City Government

COVID 19 Mask Laws Create Threat To Some

A Michigan man was stabbed and the stabber was shot to death by police Tuesday–all over a new mandatory COVID mask law in the Great Lakes State.
Based on social media comments on the GUARDIAN and elsewhere, don’t be surprised if it happens in Idaho as well. The risk as the GUARDIAN sees it comes when citizens–mostly conservative–perceive that mandatory mask laws infringe on their individual rights. Those in control need to offer more of a gentle nudge rather than a heavy handed penalty ($500 fines) for going maskless.

We don’t have an answer to the dilemma, but heavy handed authority is just going to create a violent environment.

In the case of the Michigan incident, a 77 year-old gent called out a guy for not wearing a mask in a convenience store. He got stabbed for his citizen-police enforcement effort. Perhaps a kinder, “I have a spare mask if you could use it,” would have been better for all concerned. The stabber fled and assaulted a copper who was forced to kill him in self defense. The video leaves no doubt the deputy was in the right.

More mask events on 2nd day of new Michigan law:

Michigan sheriff goes soft on MASKS

Kalkaska Man Accused of Threatening Meijer Worker Arrested

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. This Post is Bad
    Jul 14, 2020, 8:56 pm

    The government mandates you cover your genitals. They can also mandate you cover your face.

    EDITOR NOTE: We wear a mask in public places and respect our fellow man (and women).

  2. Christiane Rudd
    Jul 14, 2020, 9:47 pm

    I don’t care what people do, if it doesn’t affect me. But when it possibly threatens my health or life or that of my family and friends, then, hell yes, we can mandate behavior. An individual’s rights doesn’t include drunk driving, for example. The simple act of wearing a mask for 10 minutes in the grocery store is the least someone could do for the privilege of having a grocery store even available to them. Otherwise, go find a lonely mountain, and you can breathe all over the trees at will. We’ve been gently nudging others for six months, and we’re now at an all time high of cases and death. The idea that masks are dangerous or intrusive is ridiculous, anti-science propaganda. Get over yourselves.

  3. They be pushing more votes to Joe
    Jul 14, 2020, 11:13 pm

    Sir with all due respect, you seem to be making excuses for violent criminal behavior. Please forgive me if I misunderstand the post.

    The abuse these jerk hurl at the unfortunate store staff is outrageous. No mask should mean getting tazed gagged and dumped in a shopping cart outside. Make a law, respect the law, enforce the law. What they’re doing is self-defeating in multiple ways beyond spreading a virus. For example, their uncivil disrespectful behavior is encouraging the middle-ground voter to vote for Biden.

    The anti mask people I know well tend to be somewhat unreliable and selfish. This event reminds me of some very intense training. We were told you don’t know if you can rely on someone until the heat is on. I see the anti maskers as the washouts. The common ground is general distrust of society media and government mixed with misunderstandings of rights during a national emergency. Both political parties have worked very hard for decades to drive wedges for political reasons, our inability to agree on something so very simple is the result. We’ve got yuge problems ahead without unity.

    EDITOR NOTE–No excuse and we don’t condone violent behavior. We seek to UNDERSTAND why these people respond as they do and not create an environment of fear. It is not wise to approach a dog in an aggressive
    manner. Much wiser to approach “non-threatening.”

  4. Last week you put down the use of the “gentle edge” of education to enforce public health laws: “Apparently the politicos think we are all pretty stupid. They pass laws, but work to EDUCATE us rather than enforce the laws they pass.”

    Now, you editorialize that: “Those in control need to offer more of a gentle nudge rather than a heavy handed penalty ($500 fines) for going maskless.”

    I’m confused. What ARE you advocating?

    EDITOR NOTE–We are advocating NOT passing laws that are not enforced (or unenforceable) and for people to tolerate each other in society.

  5. Anybody who has raised a teenager has learned a fairly simple lesson… you need to be careful when choosing where to draw that line in the sand, or which hill you’re willing to die defending.

    I can remember a friend whose dad constantly told him, “If you live in this house, you’ll cut your hair!” (Yeah, I’m old. Now it’s tattoos and piercings.) My friend found another place to live, and has never been close to his family since. Seems stupid and pointless – everybody involved!

    Do masks infringe? Maybe – maybe not. When will the lawsuits begin? Lawyers should be able to make money off this disagreement. I’m willing to wear a mask in public… and will try to minimize being in public. I will NOT be the stabber – don’t want to be the stabee, either! (Don’t want to die defending Mount Free Face.)

    Wake us up when somebody actually gets arrested… or fined $500.

    I just ordered a T-shirt:
    “I WAS SOCIALLY DISTANT BEFORE IT WAS COOL!”

