by Kerry Dougherty

Last Saturday’s horrors of Hamas were followed here and abroad with another kind of horror. There were anti-Israel rallies at colleges and in major cities across the nation. These heartless people were demonstrating for just one reason: to show support for the barbarians who had just invaded a country, slaughtered innocent people, raped women and children and grabbed hostages.

Frankly, I had no idea how widespread anti-Semitism was in the U.S. until I saw these shocking images.

Take a gander at their hatefests and tell me what you notice:

https://x.com/TBifford/status/1712577727071666607?s=20

https://x.com/therealmrbench/status/1712827303732932693?s=20

https://x.com/kerrydougherty/status/1713351767134466364?s=20

Yep, masks.x.com/…ugherty/status/1713351767134466364

And no, these hysterical fanatics are not wearing masks because they’re afraid of catching covid. They’re wearing masks to hide their identities. Just like bank robbers, looters, burglars and others who are up to no good.

I remember the first time I walked into my credit union and the sign said you couldn’t enter WITHOUT a mask. I was stunned. Just a week earlier the sign had asked customers to remove their dark glasses before approaching the counter.

Prior to the pandemic about 15 states – including Virginia – had laws that banned the wearing of face masks in pubic. They were passed in reaction to terrorism, criminal activity and intimidation by the KKK and other hate groups.

According to an article by Robert Kahn for the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, America’s first anti-mask law was passed in 1845.

The earliest laws banning masked demonstrations date back to the antebellum era. In 1845 New York made it illegal to appear “disguised and armed.” Most anti-mask laws were passed, however, in response to the Ku Klux Klan, whose members used masks to hide their identities as they terrorized their victims. Masks were outlawed in many states

Virginia’s anti-mask law was passed in 1950, making it a Class 6 felony to wear a mask in public. In 2010 the law was amended to allow for masks if the governor declared a state health emergency.

News flash: Virginia’s health emergency ended on June 30, 2021.

Last time I checked, though, former mask-loving Gov. Ralph Northam declared that those who wanted to continue to wear masks in public out of fear of covid could continue to do so. He really wanted to be a king, not governor.

Enough already.

It’s been two and a half years and some are clinging to their masks like toddlers who refuse to give up their pacifiers. More alarmingly, some of those sporting masks are committing crimes.

It’s time for law enforcement to start enforcing the anti-mask laws. Folks who are determined to wear masks because of health concerns should get something in writing from their physicians saying they have a legitimate reason to hide their faces.

Everyone else should be maskless. As we all were before 2020.

Anti-mask laws made sense when they were passed and they make even more sense now that fears of terrorism are heightened.

The message should come from Richmond, loud and clear: lose the masks.

It’s a public safety issue.

Republished with permission from Kerry: Unemployed and Unedited.


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Comments

66 responses to “Lose the Masks”

  1. Not Today Avatar

    You know what else happened yesterday? https://apnews.com/article/muslim-boy-killed-chicago-landlord-will-county-5135dea218326d6e639a996564d9369e

    Cover/no cover, mask/no mask. Hate lives in hearts and minds. Hate is a public safety issue.

  2. LarrytheG Avatar

    This grievance thing… it’s like a disease, eh?

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      There’s a vaccine. Education.

    2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
      Eric the half a troll

      Maybe if they wore masks they wouldn’t contract it…

      1. LarrytheG Avatar

        We had a highly contagious disease that spread by contact and could be deadly and kill millions… not unlike some diseases we’ve seen before.

        So what should we have done different than what we did with masks and vaccines?

        What would Conservatives have done differently if they were in total control?

        And they cannot let it go now… folks like Kerry keep bring it back up again and again.

  3. Moderate Avatar

    In my part of the state COVID is on the rise. In every community there are more people diagnosed with COVID. Pretty much everyone I know who has flown somewhere has come back with COVID. I have to travel soon and expect to wear a mask in an additional attempt to avoid sickness. Would you seriously prohibit me from trying to protect my health so when I return I can do my job?

    1. Not Today Avatar

      The numbers are on the rise in my area too. I haven’t gotten the new vax but will this week. I have multiple interstate trips planned. This whole rant is so misguided.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Don’t forget the flu jab. Pop, pop.

    2. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      Yes I would tell you they don’t work. But they do virtue signal pretty well. But telling you the truth isn’t “prohibiting.” And you could read the statute to see there is a medical exception.
      Meanwhile, when you “protest” and emanate a threat of violence wearing a mask, I kinda think it is to hide your face so you can terrorize again. It worked against the Klan and should be enforced against “protesters.”

      1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        From Kerry:

        “Frankly, I had no idea how widespread anti-Semitism was in the U.S. until I saw these shocking images.”

        And Walt:

        “Meanwhile, when you “protest” and emanate a threat of violence wearing a mask, I kinda think it is to hide your face so you can terrorize again.”

        So now those speaking publicly in support of Palestinians are not just anti-semitic but also terrorists to boot. So much for the 1st.

