We must stand our ground and say no to masks

Thank you to businesses that respect the Constitution and read the science and do not force their employees or customers to wear face masks.

Faced with a virus that has killed about one-third as many people as the seasonal flu virus in 2018, Texas endorsed a partial shutdown of the economy resulting in millions unemployed. Then bars were shut down (but not Walmart) because massively increased testing showed more people have been exposed to the virus. And people were mandated to wear face masks, even though wearing masks won’t have any effect on the progression of the virus through society.

South Dakota did not shut down: death rate 11 times lower per 100,000 than New York. Viruses are 200 times smaller than the spaces in the masks. Blue face masks have an advisory on the box: "This product will not provide any protection against COVID-19 or other viruses." WHO stated on April 16, "The wide use of face masks by healthy people in the community setting is not supported by current evidence and carries uncertainties and critical risk."

We are meant to breathe out CO2, and breathe in oxygen. Breathing our exhale results in headaches and respiratory and immune damage. Two Chinese schoolchildren forced to wear face masks in PE died.

We are facing the greatest assault ever on our civil liberties in. The CDC shows Idaho total deaths (all cases) from January to June 2019: 7,091; 2020: 7,079. We are being asked to give up our right to breathe fresh air for a disease that has killed fewer people than the norm. Will we wear face masks proven to be harmful for our health because government tells us to? Or will we stand our ground and say no?

ANNE WILDER CHAMBERLAIN

Priest River