  6. One other thought! (Sorry…)

    My astute daughter made a good observation…

    The freedom-loving, conspiracy-embracing, black-helicopter, tinfoil-hat-wearing No Mask Rebels have it all backwards! Don’t they realize that wearing a mask – that covers most of their face – will foil the facial-recognition cameras that are popping up everywhere? Wear a mask so Big Brother has a harder time keeping track of you!

    (Full disclosure: I’ve always been one to Question Authority, so that was good advice for me, too!)

  7. Kent Goldthorpe
    Jul 15, 2020, 9:57 am

    Had folks taken the time to attend this public board meeting they would already know that charging a misdemeanor is the only legal option available, thanks to the legislature at the time this statute was passed. They would also know that the expressed, “on the record” intent is to enforce via education rather than something more heavy handed.

  8. EDITOR: So, when an officer pulls you over and tells you that you’ve broken a law and lets you go with a warning, she’s exercising undue discretion?

    To your way of thinking, the mayor, the health district, the governor, or other “politico” duly authorized to regulate your behavior during a pandemic should just proclaim their suggestions and hope that citizens take them to heart?

    Don’t you think putting the law behind their suggestions lends a bit more urgency as well as the basis for less “gentle” means of enforcement when the situation becomes more dire, which seems to be the case in Boise and several other communities now?

    Laws also lend support to businesses and individuals who acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and can require others to behave appropriately in their domains.

    We are rapidly approaching conditions in parts of Idaho, like Boise, where hard enforcement may be necessary to slow the spread of this virus. According to my observations, our “gentle nudges” don’t seem to be working for a large cohort of our fellow citizens, who have little respect for the law or understanding of medical science.

    EDITOR NOTE–If a copper stops a DUI and says, “People like you kill babies. I am going to see that you go to jail for at least 30 days,”
    chances are the offender will fear divorce, loss of his job, huge expenses, etc. Conversely if he says, “We need to go down to the office and do some paper work. You cooperate and I’ll have you out in an hour,” the DUI is still charged, he is off the street and there is no fight. Wear your mask, wash your hands, and try to get along with everyone.

  9. Unfortunately, from what I have seen from the hard right conservative faction during this crisis, is that, they are loud, angry, uncompromising and totally irrational. It is their way or the highway, period. How do you negotiate with that? Anything, anyone who disagrees with them is either a communist, socialist, hates America, needs to be recalled and is trying to bring down Trump. It is world conspiracy against Trump and the conservatives.

  10. Just a few short years ago, California decriminalized the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Now the lefties want to make not wearing a face mask a crime punishable by execution. According to them, some viruses mean certain death and others are a minor inconvenience.

  11. Trying to understand why they behave like this? Why do people smoke and do other harmful things to themselves. Why do people intentionally vote against their own best-interest and society? Why do men tell women what to do with the female body? So, why do “politicos think we are all [including them] pretty stupid”? Why ask ‘why’?
    I’ve come to the conclusion that those who do not want to wear a mask in public are just adverse to smelling their own stinky-as breath- ooh, and they’re stupid!

    Commissioner Goldthorpe’s comment above is classic lame politico:
    “[If you] had taken the TIME to attend the meeting…”

    As if we all have the TIME to go to City Councils, all the applicable legislative committee meetings, ACHD meetings, County Cmr meetings, school board meetings, P&Z public hearings, neighborhood association meetings&picnics, attend all the debates, and then pay attention to our families and pay the bills– sure, THEN we and “they would also know”.
    Or we could trust our reps to do the best for us and not be condescending to us citizens. ha!!!!!

    Well, I guess if I stop reading ridiculous social media- it would open up some time for those boring ‘public board meetings’.

  12. Concerned Neighbor
    Jul 15, 2020, 1:12 pm

    The Michigan man was assaulted because someone decided to lash out – the mask was just an excuse. Recently a 24 year old woman was murdered because she refused to say BLM – or was it someone looking for an excuse to lash out?

    People have driven themselves to an edge combined with a near total lack of law enforcement (due to democrat decriminalization). We’ve seen this before – the worst parts of the 60’s – its going to last decades and cause an incredible amount of damage.

    As for masks – the last 2 stores I’ve been in didn’t have them. Not the employees, not the customers. I won’t be going back. Education and a Gentle Nudge simply don’t work.

  13. funk, lowering it to a misdemeanor is not exactly ‘decriminalizing’ it. https://pridelegal.com/california-hiv-laws/
    Ironic Rs were opposed to that law change.
    your reference of execution is an exaggeration and childish. try harder.

    Many states have laws against spitting toward someone when one is known to have HIV and other transmittable diseases (and certainly in more obvious transmission transactions).
    Spit on a cop and see what happens.

    — I agree with Rabula above.
    the related laws are indeed enforceable if needed.
    In some cases it will be used- just like the Meridian PD arresting the idiot lady at the playground.
    Not practical to arrest everyone- but when necessary, it is a tool for cops to take action.

