* The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is receiving regular updates from its members about the issues around the new face-covering requirement in the governor’s revised executive order. I asked them to send me a roundup. Here it is…
DeKalb - Consumer Wearing Hunting Knife Refuses to Wear Mask
Have had 3 or 4 customer issues about asking them to wear a mask. One was somewhat disturbing. Very large man about 6 foot 6 with what I believe was a hunting knife told me that he would not wear a mask and we can’t legally ask him to put one on and he was going to shop in the store and asked how I was going to enforce it.
DeKalb—Employee is Assaulted
ASD politely reminded a male customer who was not wearing face protection of the Governor’s facial covering order. The male customer became agitated as customers near the area made inappropriate comments towards the male customer. The male customer then caused a disturbance in the store, stating that he is a disabled veteran and that he does not need to follow the Governor’s order. An associate who overheard the male customer yelling walked into the aisle where the male customer was standing, the male customer then took the glasses off of the face of our associate and threw them to the floor, knocked over a display and threw a cantaloupe bowl in the direction of another associate. The male customer then exited the store.
Peoria—Law Enforcement Officer in Uniform Refuses to Wear Mask
A police officer visited the grocery store without a mask. Several customers and the store manager challenged him on it. The officer told them he was making a political protest. The manager asked him to leave which he ultimately did but how do you get enforcement help when the police aren’t abiding?
Romeoville #1—Customer Threatened to Get a Gun
A customer was asked to wear a mask/face covering by an AP associate who was monitoring the door and the customer became irate. The customer then threatened to go to his car and get his gun and shoot the associate.
To make matters worse…
Romeoville #2—Mayor Advised Law Enforcement to Arrest Retail Workers Not Enforcing Mask Requirement
The Romeoville Mayor sent a police officer to let me know that going forward, we must refuse any individuals at the front doors that are not wearing a mask. If not, the store manager in charge will be arrested for reckless endangerment. He did not have any documentation of the sudden change.
Champaign—Law enforcement refuses to respond to mask calls.
Carbondale—Employees Threatened
I want to share with you the issues we are having at our Carbondale store around the face covering mandate. This is putting our Teammates and Customers in harm’s way. We have already had several issues at this location as we attempt to enforce this. The issues arise not only between Customers and our Teammates but also between Customers. The public is on edge and even a passive approach has sent several Customer’s over the edge to a point they are shouting at our Teammates. Our Teammates fear for their safety. When someone refuses to comply, we have had complying Customer’s verbally attack the non-compliance Customer. We should not be the police or enforcers. My fear is that these instances will escalate into a situation where someone will get hurt.
Bloomington, Champaign, Urbana, Springfield, Pekin and Peoria—No enforcement.
No enforcement will take place without stores placing a no trespass order on a customer.
Woodstock—Customers Verbally Abused Employees
Thru the first day and a half we have had approximately 10 customers who were verbally confrontational. I have not heard of or seen any police presence regarding the matter either.
Carbondale - Consumer Fights
We just had two customers getting into an altercation at my self-checkouts over why one guy had to wear a mask and the other did not. The younger gentleman walked up to the self-checkout attendant and asked her why the older gentleman was in the store without a mask. The older gentleman turned around from his self-checkout and said I will tell you why. The younger man said get out of my face and then it got heated. In the end the younger gentleman wearing a mask threw his items at the self-checkout attendant.
Fairview Heights - Miscellaneous Incidents
Following up on mask incident(s) this morning. We have had a number of customers not wearing face coverings, and when our greeter mentions the governor’s mandate they have been cussed, flipped the bird and insulted. The most egregious was a man who got out his phone and started taking pictures and video of our greeter, then confronted our exit person. I went out to change our sidewalk sign which had just arrived, and he was still outside taking video and accused us of denying him food.
IRMA is not asking for a total repeal of the requirement, but it’s clearly concerned with the facts on the ground.
* Related…
* The vital importance of wearing masks: For example, in Hong Kong, only four confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, despite high density, mass transportation, and proximity to Wuhan. Hong Kong’s health authorities credit their citizens’ near-universal mask-wearing as a key factor (surveys show almost 100 percent voluntary compliance).
- Just Me 2 - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:46 pm:
If the President and Vice-President don’t have to wear a mask, their followers won’t either.
