At What Point ?


At what point do we, as a society, say “enough.” At what point should we decide that perhaps we should use some common sense? Now I realize that common sense is in short supply these days, especially when everyone now has to deal with “wokeness.” 

Let’s revert to an old favorite of mine – mask wearing.

When I take my grandkids to the playground, should I make them wear a mask? Approximately half of the little kids in the playground have a mask on, but only about half of them are wearing their mask correctly. In addition, when one of mask-wearer’s masks falls, he/she typically grabs at the mask and haphazardly puts it back on, sometimes even  right side up. Keep in mind that these are basically the same aged children who go for hours at an indoor preschool classroom without a mask. So now bring them out outside, and put a mask on them!! Hmmm?

The other day I was at a city park, and there was a sign that stated, “wearing a face mask is required.” Keep in mind that this was a totally outdoor environment with two of us in the entire expanse.(FYI: When I saw the sign, I did not put a mask on, as there was no way that I was going to go back to my car to retrieve the one old used mask that I kept there for Karen emergencies.)

It is still unclear to me whom the mask is supposed to protect. In the playground it supposed to protect the wearer from the other kids, or is it supposed to protect the other kids from the mask-wearer? If it is supposed to protect the mask wearer from the other kids, is the mask the now newly fashionable double or triple mask? Hmmm?

A few months back I read a story about a family that was kicked off a Southwest Airline flight because the autistic four year old would not wear a mask. Now do not get me wrong, I like Southwest, and I realize that they did that they were probably following some ridiculous FAA guideline. However, I still have not received a reply to my letter to customer relations concerning this incident. Hmmm!

Not infrequently there continues to be stories about families getting kicked off planes because their young children refuse to wear a mask. Let’s get this straight . . . if the child’s second birthday is tomorrow, then he/she does not need to wear a mask on a plane, but if the second birthday was yesterday, he/she does! This airplane child mask wearing dictate is despite the fact that the air circulation on planes is remarkably efficient, and thus remarkably safe.

At what point are we going to take our foot off on the child mask-wearing accelerator? When is this insanity involving masks and children going to end? Perhaps this story from Cincinnati might help sway some of you Kens and Karens over to the side of common sense mixed with a touch of compassion.

From News 12:

CINCINNATI (WKRC) — Amanda Yeary was supposed to spend a fun-filled day at Newport Aquarium with her two children, but her 4-year-old daughter, Hannah, has trouble wearing a mask or face shield.

Yeary said she was told no exceptions can be made; do not come without a mask. Hannah has Downs Syndrome, which makes masking that much more difficult.

“To be a parent and be told that your child is not welcome at a certain establishment because of their disability is just absolutely heartbreaking,” said Yeary.

Yeary said she called the aquarium to discuss their policies and was turned away.

Should businesses be able to turn people away because of their disability? Disability specialists say a year into the pandemic and these types of situations are still a legal gray area.

At what point might Hannah Yeary and other children with Down’s Syndrome be able to enjoy a day at an aquarium? Perhaps the first common sense step would be to stop “requiring” mask wearing by young children in outdoor playgrounds.

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