Thread by @JoyAnnReid

The idea that taking your mask down or refusing to wear one and yelling/breathing in people's faces; and even COUGHING in people's faces, is a go-to protest for COVID deniers is both telling and disgusting. I can't imagine believing I have a right to force bodily fluid on people.

You have to wonder if these people also believe their rights are violated if they work in a restaurant and are instructed to wash their hands after using the toilet. Do they feel violated by having to wear shoes in stores? Shirts? There is no "right" to spread germs and viruses.

You can't walk around naked on the street or sit in a park starkers. You'd get arrested. Take that to a nude beach or accept the legal consequences. Your kids may have to wear a particular uniform in school. Seatbelts! There are all sorts of rules about what you put on your body.

But I'm just gonna guess that these same people wouldn't fight for the Black kid who gets discriminated against at school for wearing their hair the way God and their parents made it. Where's that energy for kids who wear "Black Lives Matter" shirts in school?

Masks are a public safety measure and the mandates for them exist for the purpose of promoting public health and safety in public spaces including schools, airplanes and businesses. This isn't an issue of people's inherent characteristics or self-expression. It's not complicated.

These anti-mask public ravings have the same anti-health energy that has folks using their bare feet to change the channel on airplanes or clipping their nails in public spaces (or shaving in restaurants like Rudy did). It's gross. Just really, really gross. And entitled AF.

And as a legal matter, if your deliberate actions make someone else sick, aren't you criminally liable? You can't just spit on people or hack on them. You can't possibly legally cough on them, especially DURING AN AIRBORNE PANDEMIC??? And yes I know there have been cases filed.

I've had conversations with people who work in jobs where they have to stand close to other people and they've told me masks have been a blessing to them, in that they don't have to have people breathing on them, or worry about spittle flying either way. Masks are common sense.

I can't imagine flying without one now or any time in the near future. Just think about how much gunk we breathe in. Why should some coughing rando also make people inhale the emissions from their cruddy guts? What kind of "protest" is that??? It's just gross and nasty.