    And the punk firing a rifle at a rally should be getting a more severe law applied to his dumas.

  14. On the one hand, if one does the high-risk behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS I guess that is your own fault. On that point, I agree with the Democrats that transmitting it should be only a misdemeanor or not a crime at all. On the other hand, what does it cost to treat an HIV/AIDS patient with anti-retroviral drugs for the remainder of his lifetime? Opportunity cost? Clearly that is within the territory of a felony, perhaps deserving of capital punishment or life imprisonment. There are 2 ways to look at it.

    Now what about Covid-19 and mask-wearing? There is a lot of hype around the situation on both sides. Here in Idaho we are currently at a death toll of 103 due to Covid-19, most of whom had other pre-existing co-morbidities. Out of a population of 1.7 million, that is 0.006%. Now how many deaths and divorces were caused by the shutdowns, unemployment, medical procedures that were cancelled, etc. Probably far more, but that is impossible to say. Something to chew on…

  15. It's fake, all fake!
    Jul 16, 2020, 11:21 am

    We should have a debate about why the curve is going up? Are those real bodies in the freezer trucks or are they acting? The people with no education and a criminal record are obviously the people we should follow on this topic. Political money donors are also very important in making health policy.

    The fumbling of this in favor of politic and donations is going to be the defining moment for Idaho’s elected leaders.

    https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/mask-mandate-protest-southwest-district-health-meeting-idaho-covid-19/277-a93a083e-80ea-4e85-960d-e07add71562e

    https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/idaho-covid-19-numbers-deaths-latest-updates-coronavirus/277-1bb081cd-5ab8-4663-9426-e6f63f2967a2

  16. Ah, the mask thing… Yet another way to divide the American people.

    If it’s not:
    –race
    –religion
    —rich.poor
    —males/female
    –Dem vs. Rep (and all issues that come with this)
    –Which form of division did I forget?

    Now it’s Maskies vs. non maskies.
    Where does this mask mandate come from?

    Well, I’d argue, It comes from a place of fear and control. And what is the best source to control and put fear into your citizens? I would have to say, the media (most all outlets are guilty of manipulating this ratings gift).

    Then, politicians who are so scared to lose their position of power, think that the polls on the media represent a majority of America, so they scramble to make Draconian edicts, in an attempt to placate the perceived public opinion.

    Believe it or not, there are some people who listen to their favorite talking head, and consume it like gospel, without questioning anything.

    As the Father of modern propaganda, Edward Bernays, mentioned on page 73, in his 1923 book, Crystalizing Public Opinion…

    “One of the principle marks of an educated man, indeed, is the fact that he does NOT take his opinions from newspapers–not, at any rate, from the militant, crusading newspapers. On the contrary, his attitude toward them is almost always one of frank cynicism.” It goes on…

    I challenge people to view this virus through their Cui bono lens of, who benefits? Large corporations benefit, they were the ones allowed to stay open. Also, many large corps like Boeing, who were already going bankrupt, now are able to receive, created out of thin air, federal funds to save their skin, under the guise of Covid. The media wins, now they have more stuff to talk about. The Democrat party wins, Joe Biden doesn’t have to actively run for Prez. which is a saving grace due to his apparent cognitive issues. I believe the DEMS running that man, is an equivalent to elder abuse, but I digress.

    In regards to the medical benefit of a mask and the quarantining of HEALTHY people, as opposed to only the sick, which has been typical throughout the ages…

    Early in 2020, the same experts who are now telling you to wear a mask, were telling you to not wear a mask. Certainly these experts have known about masks for years, these aren’t a new thing. What changed? Now they’re good, and before they were bad? Also, there are valid questions about the size of virus vs. gaps in fibers on the mask. In addition the 6′ rule does that apply outside? What if a wind picks up, do I have to be up wind for the 6′ to still be valid? How about door knobs etc…I’m poking fun a little. But please, there have been sick people since the beginning of time. If you’re sick, stay home, and if you get sick, stay home and let your body solve the problem. If you are in one of the tiny percentiles of those who needs medical care, then go to the hospital. If you are so scared of this virus then, stay home. Pretty simple.

    There has also been faulty reporting in regards to inflating cases/ death rate numbers. And, Through the CARES act, the federal gov will reimburse hospitals 20% more for Covid patients. Might this extra dough influence some hospital administrators to look for more cases which would increase profits? Maybe?

    And, The numbers just don’t warrant the level of lockdown some governors have approved. The death rates aren’t increasing, and they are still lower than most “normal” causes of death in 2019. One that stands out is, in 2019 as per CDC, there were 160,201 lower respiratory deaths. Thats currently more than Covid deaths this year. More people die with Pneumonia and other generic respiratory illnesses than of Covid.

