Why I wear a mask

I've seen several local businesses posting something like "No mask, no entry, no exceptions." And it always provokes howls of outrage from cable "news" addicts denouncing the business owners and those who follow their rules as submissive slaves and sheeple. 

They're a private business. They can make you wear a mask any time they want, pandemic or not, governor's orders or not. You step on their property, respect their rules. Get over it or leave.

 Listen, wear a mask in public. Don't wear a mask and deal with the consequences. That's your choice.

I choose to wear one. Not so much because I'm that worried about catching it, even though I'm in a higher risk category. I do so out of respect for my neighbors.

Out of respect for the underpaid cashiers and stock clerks who deal with hundreds or thousands of people coming in, some of whom are no doubt sick and many of whom do not respect social distancing. I'm sure most of workers have their stress heightened just a little bit every time they see a customer without a mask. This is not the job they signed up for.

Out of respect. for senior citizen shoppers who no doubt share that fear.

Out of respect for the doctors and nurses and other medical personnel who having working straight out with no break for a month. Out of respect for their family members that they barely see anymore.

Out of respect for everyone who wants this pandemic to subside sooner, rather than later.

If you think your governor is Hitler for issuing restrictions and that he's trampling on your God-given right to get a haircut that our Founding Fathers fought for, fine. That's your right.

If you think the business owners doing this are idiots because they don't realize this is all a hoax like you learned from Fox News or YouTube Medical School, that's your right.

If orotesting that makes you feel like Rosa Parks, congratulations. That's your right.

Go ahead, break your arm patting yourself on the back. The first responders will treat your broken arm anyway. But bear in mind, they will be wearing masks too.

But don't crap on people who think they're part of society and choose to respect their fellow community members. That's our right.