HomeMy WebLinkAboutRe: Rexburg council meeting on mandating maskMy family and I watched the meeting last night. It was stressful because we often couldn't hear due to the yelling protestors who wanted to be heard. I felt the sadness expressed by
council member Tisha Flora and agree that kindness is paramount. Yelling and anger do nothing but widen the divide, and now both sides feel threatened. Unfortunately, although it was
said with kindness, it disturbs and concerns me that she also implied that anyone who does not believe that wearing a mask helps must not be supportive of decreasing covid. Additionally,
the gentleman who represented the hospital mentioned that he hoped that we would all do what we can to decrease the numbers. But as I mentioned in my first email, the only solution
on the table, the one being mandated, is that of wearing masks. But anything that strengthens individual immune systems is beneficial. And anything that weakens individual immune systems
is not. WHY are we only talking about masks? It has caused me significant concern because I know I am in the minority, and mask-wearing supporters, as was the case last night at the
city council meeting, speak of us as unsupportive community members who are contributing to the larger numbers and a possible new wave of shut-downs. If the American people want to
be healthy, they're going to have to do more than wear masks. We, as a nation, weren't healthy before covid came along, so regardless of whether covid is an issue, there are much, much
larger issues that have made our bodies weak and disease-ridden, that have sapped our strength and made illness, doctors, and hospitals a normal part of life. Thank you to Mrs. Flora
for speaking kindly. But people need more than kindness. As Steven Covey wrote in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, what humans desire most is not love, or agreement, but
understanding.
Our mayor mentioned that he had prayed about this latest addition to the existing mandate, and that he has learned that when he feels uncomfortable with a decision, he should probably
not move forward with it. I can't imagine that I am the only Rexburg citizen that has prayed about whether I should wear a mask. And I would imagine I am not the only one to receive
a definite "No." I received that answer for myself and for my daughter. When I asked Heavenly Father if everyone should stop wearing masks, I felt that same uncomfortable feeling as
the mayor felt, so I asked if I should only ask for myself and my daughter, and I felt peace. If I have received the answer not to wear a mask, then wearing one because I am mandated
by a government entity will cause me harm, whether I get covid or not. Being forced to wear a mask is forcing me to go against that still, small voice, so for me and many others, the
country that was ordained for religious freedom is quickly changing. Our bodies are temples, and it is my God-given responsibility to determine what I need to do to keep it clean and
healthy. I believe you have that same responsibility, yet I am not forcing what works for me on you. And it doesn't mean that I think that people that believe differently than I are
either villains or idiots. In fact, I believe that it is okay to think and act differently about this subject. Even the representatives from the 13 colony states that came together
to amend the Articles of Confederation, who later ended up writing an entirely new constitution, were divided on many crucial topics. But they each were united in their efforts to come
up with a system of government that would be "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
So what are possible solutions?
1. I was hoping that more of our city leaders would allow and express understanding for mask opinions other than their own. It may have been hard to do so because of the yelling from
the protestors outside. Those loud few are not representative of all those who disagree with wearing masks. Perhaps in the future our city leaders can forgo using rhetoric that vilifies
those that don't believe wearing masks are beneficial. We are your constituents, even if you don't agree with our stance.
2. I hope and pray that you will each open your hearts to the possibility that punishing businesses and individuals through fines, misdemeanor sentences and jail time is unconstitutional
and not the best or only way to help create a healthy city.
3. Similarly, I hope and pray that you will each open your hearts to the possibility that forcing all constituents to wear masks is unconstitutional and not the best or only way to help
create a healthy city.
4. Start talking as much about making better choices in what we eat, in how much we move and exercise, and in managing our stress levels as you do about the number of covid cases and
about wearing masks. I love our city and I love the people. There is no place like Rexburg in the entire world, and I believe it's because we are an example of what life can be like
when you live in a community of loving, service-centered, people. What if we worked together to set an example for the rest of the nation about how sickness and disease can be transformed
when we take our health into our own hands; when we show how grateful we are for our bodies and work to overcome our addictions to sugar and processed, easy foods, to sitting and watching
TV or playing video games. We can each work to become the change we want to see in our community, instead of focusing on controlling our neighbor to make that change happen. Forced
change is never real change, as I wrote about in my first email. I can envision positive messages reinforcing each individual's responsibility and freedom to choose based on each individual's
research, pondering, trying and then improving our individual plans based on results. You can't legislate wisdom; that is earned only by experience with what works and what doesn't
work on an individual basis.
Sincerely,
Julianna Bates
On Wed, Nov 18, 2020 at 8:08 PM Michael Bates <musicmanmjb@gmail.com <mailto:musicmanmjb@gmail.com> > wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Michael Bates <musicmanmjb@gmail.com <mailto:musicmanmjb@gmail.com> >
Date: Wed, Nov 18, 2020 at 5:26 PM
Subject: Rexburg council meeting on mandating mask
To: <deborah.lovejoy@rexburg.org <mailto:deborah.lovejoy@rexburg.org> >
I want to share my thoughts on the idea of mandating mask wearing in order to protect the community’s health.
The idea that our only recourse is to mandate masks to deal with disease is false. But yet it’s all that I hear being discussed and promoted. That fact alone causes me to question our
government and our media.
Why don’t we shut down fast food stores and mandate eating only whole foods that haven’t been heavily laden with pesticides, herbicides or other known poisons? Why don’t we make all
candy and sodas illegal? Why don’t we mandate that everyone needs to exercise every day and fine them if they are overweight (and btw, individuals won’t get to determine what overweight
is, the government will). Why don’t we mandate that everyone needs to read their scriptures and pray everyday for direction on what they (not their neighbor) needs to do to best strengthen
their own immune system? Why don’t we fine and imprison those that make poor lifestyle choices so that our hospitals and doctor’s offices are relatively empty of patients?
Why don’t we mandate that everyone take a class on the constitution so that we know our rights?
The answers to these questions can be found in the words of Thomas Jefferson. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their
Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
In case some are wondering,Yes, this is from the Declaration of Independence.
We are each able to make our own decision about how to pursue life, liberty and happiness, without taking life, liberty and happiness from anyone else. My choice to wear or not wear
a mask is my choice. No one else’s. And I believe that we have more control over strengthening my immune systems than we are led to believe.
What if I believe that wearing masks for extended periods of time is actually weakening immune systems? Then by the current trend of “control by fear” that has gripped the world, I
should petition the governments to mandate no masks, so that not so many people with weakened immune systems would end up getting the coronavirus. But I don’t, even though by some people’s
logic, that would make the world safer.
Why? Because that’s not the best way to go about creating good change.
Men learn what is best for themselves when they are allowed to seek wisdom on their own, without it being forced on them. We are only able to reach our potential when we can experiment,
ponder, research, and find our way to understanding. Having no choice leads to no growth. And it is strikingly similar to a well-known story about an angel named Lucifer.
Sincerely,
Julianna Bates
317-695-2413
--
Michael Bat
--
Michael Bat