“And they’re off,” as the callers of horse races say, but in this case, it means the government will no longer enforce mask mandates on airplanes, trains, buses, subways and other forms of public transportation.
U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Kimball MizelleA judge for the Middle District of Florida stated that the rule went beyond the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Transportation Security Agency. To complete the analogy, perhaps we can say that the government behaved like a horse’s patootie.
As flight attendants announced, videos of passengers cheering and ripping off masks appeared online. As many passengers were subject to abuse, the attendants must also feel some relief and tell them to either wear their masks properly or not.
People began to get tired of this inefficient and arbitrary mandate. As a result, increasing numbers of passengers on airlines (me included!) took advantage of the opportunity to reduce their masks while they ate and drank the snack options offered by the airline companies. To extend their unmasked time, some passengers ate more and drank longer. Is it possible that the virus would be suspended on a plane and infect people as they drink, eat, or wear their masks?
Airlines had touted the air filtration systems they had installed near the start of the pandemic as “state of the art.” The International Air Transport Association said, “The risk of catching an infection on an aircraft is typically lower than in a shopping center or office environment.”
It didn’t matter to the federal government, which seems to seize any opportunity to limit our freedoms and ability to make our own choices. Many felt distrustful and angry towards Washington because of the conflicting information from the CDC. These are the facts. Justice Department has just announced that it intends to appeal Mizelle’s decision if the CDC thinks mask mandates are still needed.
We should all be concerned about how easily freedom is lost. Too many Americans behaved like sheep, abiding by what they were told by so-called “experts.” These scientists claimed divine-like wisdom. Anthony Fauci even declared that attacks on him were actually “criticizing science.” Objections to Fauci’s pronouncements were not treated seriously. “Gods” are not to be doubted. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. published a book on vaccine efficacy and motives for pharmaceutical companies. He was quickly expelled from the anti-vaxxers, rather than being addressed.
You can wear a mask only if you feel comfortable. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear one.
I’ve seen people driving alone in their car with a mask on. It makes me laugh, but it’s their choice.
It is a hateful thing for the government to give up control over its citizens. That’s probably why the CDC tried to extend the mask mandate for public transportation an additional 15 days.
There have been people I know who were vaccinated twice and infected by the COVID-19 version. It is my opinion that it seems to be the least dangerous of all the variants when it comes hospitalizations, deaths, or both. People can choose to take preventative measures, just like the common cold and flu.
The next time that federal government adopts one-size-fits all mandates, many will wonder how they will react. Were we going to be like sheep again, or have we learned lessons? Will we, as they said in the ’60s, be more aggressive to “question authority”?
Ex-President Trump appointed Judge Kathryn Mizelle. There are consequences to elections, and here the benefits for travelers are great.
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