To the editor:

The Mask Persuasion

In the article on July 8 titled "To Mask or Not to Mask … Why is it even a question?" an argument for wearing masks in public was made by Angela Collins. I found many things about this article to both incorrect and misleading; however, I am not writing this to disagree with her sentiment but rather her and the pearl-clutching alarmists’ attitude about masks and their terrible persuasion techniques.

The way to persuade others to use the mask is stop acting like people who are questioning this are stupid. I can promise you that there are many very intelligent people who question the entire premise of the restrictions on business and general life. These people are called free-thinkers.

Masks are partisan now. It is a fact. Facts don’t care about your feelings. One side is downplaying masks too much, and one side is overhyping them too much. There is, for those among us that think for ourselves and follow information and facts above opinion and political rhetoric, an obvious answer to the question "Do I need a mask?"

Yes, you absolutely need to follow the mask protocols. Yes, you absolutely need to be following social distancing protocols if you want to keep the economy open.

You also need to be aware that there have been many terrible, violent groups who use face coverings to riot and cause general mayhem without being held accountable to their actions. The most famous of these is probably the KKK.

So we need the masks right now if we want to be prudent, but we should always question people and organizations who tell us not to question. To follow blindly is true folly.

Thanks.

Kaleb Elijah Herndon, Seymour