Here's the problem with masks and mask mandates. One side thinks they offer protection and one side thinks they don't. I learned two years ago that there wasn't a middle ground. There wasn't a position where I could be half and half - wear it around my chin maybe? Somehow that just makes it worse.
Some of my friends are vax deniers. yup, I've said it. They don't want to be vaxxed and don't want to wear masks. Some even hugged me when it was illegal to hug another human being, even if they were in pain. Maybe I hugged them back.
It wasn't a work function. There was no prosecco or cheese.
I also have had Covid three times. It almost killed a close friend. It did kill plenty of people we knew. It wasn't a hoax or a plot or no more dangerous than flu or whatever.
Here's what I know. Most of my friends are not anti-vax. They are very pro vax. Pro mask. Pro lockdown - even when it hurts their businesses and endangers their financial survival.
And I respect that.
What to do. What to do.
In two weeks our government allows us to french kiss strangers on the street. No biggie. Nevada - not wishing to be upstaged - has removed its mask mandate as of now. America First baby!
For the first few months I aggressively risk mitigated. And then I reopened my store, took pole position because I didn't want to put my staff in danger. One by one we learned to live with risk. Yesterday the store was full again, just like old times. For the first few months we ran our own test and trace program, insisted on masks, had a draconian cleaning routine. And we avoided transmission - except when muggins here gave Delta to Fill. Turns out I was the weak link, because I travelled on the train. Masked, vacc'd, but that just means it doesn't kill you.
Vegas is the capital of risk. Risk city. Little wonder they stole the thunder.
Some people think people who mitigate are idiots. They mock our masks like some people mock crucifixes, as blind pointless faith in science.
I'm no longer a practicing Christian. I'm not 100% sure I ever was. But if it helps you through the day, if faith helps you make sense of this world, its not my job to tell you that you are wrong. IF i go into a church I see no need to loudly proclaim my agnosticism like some reversed latter day Peter the Hermit. This isn't a crusade.
If it makes you feel better, I suck it up. If you ask me to take my shoes off so as not to mess up your carpets? that's what I'll do. Because honestly? I have some fucking empathy and respect for my fellow human beings.
If it makes you feel better. If you want me to use your pronouns I will. If you want me to wear a mask I will. If you want me to keep my voice down in your sacred space I will.
And afterwards? I can just go about my life like all I needed to do is cut somebody who cared about a thing some slack. Because I cared about them.
Suddenly this is a thing.
Many of the people in the industry - my industry - are risk averse. It's why we never asked that girl out we fancied. But if the worst thing in my life right now is having to wear a mask at a trade show because it means people will feel comfortable, rather than screaming 'suck it you germ breathing losers' and spitting in their faces? I don't see why that is the Manichean choice.
I don't like masks, because reasons. Many people I know have similar reasons. Those reasons are valid. Some are asthmatic. Some are autistic. Some are both. Some folks can't have vaccines for medical reasons. Some can't for religious reasons. It's not my job to judge anyone.
What is my job?
It's to cut people some slack. In the hope that they in turn cut me some. Your mileage may vary of course. You can be as Manichean as you like. French kiss strangers to your hearts content or never leave your house again. Neither of these polar opposites seem like great choices. But your mileage may vary.