North Carolina Senate Passes Law to Ban Wearing Mask in Public for Health Reasons

Here’s an overview of the situation as of May 16. You can also look at the summary of the bill itself, which says:

Under Article 4A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, Prohibited Secret Societies and Activities, it is generally a crime for an individual to wear a mask in public. However, under G.S. 14-12.11(a)(6), an individual can wear a mask in public for the physical health or safety of the wearer or others. If an individual wears a mask in public for health or safety reasons, a law enforcement officer can require the individual to remove the mask during traffic stops and criminal investigations when the officer has reasonable suspicion or probable cause.

Section 1 of the PCS would repeal G.S. 14-12.11(a)(6), and individuals would no longer be able to wear masks in public for health or safety reasons.

Some legislators proposed amendments which would continue to allow masking in public for physical health reasons. The legislature voted down those amendments.

A sponsor of the bill, Senator Newton, said “I would like to meet the law enforcement officer or the DA that wants to prosecute granny for wearing a mask in the Walmart. Unless she got arrested sticking steaks in her bag and trying to conceal her identity — then I could see it happening — and that’s what this bill is designed to address.”

Um, if he doesn’t want law enforcement officers or district attorneys to prosecute grannies for wearing masks in Walmart, then why does he support a bill that makes it illegal for granny to wear a mask in Walmart? If he only wanted it to be illegal for people to wear masks when they’re in the middle of criminal acts, he would’ve written it that way. He designed it the way he did, which means that’s his intention.

I can imagine a white law enforcement officer forcing a Black granny unmask in Walmart as an expression of racial prejudice. And under this law, that would be legal.

The Mistborn Trilogy Got Me

Yes, I know I’m late. I finally got around to reading Brandon Sanderson’s popular Mistborn trilogy.

I’ve had the books for a while, but you all know how books can sit for a long time unread.

The impetus was that I was going to visit Sanderson’s hometown, Lincoln, Nebraska. That got me to pack Mistborn for my recent trip.

I’d actually started reading it some time last year and lost interest. But I tried it again, when I was stuck with few other books to read (specifically, at Enchanted Rock, when I was alone at the campground because they only accept tents and my relatives were staying in an RV). It took me a while to get into it, but when it hooked me, it really hooked me.

Lack of Air Cleaning Ruined Train Travel

The train goes on a curved track through a snowy forest in Colorado

Before the pandemic, I loved train rides, including Amtrak’s long-distance routes. One of my favorite parts was meeting people from various walks of life on Amtrak, especially in the observation lounge.

I got a troublesome respiratory infection in the summer of 2018. I can’t prove it came from Amtrak, but it’s by far the most likely source, since that’s where I was in close quarters with many people for hours prior to my symptoms.

Amtrak claims to have great ventilation and filtration. But I’ve never seen the specs for their air cleaning system. And evidence from some Amtrak passengers suggests that the ventilation ain’t that great.