Large numbers of people, mostly in the mid-West, refuse to wear masks in public places within and without buildings, claiming that doing so infringes upon their “liberty”, and that mask searing and social distancing is at the “discretion” on the individual (ah! the individual!). This, notwithstanding the raging virus that is filling hospitals and killing people of all ages at an ever-increasing rate, while effete politicians talk about freedom.

Let me try and get this right. May we assume that, for the sake of this argument, most of the mask-deniers are White and call themselves christian. (I haven’t capitalized thais because what they are doing is as un-christian as it comes, selfish and careless of the health of others. These people are complicit in what is in effect a rolling manslaughter).

Pray tell me, what section of the Constitution gives people the right to infect others in the name of liberty? The bible? Where exactly, in the Bible, excerpts of which a majority of these people listen to every Sunday, does it advocate “every man for himself”, and tough on the hundreds of people dying of Covid every day, some of whom you might have infected? I would have thought that refusal to protect others from your disease would be regarded as unchristian, if not unattractive and bloody-minded. The hypocrisy of all too many people is on open display. The “love thy neighbor” bit apparently glazes over the eyes of these people, and is inconvenient. Epicurus believed we should respect and look after others as much as humanly possible, and protect them from harm if we possibly can.