It’s one thing for wrestlers like Low Ki or Austin Aries to say stupid anti-mask things while the coronavirus pandemic is spinning out of control in the United States of America, but it’s quite another thing when politicians make poor health decisions with their votes.
That’s what happened when Glenn Jacobs, aka Mayor Kane of Knox County, Tennessee, was the only person on the board of health who voted against a mandate for masks to be worn inside certain buildings.
BREAKING: Knox County Board of Health votes 7-1 to mandate a mask ordinance for anyone inside certain buildings.
— Zack Rickens (@ZackRickensTV) July 1, 2020
Mayor Jacobs is the only nay.
Board will re-evaluate the order at its next meeting.
Perhaps Kane will defend the vote on the basis of mask requirements representing too much government intervention into people’s lives. I get that to some extent, but this is not the appropriate time for political ideology to dominate a public health crisis. It’s frustrating that common sense and doing what’s best for public health is not the number one priority considering the unprecedented situation we are in.
The coronavirus numbers are getting worse by the day, and that’s partially because too many people are not behaving in a socially responsible manner. This isn’t a case where one person’s bad health decision has no effect on outside parties. Just like smoking is prohibited in most indoor public settings because it negatively impacts the health of others, the choice to not wear a mask in certain settings will spread COVID-19 and make others sick. Masks should clearly be required in these places right now.
By all accounts Kane is a very smart guy. But actions speak louder than words, and Kane’s action here goes against what all the public health officials are advocating, as indicated by the 7-1 vote, where Kane was the only vote against a mask mandate.