I don’t like being told what to do. Maybe it’s from growing up as a P.K. (preacher’s kid); maybe it’s tied into my belief in free will; maybe it’s connected to our patriotic value of personal freedom. Whatever the source of it, I suspect I’m not alone. As I observe my fellow citizens’ defiance about wearing masks or taking the vaccine, I understand some of where it stems from. Given the misinformation permeating our political discourse and the continued divisiveness, as evidenced by Congressmen Stauber’s anti-democratic support of a lawsuit to override our fellow citizens’ votes, we are still reeling from the lack of unifying leadership. Rather than being made great again, our country has lost touch with what truly contributed to exceptionalism.
Our ability to unite when facing a common threat, whether it’s after Pearl Harbor or 9/11, resulted in hundreds of thousands of our citizens volunteering to put their lives on the line and even making the ultimate sacrifice is part of what made us great. We united and sacrificed together to overcome the assault on our nation’s well-being, whether it was the rationing during World War II or joining the armed forces or other measures of support. Our personal comfort and convenience were set aside for the good of us all and we took pride in our unity. Unfortunately, the mixed messages from the White House, specifically around mask wearing, began to politicize the issues. Trump supporters took pride in defying mask mandates almost as a badge of courage or a manifestation of personal freedom, regardless of the public health consequences for themselves or their neighbors. Our front-line workers who are sacrificing more than any of us can fully appreciate are faced with the heartbreak of seeing us unwilling to do the very least we could do: wear a mask and practice social distancing. Workers in grocery stores are yelled at and ignored when they ask non-mask wearing customers to please put their mask on. They (the customers) accept they can’t smoke inside, but wearing a mask goes too far?! Evangelical supporters of Trump are rabid about religious freedom, while ignoring Christ’s mandate to love our neighbors as ourselves. We have lost the art of “kind exception” and respecting the humanity of those we disagree with.
Now even after a clear majority of our country has spoken, even the facts that no evidence of significant election fraud are being unconscionably denied by our Representatives. A majority of the Trump Party believe that if they didn’t get their way, then there has to be fraud. I fear that as our President-elect calls for us all to wear masks for 100 days (which would save thousands of our neighbors’ lives), not wearing a mask will become a delusional form of protest. Perhaps during this Christmas season, we could try and live Christ’s message to love one another and view wearing a mask as an expression of mutual respect and unity. Cooperating for the greater good doesn’t compromise my freedom or individuality; it affirms my ability to choose to care for my fellow citizens. I can’t become a front-line provider, but I can honor their sacrifices by the simple act of wearing a mask and not making their jobs harder.
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