6 minute read
OPINION
Purple is the New Party
To mask or not to mask
by Paul Moomjean
paulmoomjean@yahoo.com indoor gatherings and travel to see family and friends. I didn’t want to EDITOR Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer STAFF WRITER go to my grave thinking that I was a Kimberly Rivers link in some chain of human interac- CONTRIBUTORS America, this must not become the is easing up infectious disease control tion leading to someone else’s serious Michael Cervin, David Michael Courtland, Ivor Davis, Emily Dodi, Alicia Doyle, Marina Dunbar, Chuck Graham, Chris Jay, Daphne crux of what keeps us apart, but efforts just before crossing the finish illness or death.” Khalida Kilea, Karen Lindell, Paul Moomjean, Mike Nelson, Tim
As the county, state, coun- instead seen as the way in which con- line,” said David Holtgrave, dean of For every flag-waving, maskless Pompey, Kathy Jean Schultz, Alan Sculley, Kit Stolz, Mark Storer try and world continue to reopen, there is still only one flicting ideologies can coexist. According to the Associated Press, the School of Public Health at University at Albany. Trump supporter thinking they are ringing the Liberty Bell against tyrGRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bret Hooper, Paul Braun, Elaine Cota SALES TEAM LEADER real issue splitting us up as a country. “If you’re fully vaccinated, the latest Holtgrave is right. Since wearing anny, there are others who just cannot Warren Barrett Not abortion (though it may soon). guidance from the U.S. Centers for masks, I haven’t been sick since Feb- bear the thought of transporting coro- ADVERTISING SALES Not gay marriage. Not even the election results. It’s masks. People wonder Disease Control and Prevention says you no longer need to wear a mask or ruary of 2020. I never tested positive for COVID-19, and I never had the navirus onto others. Too often Americans think about their rights as being Barbara Kroon CLASSIFIEDS Ann Turrietta if they should still wear a mask and if the local and national authorities have the right to require us to wear physically distance in most situations. That includes when you’re outside and in many indoor spaces like restaurants, flu, a cold, a dry cough or anything else I’m prone to catch. Considering many countries regularly wear masks separate from their responsibilities. Jordan Peterson, writer and Canadian college professor, tweeted in Advertising information, call 805.648.2244 Classified Ads | Display Ads one. With the CDC sending out new information every day and California though you still need to follow any local or business rules.” for health reasons, why must Americans be so hostile to what is normal in 2016, “Your rights are someone else’s responsibility. Trust those who EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICE 805.648.2244 warren@vcreporter.com (Advertising)looking to lift all restrictions on June With businesses desperately want- other industrialized parts of the world? speak of their responsibilities, not of nancy@vcreporter.com (Editorial) 15, can people coincide in a world ing a return to profits, does anyone Dana Stevens wrote this defense their rights.” aturrietta@timespublications.com (Classifieds) where maskers and anti-maskers shop, think people will really be asked if of mask wearing in The Atlantic on Just because I have the right to The Ventura County Reporter is distributed every Thursday in Ventura, Oxnard, Port work and live together? they are vaccinated or not? In fact, May 19: “But excuse me if I, like drive 65 mph on the highway, consid- Hueneme, Camarillo, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills. The
A year ago we saw the MAGA these are the types of rules that are many of the people I see around me, ering the weather might be rough, I Reporter is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The Reporter may be distributed only by Reporter authorized distributors. No person may, without prior crowd being asked to wear masks, made as virtue signaling to the idea of am not yet quite ready to expose my have the responsibility to drive slowwritten permission of the Reporter, take more than one copy of each Reporter issue. The Reporter is copyright ©2020 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part and we watched them yell back. There law and order. But we all know that lower face. Early on in the pandemic, er. I have the right to own a gun, yet of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means became a phrase known as “mask some kid working for minimum wage I made a vow with my family that we I have the responsibility to be careful without permission in writing by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation (SP50329). Submissions of all kinds are welcomed. However, the publisher shaming,” a public call out to those who felt their “rights” were being is going to ask a person to please put their mask on, only to be berated by would set a high standard for COVID19 avoidance. Not only were we not with its placement and handling. I have the right to not wear a mask. I assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.AD PROOF trampled on. But now that 45% of people have been vaccinated in Amer-Client: Cottage Health someone who sees themselves as a modern Founding Father. Yet, jumpgetting this virus ourselves, if we could help it, but we were taking no also have the responsibility to take care of my fellow humans, and if I Ad Executive: Warren Barrett (805) 648-2244 ica, the mask shaming looks to be ing back into the maskless pool too chances of inadvertently spreading it feel responsible for them, then please Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD WILL turned around on the ones still deciding better safe than sorry. In a divided soon could see dire effects. “A central mistake in public health to anyone else, even if that did make for a long and lonely year without let me have the right to wear my mask just a little bit longer. RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine VICE PRESIDENT Michael HiattISSUE: 5/27/21
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Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP
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