Why face masks have become a political statement in the US
It might be hard to believe in Australia, but the wearing or not of a face mask has become a defining political statement in the US. This is why.
World
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Only in America could the wearing of a mask to stave off a fatal coronavirus infection become a political statement.
It is a difficult issue to unpack.
The World Health Organisation originally said: “Don’t bother wearing a mask”.
Now they say we should cover our faces.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says: “Wear a mask”. But he doesn’t.
Wearing a mask is a sign of weakness among supporters of President Donald Trump, who has refused to don one in public.
Yes. Hard to believe in Australia, but the wearing or not of a mask has become a defining political statement in this election year in the US.
“It’s a life and death issue,” influential CNN commentator Wolf Blizter said from his cringibly-American named “Situation Room” TV show.
Now the famous White House virus task force of Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx has disappeared from TV screens and Cuomo’s daily briefings are off the air as well.
Infection rates are again at record highs, but life is moving on here in the US. It has to. Too many jobs gone, people actually starving. This is not an easy country to be out of a job.
In New York, wearing a mask is the done thing. People will angrily yell at non-wearers, “Cover your face, wise-acre!!” For many, it has become a fashion accessory, maybe the stars and stripes, or H&M is selling matching T-shirt and mask combos.
But outside of America’s coastal cities such as the Big Apple, the former COVID death centre of the world, wearing a mask is not routine.
It’s seen as yet another attempt to tell people what to do. Another extension of lockdown. Another assault on individual rights.
Which brings me to flying, which for work has always been awful, but has now become a hellscape.
Regular flyers in the US love their rules and rigidly adhere to status. A late-night Sydney bouncer has got nothing on the gate-staff of an American airline, and if you are not in group one, then you are most certainly not boarding with group one.
Given that airline business models rely on overbooking flights, for my return home from my first work trip in three months, there was no social distancing-measure such as keeping middle seats clear.
We were all jammed in tight together, and the mask question quickly became explosive.
“Where’s your mask a-hole?,” asked the large and ruddy fellow sitting a row in front of me to the man who was beside him.
“Just drinking my coffee,” the other passenger replied. That wasn’t enough for the first guy, who showed himself to actually be the a-hole, seething and striking his tray table through the three hour ride home, before stalking off the plane demanding to know what everyone was looking at.
It’s true that people are tense everywhere, but it’s possible a flight home from a Trump rally may find a certain section of the American populace at its most volatile.
Those of us who have to fly for work may soon have to look into danger money.
Originally published as Why face masks have become a political statement in the US