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          Hamas is by definition a terrorist organization. Sane people do not condemn the acts of Hamas, they condemn Hamas. I would not be surprised which side you are on…

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Some people are retired, Boomers, and knocking on the door.

      To many, the world will end when they do. They really don’t care.

      It shows when they write opinion pieces.

  4. Turbocohen Avatar
    Turbocohen

    Not a single Democrat protester hiding behind a mask is asking Hamas to return the babies.

    1. Not Today Avatar

      Neither are Republicans condemning the deaths of civilian Palestinian children…daily. What is your point? An eye for an eye makes everyone blind. All the more reason to elect women and eschew men.

    2. Not Today Avatar

      Neither are Republicans condemning the deaths of civilian Palestinian children…daily. What is your point? An eye for an eye makes everyone blind. All the more reason to elect good women and eschew men.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar

        It’s a weird virtue signaling that ignores the horror that has befallen all kids there.

        1. Not Today Avatar

          There are no winners in this kind of war. All I can think is that the *right/wrong* kind of babies have been hurt. ALL babies don’t matter.

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            There is no winner in any war. Some just lose less than others.

            Something like 100,000,000 civilians (mostly women and children) since 1914, way more than combatants.

          2. DJRippert Avatar

            Do you support continued aid to Ukraine? Isn’t that aid effectively prolonging a war?

          3. LarrytheG Avatar

            Do you support China doing to Taiwan what Russia is doing to Ukraine?

          4. DJRippert Avatar

            Why worry about something that might happen when there are 32 countries at war right now?

            We’ve left one (Afghanistan), have troops in two that I know of (Iraq, Syria). We have active military efforts in some other (Somalia). We are arming one (Ukraine).

            That’s 5.

            What about the other 27?

            Where is the consistency?

            And who is making the decisions? Biden? Dear lord.

            https://wisevoter.com/country-rankings/countries-currently-at-war/

          5. LarrytheG Avatar

            because Taiwan is of strategic importance and the others less so? Foreign policy under the
            “stable genius” is whoever does what the stable genius says no matter other foreign policy career experts? No thanks… we have enough problems in the world without this f o o l!

          6. DJRippert Avatar

            Well, the “stable genius” isn’t president. The “doddering fool” is.

            As for “foreign policy career experts” ….

            Are these the same people who brought us:

            Vietnam
            Lebanon (1983)
            Somalia (1993)
            Bosnian War
            Afhganistan
            Iraq
            Syria (900 US troops fighting)
            Niger (1,100 US troops in country)

            I’d say our foreign policy for the last 50 years has pretty much sucked out loud, Larry.

            Tell me again why we should trust these “foreign policy career experts”.

          7. LarrytheG Avatar

            I’ll take the folks in the Biden administration, plus the doddering old guy ANY day over the “stable genius” who is said to be a dire threat to the country by the people he hired.

          8. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            If I thought they couldn’t win, I wouldn’t.

          9. DJRippert Avatar

            So, it’s OK to support and prolong a war as long as we pick the winning side?

            Do you think the Ukrainians will win? Total victory? The Ukrainians will drive the Russians out of all Ukrainian territory occupied since 2014? Is that realistic?

            What do we do if Ukraine starts losing? More supplies? More advanced weaponry? US troops on the ground?

            The Israelis will almost certainly win a shooting war with Hamas. Should we send weapons to Israel? What if Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon? What if Iran engages?

            Lots of questions. And we have Biden to trust to provide the right answers.

            God help us.

          10. LarrytheG Avatar

            Not being able to win, is not the same as losing….

            No, Israel will not “beat” Hamas…. they’re gonna be like the Viet Cong or the Taliban or ISIS… as long as there is terrible treatment of Palestinians and they have no country, it will “grow” Hamas and/or others like Hamas or worse hezbollah.

          11. “God help us.”

            Amen!

            President – Dementia

            VP – Giggling lightweight

            Speaker of the House – vacant

          12. DJRippert Avatar

            A pox on both houses.

            Run Manchin, run.

          13. LarrytheG Avatar

            How many folks who have worked with Biden say he’s a
            imminent threat to the country?

          14. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Or can create it.

          15. LarrytheG Avatar

            I’ll take Biden’s approach ANY DAY to the “stable genius”.

          16. DJRippert Avatar

            Russia didn’t invade any other country while the “stable genius” was president. They did invade Ukraine once under Obama and again under Biden.

            Talk is cheap, results are dear.

          17. LarrytheG Avatar

            I know… the “stable genius” likes to “fall in love” with dictators and that would discourage them from doing stuff like that… dream on… he’s a disaster to the world.

          18. DJRippert Avatar

            Ahhh … so you admit that Trump’s approach to Russia was objectively superior to Obama’s and Biden’s.

            And wasn’t it Obama who mocked Mitt Romney in a debate for saying that Russia was the greatest threat to America?

            I seem to recall Barak “too clever by half” Obama saying something like, “The 80s called and want their foreign policy back”.