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:48 pm:
shameful. I believe that these figures are about correct, 1000 deaths in chicago, 1600 rest of the state. that should tell the non mask wearing people that this crisis applies to all. wear the mask.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:49 pm:
Mask requirement or not, assault is still assault and battery is still battery. I do shudder at the people whose first reaction when asked to do something relatively trivial to protect others is “Duh, Freedom!”
- Streamwood Retiree - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:50 pm:
“asked how I was going to enforce it”
Uh, call the DeKalb Police? Tell them you have an armed and truculent customer who refuses to comply with the Governor’s emergency order and won’t leave your store?
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:52 pm:
Many stores where I live have signs on the doors stating that masks are required for entry.
Must admit that on sunday, went to the hardware store and the band on my mask broke as I was putting it on. Did enter the store without a mask, was not confronted. When paying for my purchase, saw a pack of masks laying on the counter. Asked checkout clerk if they were for sale. So was able to have a mask for my next store.
- Annonin - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:53 pm:
Gotta love it when IL whack jobs get out in public, GovJunk would have been so proud. Now Cabby and Gomer should offer to make bail for any whack who gets tossed in the can.
- Streamwood Retiree - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:53 pm:
“The customer then threatened to go to his car and get his gun and shoot the associate. ” I’m not a lawyer and I forget the exact charge, but I do know you can be jailed for this. and sued.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:55 pm:
Have people always been this crazy or this is a new phenomenon? Wearing a protective mask, or not, has become a symbol in the culture war. Pathetic.
Get it together people. We all gotta live together. Check your selfish instincts and get with the program.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:55 pm:
This is a fight the Governor has to win. The police officer making a political statement in uniform should be disciplined. It is not legal for U.S. military to wear the uniform in a political context. Should not be for police either.
If they have film on the customer who threatened to get a gun, he should be arrested for assault. Bye bye FOID.
If the legislature needs to pass a law to enforce this requirement, they should do so promptly.
- Perrid - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:55 pm:
Ah, in Walmart in Springfield on Saturday they had someone turning people away if they didn’t have a mask, so I don’t know what “no enforcement” means.
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:57 pm:
Not to mention of the alleged murder in Michigan of a security guard who challenged someone without a mask.
I’d like to say these are just isolated incidents, but the entitled me, me, me environment that Trump and the GOP tapped into and exacerbated makes this an increasing problem.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:58 pm:
I cannot believe a cop in uniform would not be wearing a mask and gloves as a matter of policy just for his own protection. Also is a police officer in uniform allowed to make political statements. All these stores are scary. I feel sorry for thus state and country. I think maybe the last few years we were infected with a stupidity virus and it still is infecting people
- Allin - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 12:58 pm:
Perrid, I may be wrong but I think it is Springfield’s policy that law enforcement will not enforce it. So businesses are on their own without help from locals.
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:00 pm:
Just wear the friggin face covering, people. These workers make $12/hour and they’re out there exposed all day every day.
- Hard D - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:02 pm:
In Orland Park the Mayor said he wasnt enforcing it and supposedly told the Police Chief not to enforce it.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:02 pm:
“This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.”
- Tynie - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:05 pm:
Perrid, what IRMA said about no trespass orders in Peoria pretty much fits how this article explains mask enforcement on a city and county level.
https://www.pjstar.com/news/20200424/peoria-county-sheriff-just-looking-for-compliance-for-mask-wearing
- OutHerInTheMiddle - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:06 pm:
Bruce - My favorite movie of all time!!
And I’ve felt that way since we heard that there were “good people on both sides”.
- Lake County Mom - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:07 pm:
To be asked to do so little in order to protect the health of others, and refusing to do so because derp.
Remember when Americans use to think of themselves as the good guys. I’m going to miss that.
- Moe Berg - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:07 pm:
In Flint Michigan a couple of days ago a dollar store security guard was shot and killed because he told a woman her child needed to wear a mask to enter the store.
The guard was a father of eight and a community volunteer.
There’s no excuse.
While some people will remain defiantly ignorant no matter what, I would like to see elected officials start go get more graphic in describing what COVID-19 is doing to people.
In some, otherwise healthy, it’s causing strange blood clots and strokes. It’s manifesting potentially as Kawasaki Disease in *children*. Most of the people who need respirators die.
