So, there seems to be two types of people lurking on social media that are really pissing me (and every bar and restaurant owner/manager) off during this pandemic.
TYPE A: The Anti-Masker/Lax-Masker. This is the person who likes to show up at a place of business without their mask on and repeatedly look shocked, hassled, or insulted when management asks them to put on their mask. Also in this category is the person who wears their mask initially but then continually forgets it or disregards putting it back on or wearing it properly when they go to the bathroom or move around a business's customer area (whether that be a tent, an uncovered seating area, or inside to use the restrooms). C'mon folks! We're living in a strange new world now. It's easy to forget yourself, but there's no reason to get all defensive and verbally abusive when the staff or management of a business tells you/reminds you that you need to wear a mask. If it's too mentally and emotionally taxing for you to wear -or remember to wear- your mask when you're at a bar/restaurant, get your food and drinks to-go and stay home. Please. Don't show up at a bar/restaurant looking for a fight and loudly proclaiming how your American liberties are being trampled upon. Businesses are just trying to follow the rules so that they can continue to stay open, continue to scrape by, continue to keep their employees earning money. This is NOT an ideal situation for ANY business (except maybe tent rentals). There are endless crazy hoops to jump through just to be in compliance. These people are stressed trying to keeping their customers safe and happy while keeping their employees employed. If you can't or won't wear a mask -and wear it properly- STAY HOME.
TYPE B: The Overnight, Facebook-Certified CDC Infectious Disease Expert. This individual is the end-all, be-all expert on how everyone else should be behaving during this pandemic. They like to call out people and businesses for improper mask use and improper social distancing. 99.9% of the time, their criticism is in the form of a Facebook post or an email to the management after the fact; hours or days after they became alarmed at something they saw or experienced. Here's the kicker: a large number of these "Virus Police" are complaining about a situation they saw in a picture or video posted on social media. In other words, they weren't even physically present when this alleged violation occurred. They were, no doubt, safe and snug in their home and, at no time, were they personally in any danger. There are also those who go out to a bar/restuarant and witness a situation they feel is unsafe or against the state's/county's mandates. BUT, instead of speaking up right then and there and alerting management to the situation, they complain later, after they leave, by either firing off a nasty email to the business, going online and berating the business, or calling the health department and reporting the business. They also like to judge and berate their friends and family for doing things that are "unsafe" according to them.
Here's the thing; every one of us -either consciously or subconsciously- has performed our own personal "risk assessment" when it comes to this virus and what we feel safe doing and participating in. Some folks are pretty much sheltered in place and have most of their food and supplies delivered to their door. Others are willing to go out in public but they wear a mask and gloves at all times -even while walking/biking/running/driving alone. There is nothing wrong with those types of behaviors. There is no need to judge those types of behaviors. The bottom line, as far as I'm concerned, is 'you do you' as long what you're doing doesn't make ME feel unsafe or more at risk of catching this virus. If I do something that makes you feel in danger, it's your job to politely and quickly let me know. Likewise, if you're at a local business and you witness something that you feel puts you at an increased risk, it's your job to quickly and politely alert an employee or manager about it so that the situation can be corrected. There are two keys here: (1) You (or a family member/loved one) need to be physically present and personally at risk while this unsafe behavior is going on and (2) You need to promptly alert an employee/manager if this behavior/situation is happening at a place of business. If you can't have the decency to FIRST alert a manager or employee of an unsafe situation and give them the opportunity to correct it, you have no right to trash-talk them online or file anonymous reports with the health department. If you're just an at-home spectator to what you feel is questionable behavior or at-risk situations, do me a favor... kindly MIND YOUR OWN DAMNED BUSINESS. You, personally, are not at risk. Go find yourself a new hobby. Maybe sanitize your sock drawer or something.
It's crazy for anyone to think that any business currently open and serving the public right now isn't already doing everything within their power to provide a safe environment for their customers and avoid being shut down or fined. You've heard it many times throughout the last few months: "We're in this together" -and it's true. We're all human and we all fall short of perfection every single day. Cut your fellow human being some slack. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Try to help instead of hinder. Help build things up instead of tearing them down. Again, stop judging. You do you, I'll do me. And as long as I'm not directly hurting you in the process, leave me out of your judgement box. Everyone is already doing what they feel will keep them safe and healthy during this pandemic. Everyone has varying degrees of risks that they're willing to assume. Some may seem downright stupid to you or me, but as long as they are not directly impacting your well being, LET IT GO.
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