It was never about the masks. It wasn’t about vaccine mandates. It wasn’t about restrictions. It’s not about freedom. It was never about CRT. It’s not about trans people using bathrooms. It’s not about personal choice, clearly. It’s not “you do you” that’s for sure. “You can still just wear a mask” they said. And then the stories, and videos, of people, especially Asians, getting harassed in places like public transit — for wearing a mask.
Air filtration is gaining some traction as an infection control measure, because basic filtration is a proven safe technology to reduce airborne pathogens, allergens, and pollution. It’s an engineering control that doesn’t rub up against rugged individualism (or faces)… Enter the pandemic deniers & minimizers wrongly suggesting clean air is not good actually! Or just ridiculing anyone who uses air filtration… which should be anyone who uses… indoors.
This proves it was never about the masks. Is there some contingent who finds it intolerable that other people have air purifiers in their homes? Or is this simply about deliberately stoking derision and animosity, and using any and all pandemic related issues to do it? I think we have to recognize in some cases this isn’t just about individualism attacking public health. It’s a socially dangerous attack on civil society.