The virus doesn’t care about your politics

There is much debate on whether or not to wear a mask in public during a global viral pandemic that involves a highly-contageous pathogen.

Not wearing a mask can, by intelligent standards, be read as not caring for oneself or others.

It also appears as a bad gamble, akin to Pascal's Wager (i.e. regardless of one's opinion, wearing a mask in proximity to other humans greatly reduces the opportunity for said humans to become infected and vice versa).

Emotions against wearing a mask are understandable, yet useless to the individual and harmful to society and the country.

A virus doesn't care what one's political stance is. A virus doesn't care what values you profess. A virus is immune to belief.

A myopic, selfish definition of freedom in the face of a planetary plague will greatly diminish the pursuit of life, let alone liberty and happiness.

It need not require a state mandate to ensure a level of protection greater than we, the humans, can achieve through reason, common sense, and compassion.

Therefore, either a great number of people will practice social protection and we will return to health or we will face an ongoing threat with disregard and hasten sickness and death.

Matthew Burrier

Cedar Rapids