Bring in doctors to describe what they are seeing at the hospitals. That would be more impactful than Dr. Ezike suggesting activities we can do at home to keep from being bored.
A segment of the public is clearly not understanding the danger.
- Pelonski - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:08 pm:
Every day I seem to get more and more disappointed with the state of my country. The number of incidents in such a short time is very concerning.
- Bob_Loblaw - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:14 pm:
Why do these people get to pick and choose what rules to follow, but I don’t? I don’t want to wear a hairnet while I’m making your food. I don’t want to wear pants or underwear to the grocery store. I want to smoke a joint at the bank.
- Omay - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:14 pm:
All of the people in white lab jackets say we should wear them. We probably should until there is a vaccination. Too many bad apples will tighten the rules. Having to police this will cost the business more money and will force them to say that it is not worth it and close their business.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:14 pm:
== In Orland Park the Mayor said he wasnt enforcing it and supposedly told the Police Chief not to enforce it.==
In light of lawsuits from those on the right claiming rights violations, I wonder how many of these public officials are going to be sued eventually by their citizens? It’d be very hard for someone to prove they contracted Covid at a particular store, but I would think it’s not impossible to prove that you haven’t left your town before contracting it. If the mayor is out there telling businesses to open up and telling LEO’s not to enforce, couldn’t that open them (and by extension their city) up to liability? As a taxpayer, it would make me extremely angry to learn that my town has to pay out damages because the mayor wanted to be a covidiot.
- Live Wire - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:19 pm:
The Peoria Police office may end up with a disability claim when/if he gets sick.
The Peoria Mayor, he is busy monitoring Twitter.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:19 pm:
It’s only going to get worse.
- Tynie - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:22 pm:
Live Wire, his name’s Jim Ardis. Last I saw, he was working on a plan to mix medical metrics with reopening my city. It’s been a few days since that news came out, though.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/peoria-mayor-says-he-has-a-plan-to-reopen-the-city/
- The Way I See It - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:28 pm:
Just in case you were wondering what the stay at home protestors were doing when they weren’t marching around.
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:29 pm:
love that we are ranked so highly on this list of restrictions. difficult now will save from sickness and death. https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/report-illinois-has-some-of-the-strictest-coronavirus-restrictions-in-the-u-s/
- Allin - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:30 pm:
Setting aside the obvious health implications from locals refusing to help businesses enforce the mask requirement, it is interesting that some local mayors refuse to provide simple enforcement support for businesses when motor fuel receipts are down 30-40% and sales tax receipts are the lowest they have been in decades due to COVID. My guess is that those same mayors will be turning to businesses to pull their communities out of a financial hole that was created in part by COVID and in part by totally misguided priorities–to put it nicely so Rich does not ban me.
- Chambanalyst - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:35 pm:
The Hong Kong comparison and data is a good example and should be shared more widely. Unfortunately I’ve seen a lot of “prepare for mask-shaming from the media” content being shared on Facebook…
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:36 pm:
I guess we let those few bad apples spoil the whole bunch.
It’s really disappointing to see both poor police work, and to see entire civil police forces refuse to take public safety seriously.
Chiefs should be fired. Individuals should be written up.
- Jimbo26 - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:43 pm:
I thanked a couple wearing masks as they were entering a store I was leaving, explaining I am a Vietnam Veteran with COPD caused by Agent Orange and told them wearing a mask was a way of thanking veterans like me.
- OutHereInTheMiddle - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:44 pm:
If we can’t have enforcement of the EO how about taking names and publishing them online when the COVID statistics go the wrong direction?
- Keyrock - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:45 pm:
I understand, politically, why the Governor has left this to local law enforcement. But I think he needs to use tougher language to describe the problem. He may also need to try to have special briefings for some of these mayors and police chiefs to attempt to educate them about the science and the consequences.
Also, the executive order may need to be changed to say that everyone in an urban or suburban area, or in a store or other place of business, needs to wear a mask, period. The message that it’s only important if you can’t social distance leaves people thinking that wearing a mask is voluntary. Walking and driving around my suburb, there are still way too many people out without masks, even though they pass close to others.
- Nobody - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:49 pm:
I hope in Georgia, Florida, and Indiana in the malls and beaches they have to were mask evenly throughout the United States.
