Let me begin by stating that there is a segment of our population that should consider wearing masks. This population is elderly and/or has serious underlying conditions that make them susceptible to viruses. The largest segment of COVID-19 deaths has come from nursing homes.

I’m not elderly, don’t have any serious underlying conditions, and don’t live in nor frequent nursing homes. I’m not wearing a mask.

Now that that’s out-of-the-way let’s get down to the panic and social division of mask wearing.

First stop, the hypocrisy of the shamers that ridicule non-mask wearers in public and online. It’s funny that this very vocal crowd is the same crowd that has been screaming for the Trump administration to base their response in fact, numbers, and science.

The numbers are simple. COVID-19 testing rates land anywhere between 6 and 10% positive. Of that 6 to 10%, 98+% recover. Arizona has a .002% infection rate and a .04% death rate.

I have studied these numbers. I’m not wearing a mask.

Next up, professionals, products, and real life.

Your Surgeon General has stated, on more than one occasion, that healthy individuals should not wear masks. Not only does it limit the supply of masks for people that need them, it’s just not healthy. Some mask packaging clearly states that wearing a mask does NOT protect the wearer from disease. Let me put it this way. There are certain bodily gasses that escape us from time to time. Those gasses break through a couple of layers of clothing and unfortunately find their way into noses. You know exactly what I’m talking about. So if thin cotton and thick denim can’t contain a gas, what makes anyone think a small mask can block a virus?

The nation’s top doctor, actual product packaging, and life experiences expose the truth. I’m not wearing a mask.

And then, can we talk like grownups? None of y’all know how to wear a mask properly! The vast majority of people I see wearing masks are either wearing it under their nose, touching the mask constantly, using the same mask multiple times, or pulling them off and on to talk to other people! This completely defeats the purpose of wearing a mask!!

I know my limits. I can’t wear a mask without breaking the basic rules. I’m not wearing a mask.

Finally, as my cohost Rob Hunter put it, this is nothing more than safety theater. If you are not in the vulnerable category, you were simply wearing a mask to give the illusion that you and the people around you are safe from the virus. Theater.

I’m not into restricting my breathing for optics. I’m not wearing a mask.

And after reading all of this, you still dismiss my position because it is coming from the conservative, flag waving, outdoorsman, that’s OK. That’s your choice. I have laid out my argument against masks and I would love to hear your argument for or against.

Because to me, the mask issue is all about freedom and choice. If you want to wear a mask, go for it. If you don’t want to go anywhere that people aren’t wearing masks, don’t go. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t.

And if we can all agree on that ONE stance (that it’s about freedom and choice) then we can end the public and online shaming of both sides and get back to minding our own business.

And that, my friends, With land us in a much better place than we are today.

News Talk 550 KFYI · The Valley's Talk Station