            In case you forgot …

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0IWe11RWOM

          19. how_it_works Avatar
            how_it_works

            Also funny that whatever Zoomer created that meme thinks that’s actually a phone from the 1980s.

          20. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            I mean my parents had one in the 90’s, but it was wall mounted. 🙂

            Just an FYI, don’t spray bakelite with brake cleaner, it’ll disintegrate.

          21. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            I mean my parents had one in the 90’s, but it was wall mounted. 🙂

            Just an FYI, don’t spray bakelite with brake cleaner, it’ll disintegrate.

          22. how_it_works Avatar
            how_it_works

            Brake cleaner will also destroy polycarbonate, so don’t use it to clean your CDs, DVDs, or eyeglasses.

          23. DJRippert Avatar

            Just today …..

            SEC. BLINKEN: “The U.S. and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza, and them alone.”

            “If Hamas — in any way — blocks humanitarian assistance from reaching civilians, including by seizing the aid itself, we’ll be the first to condemn it.”

            Hamas was elected in 2006. They are the government of Gaza.

            The aid will be diverted and sold. The proceeds will be used to buy more weapons.

            And anybody who thinks that all the money, weapons and aid we are sending to Ukraine is being used for its intended purposes is obviously somebody who has never been to Ukraine.

            When it comes to corruption, Ukrainians are very Russian indeed.

  5. Thomas Dixon Avatar
    Thomas Dixon

    Masks exposed much more than they hid. Unfortunately they still do.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Only if you wore a catcher’s cup inside it.

  6. Not Today Avatar

    You know what else happened yesterday? https://apnews.com/article/muslim-boy-killed-chicago-landlord-will-county-5135dea218326d6e639a996564d9369e

    Cover/no cover, mask/no mask. Hate lives in hearts and minds. Hate is a public safety issue.

    1. Joseph Czuba should get the death penalty.

      1. how_it_works Avatar
        how_it_works

        He won’t, because Illinois, like Virginia, has abolished the death penalty.

        1. I know.

          My “should” comment still stands, however.

      2. Cases like this are why I am not 100% opposed to the death penalty.

  7. walter smith Avatar
    walter smith

    18.2-422
    Live it. Love it. Enforce it.

  8. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    “They’re wearing masks to hide their identities. Just like bank robbers, looters, burglars and others who are up to no good.”

    And here I thought these guys were just tourists… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/78ec630f23c87f649aafc6fe3d962e7143a127a892300a3dd54fa9f2503a10d4.jpg

    1. how_it_works Avatar
      how_it_works

      The hipster glasses on the one on the right is a dead give-away.

    2. LarrytheG Avatar

      pretty obvious that’s Antifa masquerading as Proud Boys, eh?

      😉

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        There were hundreds of AntiFa at the Trump rally in Iowa. They were all wearing MAGA hats just like on J6.

  9. Teddy007 Avatar

    The conservatives response to covid-19 and a world wide pandemic shows by no chronic problem or issue can be dealt with with government policy or laws. Conservatives have such a small attention span that either a issue can to be dealt with within 90 days (or less) or the issue must be ignored. That is why structural budget issue, highways, education, entitlements cannot be dealt with by political means.

  10. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    Kerry will really be freaked out on Oct. 31.

    1. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      That is excluded from the statute.
      Surely you do not object to the statute, do you?
      Under Leftist orthodoxy, then I could call you a Klan supporter and I am pretty sure you are not.
      The statute has a purpose. A good purpose. And it is time to enforce it.

    2. DJRippert Avatar

      Ha ha. Very good!

      1. DJRippert Avatar

        She probably ought to avoid attending any welding demonstrations, too.

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Doh! I just got that! Only 7 hours.

  11. Concern for Palestinians? I’m not seeing it.

    There’s only one way to ensure the maximum protection and availability of aid for Palestinian civilians living in Gaza – to evacuate them from the war zone to the Sinai.

    But Blinken checked with Hamas Lite (Palestinian Authority), and immediately dismissed it. No push back for those who reject a plan that could actually work.

    Palestinians have been used as cannon fodder by Hamas, PA and neighboring Arab states since the 1960s.

    1. Lefty665 Avatar

      They had 2 decades to learn it from the Israelis in the late 1940s. Remember too that Hamas was an Israeli creation.

  12. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    In other health news elsewhere for reasonable persons…
    “ In the latest sign of growing frustration among professionals, doctors employed by a large nonprofit health care system in Minnesota and Wisconsin have voted to unionize.

    The doctors, roughly 400 primary and urgent-care providers across more than 50 clinics operated by the Allina Health System, appear to be the largest group of unionized private-sector physicians in the United States.”

  13. Lefty665 Avatar

    Some of us with respiratory issues are covid fragile, flu, pneumonia, RSV, and colds too. I’ll keep wearing a n95 mask in crowds, it is likely to provide at least some protection.

    I’ve never cared enough about something to demonstrate that I wasn’t willing to be identified with. On the off chance I demonstrate I’ll wear a name tag in big print along with my mask.

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