- Omay - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:50 pm:
Imagine if these non-maskers don’t want their kids wearing face protection at school.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
===why the Governor has left this to local law enforcement.===
There’s this thing in the United States that’s known as federalism, so you’ll see that city and county law enforcement officials include enforcing state and federal statutes and laws as a part of their standard duties.
To pretend like a public order requiring the public to wear masks during a pandemic should meet with absolutely zero enforcement from local officials suggests that those local officials simply fail to understand the whole role and notion of public safety, or they are letting their own biases or absolute lack of knowledge, expertise, or even critical thinking skills when it comes to something like a life threatening pandemic interfere with the actions that are being instructed for them to follow by the state’s highest ranking executive.
I would be fine with the State Police being the only law enforcement agency that carries out this order — however I would expect that in the months to come all of our unnecessary and incapable units of local law enforcement be disbanded and replaced by the state police who we could actually expect to carry out their duties.
But what we’re seeing, I believe, is the result of the public at large finding it acceptable that the police and individual police officers or their actions be politicized by conservatives rather than be treated like professional public servants there to do their duty.
Not 5 months ago y’all wanted to be the first in the nation primary, and we live in a state that can’t even get major Metropolitan areas that are home to public universities to follow rationally ordered public health safety measures.
- Chatham Resident - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:55 pm:
On the flip side, someone yesterday shared a link to Rep. Kam Buckner’s experience of discrimination over the weekend of a store security guard questioning him over certain items in his cart, due to the mask he was wearing in the store:
https://twitter.com/RepKamBuckner/status/1257339203127578625
- Pundent - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:55 pm:
And yet I suspect that it’s many of these same non-mask wearers who are screaming that we have to reopen the economy. The vast majority of us are compliant and we want to know that we can safely begin resuming normal activities. Whether you like it or not masks will be part of that for the foreseeable future. You aren’t going to be able to reopen the economy if the compliant people feel that it’s not safe to venture out.
- Helm - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 1:57 pm:
I ordered a 50-Pack of one-time use disposable masks on Amazon for $25. Had them in about a week. Keep the box in my car so I can use them as needed. You can use them more than once if you are careful. Less than 50 cents to do your part as a citizen in the “new normal,” seems like a small price to pay.
Remember “Freedom Isn’t Free.” This is the price we need to pay if we want to return to some semblance of normalcy. Most of the Asian continent has been doing it for over a decade. If everyone wore a mask out like they do in Hong Kong, we could actually open up a lot faster.
- Gruntled University Employee - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:02 pm:
I really don’t see a difference between the face mask EO and our seat belt laws, except that seat belt laws are to protect you from yourself and the face mask EO is to protect all of society. There is enforcement and fines for one and should be for both.
- Iamthepita - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
I’m flabbergasted by those who refuses to wear a mask. In my twisted dark (probably poorly timed) humor, I’m half tempted to just wear the “phantom of the opera” mask to see what type of response I get. (NO, I won’t actually be doing that!)
- Frumpy white guy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
We need a Federal Law mandating face masks in all public areas where people frequent. At least until the end of this pandemic. Seems unlikely given the fact we have a president and vice president I don’t even want to wear facemask. Such a tragedy given the fact that these essential workers are put at risk with no regard from the angry ones
- Langhorne - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
“No shoes, no shirt, etc” so why not no mask?
- Commisar Gritty - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:10 pm:
To defend the non-compliant ones, it is quite difficult to take in oxygen when you’re a mouth breather wearing a mask.
This is the dumbest political protest. You can wrap a pair of your tighty whiteys over your head and that qualifies as acceptable.
- In 630 - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:10 pm:
Never not going to be wild to me that people actively advertise their total indifference to anyone else in the community
- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:12 pm:
This is depressing. Can we see a photo of Oscar, mask or no mask?
- Bruce (no not him) - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:16 pm:
“You can wrap a pair of your tighty whiteys over your head ”
No, please, no.
- Captain Who - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:23 pm:
On Saturday we went to a garden center in Springfield. The place was very busy and from what I could see every customer was masked up. The garden center staff was a different story as not one was wearing a mask however the cashiers were behind plexiglas shields. One young employee was checking the carts and yelling out the contents to the cashiers. He was a big fellow and was working so hard that he was really huffing and puffing in the midst of the customers. I’ll not be returning
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:26 pm:
=== “No shoes, no shirt, etc” so why not no mask? ===
Bubba: “Cuz it may mess up the selfie while I’m thumbing my nose at others wearing them.”
