Quit whining about wearing a mask

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor killed about 2,400 Americans. On September 11, 2001, about 2,600 Americans died in terrorist attacks. Each of those events transformed American society in significant ways. In both cases, people gave up things they cherished. We gave up some civil liberties. We pulled together to fight a common enemy. And we sent thousands of young Americans to die on foreign soil.

On December 11, 2020, more than 2,700 Americans died from COVID-19. Friends of mine, people I worked with during 37 years at our local hospital, are putting their lives on the line treating COVID patients. Nurses and other health care workers across America are working to near collapse, spending exhausting 12hour days swathed in heavy layers of protective clothing. They are the front-line troops in this new war.

And, in the face of all that, we have very large children screaming that a request to put a piece of cloth over their face is “tyranny.” We see people ferociously demanding their “right” to drink in a bar or get their hair cut. And we have a whole industry of charlatans making bizarre, fact-free claims questioning the very reality of this pandemic. Those people frankly disgust me. Their parents and grandparents, who sacrificed willingly in past crises would be equally disgusted by them. They should be ashamed.

Stay home if you can. Wear a mask when you go out. Wash your hands. And grow up and stop whining.

— David Welch, Chico