Don’t be a Rapert and Gohmert

By Alex P. Vidal

 

“Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the fact that someone is above him. He thinks this lowers his position.”—Ezra Taft Benson

 

EXCEPT for my two housemates, almost all New Yorkers I met in the streets every day have been consistently wearing the masks.

Their obedience and discipline have helped New York State quickly overcome the ugly reputation as the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epicenter of the world in March, April, and May 2020.

Like them, I will never question the authority of health experts who adhere to the scientific evidence that the only way to stop the spread of coronavirus is to wear a mask in public.

As long as there is a pandemic, I will continue to cooperate and abide by the guidelines, the rules and regulations on the mandatory wearing of a mask in public places.

I am aware that we are being asked to wear a mask because there is a pandemic, not because of anything else.

I am not a tig-a ulo (hardheaded) like some defiant characters we know here, there, and everywhere.

We are not being coerced to do the bidding of authoritarian rulers.

This is about a public health issue, the safety of everyone as the COVID-19 attempts to decimate a big bulk of the world population—unless a vaccine will be discovered soon and stop the virus in its track.

Plain and simple common sense and showing that we belong.

 

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But my two housemates, an elderly woman and a young man, both firm believers of conspiracy theory, have refused to wear a mask.

As they rejected the opinion of health experts that it is almost 100 percent sure the coronavirus won’t transfer from another person if we wear a mask, they went ballistic even before being reprimanded by people in the streets who think they exhibited a tinge of arrogance and recalcitrant behavior.

They love President Donald Trump so much and because the president does not wear a mask, it bolsters their belief that the COVID-19 is a hoax.

That the COVID-19 “drama” is being used as a political weapon by the Democrats to destroy Republican President Trump, who is seeking reelection in November against presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joseph Biden.

They went to the extent of arguing, using an absurd assertion, that the COVID-19 was “intentionally” created “on instructions of former President Barrack Obama.” Tra la la.

 

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We caution them not to suffer the fates of Arkansas Republican Governor Jason Rapert and Texas Republican Rep.  Louie Gohmert, two hardline anti-mask wearing Republic politicians who have been strongly advocating against the mandatory use of masks in public.

Refusing to wear a mask while walking through the halls of Congress and attending high-profile hearings with members of the White House administration, Gohmert reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.

Gohmert just attended a congressional hearing with Attorney General William Barr on July 28, reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus while being screened during a White House procedure on July 29 morning.

Rapert, who unsuccessfully introduced a bill to ban gay marriage in the US in 2017, was hospitalized with coronavirus and pneumonia on July 24.

 

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As many states were beginning to take social distancing measures to attempt to control the spread of the virus, Rapert shared an article on Facebook that called the pandemic the “biggest political hoax in history”.

He has been critical of policies taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 in various social media posts over the last few months and was filmed last week not wearing a face mask at a church service, according to Raw Story.

Meanwhile, for taking off their masks, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler scolded Republicans at the hearing—an issue that has sowed controversy on Capitol Hill, with several members of the GOP refusing to wear face coverings while on the job.

A growing list of Republican lawmakers have meanwhile tested positive for Covid-19, including Tennessee Senator Rand Paul, South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice, Florida Rep Mario Diaz Balart and several others.

Damu gid man tig- a ulo.

 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)