- Tynie - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:26 pm:
===we live in a state that can’t even get major Metropolitan areas that are home to public universities to follow rationally ordered public health safety measures.===
So, cops are supposed to focus on enforcing mask requirements and let murderers like the one in Peoria slide. Got it. (Proof cited below)
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/public_safety/man-33-dies-after-double-shooting-in-peoria/article_78f26791-6936-54b1-bda2-668d3bf73921.html
- Allin - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:31 pm:
Captain Who, I am assuming you went to a farmer’s market garden center? We had the same issue at a local farmer’s market.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:31 pm:
=== focus on enforcing mask requirements and let murderers like the one in Peoria slide. Got it.===
What time was the incident?
Sheesh.
- Stu - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
===Also, the executive order may need to be changed to say that everyone in an urban or suburban area, or in a store or other place of business, needs to wear a mask, period. ===
The wording is clear:
“Wearing a face covering in public places or when working.
Any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering (a mask or cloth face-covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance. Face-coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores.”
- Graduated College Student - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:33 pm:
They should release the name of that Peoria police officer.
- Morty - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:37 pm:
Any officer or department that resuses to act should be sued for failure to act.
Anyone hurt during this fiasco should file suit under “State-Created Danger” Liability“
“Although the state’s failure to protect an individual against private violence does not generally violate the guarantee of due process, it can where the state action affirmatively places the plaintiff in a position of danger, that is, where state action creates or exposes an individual to a danger which he or she would not otherwise have faced.” (Kennedy v. Ridgefield)
- West Wing - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:39 pm:
When you have Fox and Friends implementing a campaign of “just say no” to masks their their fact-free approach, combined with this toxic energy to politicize and weaponize opposition (as seen in places like Lansing, Springfield, etc.), it’s no wonder we have a separate, parallel and often fact-free universe willing to callously disregard the warnings and the risk.
- Been There - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:39 pm:
=== (surveys show almost 100 percent voluntary compliance).==
Well after reading all this, in my opinion, we have a long long way to go to make America great again. Just saying.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:40 pm:
Jim Ardisis one twitter troll away from suing the virus for mocking him too.
This is a time for serious people.
- Tynie - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:42 pm:
OW- it was 3 am Sunday, but my point was, I know my area well enough to know crimes will occur regardless of the SAH order or mask requirement. That’s why I used the shooting article for proof, and why I stand by my interpretation of the remark you cited.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:44 pm:
=== it was 3 am Sunday, but my point was…==
No.
That was the point.
=== So, cops are supposed to focus on enforcing mask requirements and let murderers like the one in Peoria slide. Got it. (Proof cited below)===
Please. Just stop.
Ugh.
Three am… geez, Louise, are you even trying to be thoughtful.
This cite is Facebook silly.
- Graduated College Student - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:48 pm:
===So, cops are supposed to focus on enforcing mask requirements and let murderers like the one in Peoria slide. Got it. (Proof cited below)===
Peoria Police Department is one of the few entities in the city government that isn’t getting furloughs or massive cuts because of shortfalls in taxes. I think the least they could do is try to chew gum and walk at the same time.
- Tynie - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:50 pm:
OW- I’ll admit, I wasn’t as diplomatic as I could have been. You may disagree with my perspective on this, but at least I’m willing to confess my diplomacy skills need more work.
- Keyrock - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:51 pm:
Stu, the wording is not clear. The language you quoted gives two options when outdoors - wearing a mask or always being able to maintain a six feet distance. Many people assume they can do the latter as they walk the sidewalks and streets, ride their bicycles past people, etc. In my area, I’m often required to zigzag around unmasked folks to keep a proper distance (while walking the dog).
If the message is everybody outside their residence must wear a mask, period, the message would be more clear, and there would be more compliance. There would also very likely be fewer illnesses and deaths.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 2:57 pm:
=== You may disagree with my perspective on this, but at least I’m willing to confess my diplomacy skills need more work.===
If that makes you feel better…
To the post,
I was out this afternoon.
70/30… masks, no masks.
Places I went? Workers were masked and some gloves too.
Curbside… 60/40… mask, no mask.
