On Saturday, approximately 100 protesters convened outside the Capitol in Boise, Idaho, for an anti-mask rally. While no arrests were made and the organizers had obtained permits, a particular incident raised concerns among Idaho State Police and sparked reactions on social media. During the event, a fire was lit, and parents were seen encouraging their children to throw face masks into the flames. This protest comes on the heels of public health experts reiterating the critical need for mask-wearing.
Footage shared on Twitter displayed children tossing seemingly new masks into the fire as adults cheered them on. “Destroy them. They’re death,” one child was heard exclaiming. “Not all at once!” shouted a man as kids excitedly grabbed masks in handfuls to feed the fire. “Smell the freedom, baby,” another adult remarked. Epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding tweeted, “Parents teaching their kids to burn masks in Idaho is peak 2021 right now… SMH.”
The “Burn The Mask” rally, which attracted around 150 participants, aimed to challenge local mask mandates, which some demonstrators argued infringed on their personal liberties. In Idaho, while the governor has not imposed a statewide mask mandate, certain counties and cities, including Boise, have established their own mandates. Although the rally is under investigation for igniting a fire, reports indicate that some politicians not only knew about the burn barrels but also encouraged attendees to bring masks or printed proclamations and executive orders to incinerate.
“It should be great,” stated state representative, Rep. Liz Turner. “So far, I think there are about 50 burn barrels set up around the state for people to get involved.” In contrast, Congressman James Brooks from California tweeted, “Dear mask-burning folks in Idaho: Rejecting science is not anti-elite; it’s just plain stupid. Masks help prevent the spread of the virus and save lives. You are putting your family at increased risk.”
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report demonstrating that wearing masks correlates with a reduction in COVID-19 infections and related deaths in the U.S. “Mandating masks was associated with a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation,” the CDC stated in their March 5 report. They also found that allowing indoor dining at restaurants led to a rise in daily COVID-19 cases.
“I know the idea of relaxing mask-wearing and getting back to everyday activities is appealing, but we’re not there yet,” said CDC director Rochelle P. Walensky during a recent briefing. She urged the public to “double down” on prevention measures. “We have seen this movie before. When prevention measures, like mask mandates, are rolled back, cases go up,” Walensky warned, emphasizing that continuing to wear masks and following public health recommendations is crucial as vaccination efforts advance.
In summary, the rally in Idaho highlighted the tension between individual freedoms and public health recommendations, with parents actively encouraging their children to partake in mask burning—a stark contrast to the ongoing calls from health experts for continued mask usage to combat the pandemic.
Keyphrase: Idaho mask burning rally
Tags:
- home insemination kit
- home insemination syringe
- self insemination