Free Republic

Airline corporations have explicitly demanded passengers wear masks between bites of food and sips of drinks. Despite a Harvard study reported by the Washington Post in 2020 that indicates “flying can be safer than eating at a restaurant during the pandemic” due to “onboard systems that constantly circulate and refresh air,” airlines have begun conducting in-flight announcements to cudgel people into donning masks while eating and drinking.

The other day, I was chatting with some friends about what to do about America’s new, alien mask culture: How can we drive it from our country, why it hasn’t been rejected yet, and what responsibility each of us bears for transforming this mere hope into a reality. At one point, a friend shared this short clip of Jordan Peterson. How would he answer the question, “Whose fault is it that the safety-above-all-else mask culture persists?” Peterson does not lay the blame on Joe Biden, Anthony Fauci, the legacy media, the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, or...

‘Standard cloth and surgical masks offer next to no protection against virus-sized particles or small aerosols’

As political forces in the United States push for strict mask mandates to fight the spread of the coronavirus, new guidance issued by the World Health Organization undermines the left’s claim that people must be forced to wear the protective equipment in public. The WHO posted the updated recommendations in a Wednesday tweet. This most recent change, which outlines when people should not wear a mask in public, follows months of inconsistent information from the group about face coverings. ... “People should NOT wear masks when exercising,” the WHO’s update reads, “as masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably.”...

Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway cited the lack of concrete scientific evidence to support widespread mask-wearing to contend that the media has “overstated their confidence” in the practice and are using it as a “political cudgel” against skeptics. Fox News anchor Howard Kurtz introduced the topic on Sunday morning’s “Media Buzz” by pointing out prominent Republicans who are now encouraging mask usage, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Dick Cheney. “Why are the pundits so rankled that President Trump is not a leading proponent of mask-wearing?” Kurtz asked Hemingway. WATCH:

When he announced on May 1 that masks would be worn in public places, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker was emphatic. "We view this as common sense. This is going to be basically a way of life. No ifs, no ands, no buts, no doubts." However, doubts are showing up. First, Baker's order said to wear face coverings when in public places and unable to keep a social distance of six feet. Why'd he pick six feet? There is no research showing that six feet means anything in a public space. That six-foot idea is an arbitrary guess that was "conjured...

Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, was a beautiful sunny day. Mary and I left our West Virginia home to make the 40-mile trek to Walmart and Home Depot in Virginia. We drove past a Virginia megachurch which usually has state cops directing traffic for the congregation. The parking lot was empty with a large “closed” sign. Meanwhile, Walmart and Home Depot parking lots were packed. Around 50% of shoppers wore masks. Absurdly, I saw toddlers wearing masks, which were particularly annoying. Professor Dolores J. Cahill, PhD is a highly credentialed and respected Immunologist and Molecular Biologist. Prof. Cahill, world-renowned Dr. Russel...