I guess the thing I learned “today” is that traffic and such was down about 75% by waits at lights and cars at the time of day, but if i measure too the lack of people out AND those masked… it’s a higher number trying to be safe.
That’s good. Let’s be safe and honest to the real out there.
Don’t infect others, unwittingly. Be smart. Worry for others.
- WeAreAVillage - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
we are in so much trouble in this country. too many selfish COVIDiots and unbalanced people who feel it’s their right to act rudely, be combative, threaten and/or commit violence because they’re be asked or told to wear a mask.
here in Springfield, yesterday I went to Walgreens which was not enforcing and a block away Family Dollar which required a mask, bandana or other fabric covering not permitted option.
The varying ways locales and local establishments are or are not trying to enforce makes it confusing at best, disastrous at its extreme worst.
- SSL - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
Just wear the mask. You can decide if you want to confront non mask wearers. Personally, I won’t go there. Some people are looking for a confrontation.
- kathryn - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:31 pm:
A lot of people don’t pay attention to the news. they don’t watch tv or read newspapers so they are ignorant of he facts about the virus. these people still believe the virus is a hoax and refuse to take it seriously.
- Abbey - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
Dudes, please, take off your pants, I want to know if your rifle really is big enough.
Dudes, grow up already. You’re embarrassing your children. This isn’t a constitutional issues.
- Burgee - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:47 pm:
As I stated yesterday, four of four places I visited on Sunday were not doing well in following and enforcing the masking order. I’ve read where Walmart is not allowing people in the store without a mask on, but they aren’t enforcing it once they get in the store and certainly are’t ensuring all their staff are wearing them or wearing them properly.
As far as the “no shoes, no shirt, no service” rules, I imagine there was considerable push back when that was first implemented. Anyone know how long it took for everyone to comply with this, for businesses to push it and for it to become the norm? Were there protests at that time? How did law enforcement handle it?
- Glenn - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:48 pm:
I can’t imagine that Londoners, under WWII nighttime Nazi aerial bombardment, could or would reject orders for lights-out with a protest justifying their non-compliance by arguing that compliance with that order would be a violation of their personal freedoms and rights.
Not unless they were Nazi sympathizers.
- Captain Who - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 3:58 pm:
Allin. Yes it was the outdoor farmers market garden center.
- LakeCo - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 4:10 pm:
Dear God, what’s the big deal about wearing a mask? What would these fools do if they were asked to give up meat and sugar and gas or God forbid catch a bullet for the greater good like our grandparents did in WWII?
- walker - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 4:14 pm:
The stores can buy these for less than 50c per. They should supply their greeters enough to give one each to customers who have a problem with no mask. Would help out both their employees and the public. At least for a couple of weeks.
BTW looks like around here in NW suburbs, compliance is very high. But we have more than a few local CV-19 cases.
- Allin - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 4:22 pm:
Walker, while it is not a bad suggestion, I am not sure requiring retailers to provide masks to consumers is going to help mitigate the issues presented above. These consumers, and unfortunately, law enforcement and some local mayors are trying to prove a point at the expense of retailers, retail workers, and other consumers.
- XonXoff - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 4:38 pm:
I guess the red MAGA mask is an idea who’s time may not come.
- Flexible One - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 4:49 pm:
Law Enforcement probably won’t be the mask Police for a wide variety of reasons. However, the store employees should refuse service to anyone without a mask. If the person then commits a crime, i.e. strikes, shoves or spits on the employee, that owner can call the police to report that crime and the police can take immediate action. Also if that customer is told that they have to vacate the premises and If they don’t they will be considered trespassing. If the authorized employee calls the police and is willing to sign a complaint the Police can again take action. So the Police won’t necessarily take action just because someone doesn’t obey the executive order, they are taking action based on a crime.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, May 5, 20 @ 6:41 pm:
Had to do shopping for myself and the critters today. Every time I saw someone wearing a mask/face covering, it lifted my spirits. Many were in my small corner of the world. One man explained to a checker that he had to wear a bandana because a regular mask messed with his hearing aids- but he was wearing one( banned punctuation). Respect- we should be proud and humble to wear these badges of honor to our fellow citizens.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
Two words, ‘natural selection’ may rid us of these reckless Republicans.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 4:27 pm:
this is strictly from the top down. If our current political leadership wore masks as an example, there wouldn’t be a problem - unless of course if they were Democrats.