Are Lancaster residents following the leader?

Not wearing a face covering in public in the City of Lancaster could result in a fine and jail time, or both. As of Dec. 11, those who go out in public without a face covering could face a misdemeanor charge, punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to six months in county jail — or both — if convicted.

The City of Lancaster has had an ordinance requiring face coverings since April 3, however, with the uptick in cases across the county, the city council was prompted to take action.

As a result, they unanimously passed an ordinance to enforce the mandatory public use of face coverings and makes any violation of that requirement, a misdemeanor.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris has been very vocal about his feelings regarding the use of face coverings and following health guidelines regarding COVID-19.

On Nov. 23, at a press conference at High Desert Medical Group, Parris was quoted as saying, “This is becoming incredibly frustrating. We know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it and it’s not hard. We have to wear our f***ing mask. Could we make it any clearer to people?”

That was a different tone than he took back in July, when he insisted that Lancaster must put on a fireworks show, despite the state and county prohibiting any public gatherings for the Fourth of July.

His frustration last month was evident, however, did he expect any less from the residents of Lancaster? They are just following the leader. He made clear back in July, that the rules could be bent, depending on the situation.

He felt the Fourth of July gathering was safe because the event was being held at the fairgrounds and people would be socially distanced. However, the rule was clear: No fireworks shows or public gatherings would take place. There were no exceptions.

Now, he’s finding that the residents of his city are acting as he did — defying authority — and he’s not happy about it.

He can’t have it both ways. Either you lead by example all the time, or you reap what you sow when you try to enforce the rules. Surely people who are going out without face coverings feel that they are not harming anyone by their actions, either. “Don’t tell me what to do,” seems to be the common thought process, here.

“We’re going to be protesting state dominance of the city,” Parris said in July. “They should stay out of our business.”

We’re sure residents walking around without face coverings share the same sentiment — especially that last part.