Governor replaces ’Iowa nice’ with ’Iowa selfish’

Gov. Kim Reynolds has proudly signed a bill banning mask mandates (such at those at schools), boasting "I am proud to be a governor of a state that values personal responsibility and individual liberties. " Governor, thinking Iowans are not proud of you. You mistakenly elevate our "freedom" to spread the virus above public safety and the health of others. It seems you care more about concepts like "freedom from masks" (that get you accolades on Fox News) than whether we live or die.

Freedom has a price and comes with responsibility. It seems you have decided that our school children should pay that price. And by taking away the freedom of schools to create safe environments, you will share in the responsibility of student illnesses in schools and school buses.

Is wearing a strip of cloth so painful to you, governor? And your party called progressives "snowflakes!" The snowflakes are the whiners who refuse to do the simplest thing to stop the pandemic or help their neighbors. You have replaced "Iowa nice" with "Iowa selfish."

We can be sure her political grandstanding won't stop here. Since freedom trumps public safety under her administration, be prepared for her next step: removing all traffic lights and highway speed limits. After all, she trusts us to use our freedom to make the right decisions for our own safety. Let the other guy worry about himself.

James Pruitt

Marion