    Now I’m not saying the Covid thing is fake. It’s a real thing, I believe. However, the unprecedented, fear based, reaction to shut down the entire world, based on these minuscule numbers, is not logical.

    Another media falsehood was purported during and after the George Floyd incident. The events that unfolded, some peaceful protests, some violent riots, occurred during the Covid “pandemic”. The media reported that the aforementioned gatherings were not spreading the thing, but people who gathered to protest the masks were spreading the thing. Does that not show even a teensy amount of bias, while crafting the narrative to fit their preferred outcome? What about the pandemic bond that the WHO put out in 2017 that matured recently. The WHO made a lot of money off of that because of the “pandemic” label. Then last year in Oct 2019 you had “Event 201”, which was an exercise that took place that was a simulation of the response that a global team would implement if a so called pandemic occurred. Who was there, well one foundation that was represented was the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Good timing, or coincidence?

    Masks are dehumanizing. You cant smile at your fellow neighbor anymore, everyone seems scared of each other. Some who prefer to wear a mask, look at those who have decided not to wear a mask with disdain. Some are telling on their neighbors, who arent wearing a mask… this is reminiscent of how the powers in Soviet countries uses the citizens against each other. This simple little mask, is destroying the very fabric of society.

    There is so much more I could get into, but you will not hear most of this by watching cable news. They have their own agenda, and its not informing the public with facts that will counter their narrative.

    Those are only a few of the reasons why I refuse to wear a mask. Because it seems completely illogical. A manufactured crisis, money making scheme, and a power grab could be at the foundation.

    There must be some other reason…I see it as a test… see how many people in the populous, they media can convince that this will save them from the (low death rate) boogeyman, And, the populous might be more on board to get a vaccine and/or some other vaccine chip tagging, as Bill Gates is proposing, to get back to normal. The immune system is an amazing thing, if you take care of it and let it work.

    Don’t get me wrong, I am very respectful of those that wish to wear a mask, and I oblige them if they want to stay 6′ away, fine, that’s their prerogative. But I don’t recognize any government “authority” that tries to mandate me wearing a mask.

    Ultimately, In my humble opinion, this whole thing is being blown out of proportion in an attempt to tank the economy and divide the American people further, before the presidential election, and use Covid to destroy the middle class/small businesses, so some players in the government can expand its control by printing more money for handouts to further subjugate the American people. We are the last bastion of freedom, barely, but we are teetering on the edge of a cliff.

    Russian collusion didn’t work, Mueller report didn’t work, the impeachment didn’t work, Then right after there is Covid and now instigated race riots with thought crimes, and people actually talking about a communist revolution…Haha. Crazy. Can we not all agree that Communism is bad? What else will they throw at us?

  17. Deep Midnight
    Jul 18, 2020, 11:46 am

    Laughing so hard right now. Why cant you liberals see that citizen policing never works out for the busy body Karens in our world? The point of all this resistance is that YOU are Karen. You are forcing your views and beliefs upon us like you always do, instead of minding your own business. You citizen police while driving, you mistakenly believe that you are the only ones who drive properly. You call 911 on people for not wearing a mask, taking time and money away from robbery calls. You want everyone to wear a mask so that you are comfortable; you want everyone to not smoke in public to make yourselves more comfortable. You want our economy shut down while complaining that your benefits didn’t come fast enough. You glare at us in the grocery store for not wearing a mask, or tomorrow not combing our hair in the way you personally view is appropriate. In the end, what you suggest has very little to do with public health or anything public but a whole lot to do with your busy body lifestyle and hatred of freedom. What the author suggests, virtue signaling, is even worse; It will probably result in your stabbing; I think this author is a provocateur. WHY CANT YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

    This entire website, commenters and all, used to be balanced; now it is a platform for liberal Karens wanting to speak to management. How dare the author try to be balanced right? You Karens even turn on eachother and consume one another if there is a slight deviance to your hatred of freedom. Not a single intelligent thought here; all group think and liberal ‘I want to tell you how to live’ garbage.

    In case you are curious, this is how a media organization becomes irrelevant. I hardly ever come here anymore. Judging by the analytics, I am not alone. Congrats, Karen, you won. And to you author, you are a Karen as well with your constant virtue signalling regarding comments – you have shut out everyone except fellow Karens. Congrats, you are irrelevant.

  18. Deep Midnight
    Jul 18, 2020, 1:25 pm

    Here; educate yourselves if you can.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8upEg-bEJ8

  19. HUMANS LEARN HATRED!

  20. I would like to support the all lives matter folks. But when I see them not wearing masks or social distancing I can’t. You don’t support the police by breaking the law. We are all so suppose to obey laws even if we disagree with them.

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