By Rit Carter
In January, before the gravity of the coronavirus virus was known, the public was only asked to wash their hands, stay six feet apart, and avoid large gatherings.
In late February, the U.S. Surgeon General stated that masks do not benefit the average citizen.
Cases surged, the death toll increased, and doctors and scientists learned additional tactics to combat the virus.
By April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Americans wear cloth face coverings as a voluntary public health measure.
Why the change? The science on COVID-19 is continually evolving, much like humans who, at one time, did not speak, ate without utensils, and lived in caves.
Of these coronavirus specific changes, mask wearing, initially met with resistance by a small vocal group, has increasingly attracted larger numbers, and of these many who claim it infringes upon their rights and freedoms.
A cloth mask weighs five ounces and measures roughly 4 x 7 inches.
They are annoying, an inconvenience, and although not a cure, they greatly enhance protection.
They are also one other thing: a flashpoint that is dividing a tired nation.
The inconvenience of a mask is a small and straightforward sacrifice. Unfortunately, we are not one for sacrifices, having become an embittered lot.
The last time Americans made significant sacrifices was World War II.
In April of 1942, following our European allies’ lead, the United States established rationing boards that issued Food Ration stamps and cards.
The Bristol Rationing Board, with attorney Joseph M. Donovan as chairman, began in May 1942. Vital supplies such as gasoline, butter, sugar, meats, cheese, and canned milk were rationed for the war effort.
The government implemented blackout rules, making it difficult for enemy bombers to locate potential targets. Households were mandated to turn off all lights and cover their windows with blackout curtains.
Dimouts commenced in Bristol on Nov. 30, 1942, which consisted of eliminating all unnecessary lighting equipment by taping over the lights or painting the upper half of motor vehicles’ headlights.
There were also air raid drills (beginning in Bristol on March 3, 1942) and airplane spotters at Jennings School. My grandmother was a spotter.
The federal government even banned pleasure driving.
But the hardships and inconveniences did not end there.
There was a paper shortage that affected Bristol schools and the library. Businesses had to obtain permits to purchase typewriters.
Traffic problems arose due to the convoys of military trucks going through Bristol on Route 6. Establishing roadblocks and traffic detours became routine.
High school graduates went to war, couples delayed marriage and having children.
However, there were no more significant sacrifices than the 4,742 Bristol residents who went off to war and the 139 that never came back, making the ultimate sacrifice.
In this world war against COVID-19, all we are being asked to do is frequently wash our hands, remain socially distanced, and wear masks.
That is it: no war bonds to buy, no patriotic songs to sing, and no one is being trained for battle and deployed overseas. As a result, is wearing a mask a sacrifice, an inconvenience, or an infringement on our rights?
Apparently, it depends on who you ask.
