Consistently inconsistent pandemic rules

Though consistency may have been frowned upon by Concord transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, who characterized it as the hobgoblin of little minds, when it comes to guidelines covering gatherings during a pandemic, a lack of uniformity continues to create frustration among the many trying to make sense of the seemingly contradictory policies that have been put in place.

That’s Chelmsford High School hockey parent Bobby Moulton’s gripe. Moulton, who certainly speaks for countless others, wants to be in the stands to watch his child compete in the Merrimack Valley Conference’s shortened season.

But as of now, he can’t, because the MVC, as well as several other leagues, has banned spectators at indoor athletic events, leaving all those otherwise cheering fathers, mothers and siblings out in the cold.

“This is all about a missed opportunity, lost memories. It’s about not being there for your kids when they need you most,” Moulton told the newspaper.

Moulton hasn’t taken this ban from the stands sitting down. He initially created a petition on Change.org that he said amassed 10,000 views and 1,000 signatures from all over the world in just two days.

He also sent a mass email to other parents, Chelmsford’s superintendent of schools, School Committee members and local media to plead his case.

Now, hockey parents are an especially passionate lot, which is directly attributable to all the sacrifices they’ve made along the way to give their son or daughter the opportunity to play at the high school level, the final rung of the competitive ladder for most of them.

And it’s not Bobby Moulton’s intention to flout the social-distancing and maskwearing directives currently being enforced.

We’re certain he and other parents would be more than willing to abide by the spectator rules of the body that oversees high school sports in this state, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association, as well as the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which both allow in-person attendance.

Limited to two adults and siblings of a participating player, spectators can attend games as long as they can maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing, and combined with all other permissible personnel — coaches, officials, players, maintenance staff — don’t exceed more than 40% of a facility’s maximum occupancy.

However, the MIAA has left that decision up to the individual sports leagues. The Middlesex League, Cape Ann League and Dual County League also have banned spectators from games.

And then we have the governor’s most recent statewide capacity restrictions, which have been extended until at least Jan. 24. They limit capacity limits for most businesses at 25%, with social gatherings set at 25 people for outdoor events and at 10 people for indoor gatherings.

However, these directives don’t apply to kindergarten through 12th grade public schools, which have been consistently encouraged to return as many students back into the classroom as possible.

We can understand why a hockey parent or one of any other sport, who probably spends an hour or so weekly walking the aisles of their favorite supermarket with hundreds of other shoppers, would feel confused or angered by this maze of conflicting provisions.

“If there was a policy that was universal that says ‘ let the kids play hockey, but you’re too much of a risk by being in the rink,’ then we would say, ‘ that stinks, but it’s a universal policy,’” Moulton said. “This isn’t even the same policy for … bordering towns for crying out loud.”

Bobby Moulton, we feel your pain.

In this pandemic world, we of little minds long for some top-down consistency.