exasperating Talking Volumes program hosted by the mind-bogglingly inane Keri Miller, one “expert” on pseudo-science bantered with another “expert” on Covid-19.
If the purpose of the show is to keep suburban women ignorant and docile, one must say they did an excellent job.
Halfway through the program, the pseudo-science expert fact-checked President Trump (of course). Apparently, he had observed the obvious, that more testing yields more positive cases.
“Oh-nooo’s” she decried, “what is important is the RATIO OF POSITIVE CASES which is WAY TOO HIGH”.
“Uh honey,” I told my radio, “only a well-constructed thoroughly randomized sample group will give you a meaningful ratio. What you are talking about is a sample group who is highly represented by people who has either been exposed to Covid or suspects they have.”
But then why would I be telling this to an “expert” on pseudo-science?
As a result of bungling his response to the coronavirus, Trump had to cancel (cancel culture) his coronation in Florida at the GOP convention.
How about redeploying all the militarized Border Guards Trump is sending to gas and beat up demonstrators to do Covid testing and contact tracing and actually save Americans instead of provoking confrontations pitting Americans against one another ?
Nah, that ain’t gonna happen — not while Trump’s still in office.
do Covid testing and contact tracing and actually save Americans
How exactly does testing and tracing save Americans?
Gotta try to turn those poll numbers around. Pretending to care about the pandemic he made infinitely worse.
They will find him in one of the corners of his basement, cowering under a table, wearing a mask, surrounded by empty booze bottles and muttering;
More likely perched on a pile of rotting trash bags, dead cats and feces, giggling and eating Pop-tarts.
Priorities matter. There are at least 4 million Covid cases in America and Covid is spreading out of control.
Trump’s priority is to — distract the American people from the 4 million COVID number. Trump, in effect is admitting he’s got no solutions to the COVID problem.
I wish law and order would apply to Trump himself.
The number of “cases” does not matter. How many “cases” of the common cold were there, last year? Nobody knows, because nobody counted them, because nobody cares, because . . . nobody dies from the common cold.
Similarly, nobody dies of Covid-19. So nobody cares how many “cases” there are.
Okay, yes, technically, people did die and their deaths were blamed on Covid, but we know the deaths attributed to Covid-19 are inflated by counting every death from respiratory illness as Covid, including influenza, emphysema, and in Florida, even motorcycle accidents.
Worse, 98% of the deaths attributed to Covid-19 were over 80 years old, with existing co-morbidities, living in the nursing home where the rest of us never go. Frankly, the old people were going to die soon anyway so it’s hardly a national crisis if they go a few months earlier.
I’ve said it before: Covid has killed zero percent of Americans. It’s simply not a national crisis. It doesn’t deserve the hysteria we’re getting from the media and politicians. The existenc eof the virus is not a hoax; the panic response is a Democrat political hoax.
When school doesn’t reopen this Fall and Democrats are trying to blame Trump for it, they’re looking at a massive push-back from parents who are sick of the bullshit. Trump needs to go on television saying “Open the schools, free the parents, vote Republican.”
JD, South Carolina has 2 “governor’s schools”, a math and science school and a liberal arts focused school. “Each school accepts high-performing high school students from across the state, who live on campus throughout the school year and participate in a college-style program.”
Our Governor just shitcanned the board of the governor’s schools after they voted to do “virtual” classes. He also announced he’d be giving private schools $15million from his discretionary Trumpbux; the reprobates went wild. We’re just not gonna play the dempanic game, down here.
Mask wearing is the new unobtainium.
In Hawaii, which has mandated virtually all of the social distancing & mask wearing paradigms recommended by health bureaucrats, the number of cases of covid-19 (not deaths) is increasing. Why?
Hawaii’s state health director says:
“. . . Until we all recognize the importance of physically distancing from people outside of their households and wearing masks, we face the prospect of even higher numbers.”
People are not complying with the state’s dictates. If they do, they will become poor, fat, and in poor physical and mental health.