The John Adams Society

Christopher T. Wolff

Chairman

John p. Augustine

Secretary

G. Larry Colson Jr.

Chief Whip

Marina Wolff

Chancellor

October 15, 2020
Location: Burger Moe's, Saint Paul

". . . one of the last things we’ll do is lose the masks[mandate]."

- Gov. Tim Walz, 9/23/20 (when asked by a KARE-11 reporter to give a timeline for removing the mandate)

ONE SURE SIGN that a claim is suspect is the energy devoted to silencing any questioning of it. Tech companies are deliberately suppressing internet search results for statements made earlier this year by health authorities advising against the general public using masks to prevent viral disease transmission. Wildly inaccurate models used to support mask mandates and other restrictions on people’s actions are withheld from inspection by the general public, lest non-experts cause confusion with “incorrect” interpretations. Many states and countries that have imposed mask mandates have seen no reduction in the rate of confirmed COVID cases. Governments that buck conventional elite wisdom and accept there will be transmission on the way to herd immunity, as Sweden has done, are either shamed or ignored by the mainstream media, despite not having a higher casualty rate than those with restrictions. Just as Anthony Fauci and others were invested a few decades ago in the myth that “AIDS doesn’t discriminate” to create a false sense of equally shared risk among people with different behaviors, we hear the “all in this together” myth pushed today to justify restrictions on nearly all people, even though there is only a small segment of the population at significant risk from COVID-19.

Broad restrictions have societal costs that may outweigh the benefits. Masks have been used for hundreds of years on festive occasions such as Halloween, in theatrical or escapist entertainment, or simply to encourage mingling by disguising identity and blurring social stature. But when masks are ubiquitous, ever-present, and mandatory, real communication and interaction among people is compromised, with adverse impacts on the mental health of individuals and the learning environments of students. There are physical risks associated with constant mask use, especially for people with breathing problems or with eyeglasses that are fogged up by masks. One should also not underestimate the societal harm of unchecked anonymity in aiding criminal and other antisocial behavior.

ON THE OTHER HAND, the epidemiologists and top officials from the Centers for Disease Control have lately been sending a consistent message on the preventive value of masks, particularly when people are in close proximity to others in an indoor environment. Even though COVID molecules are small enough to pass through a mask, the CDC claims they often travel on droplets which masks can help repel. While not posing much risk to most of the population, we have learned that COVID-19 thrives in many types of weather and is easily transmissible. Furthermore, if the government is legally enforcing mask requirements, a responsible person should show consideration to law enforcement and concerned fellow citizens by observing the requirements, even if one decides to protest their existence.

THE CHAIRMAN, who proved, by his actions at the last debate, his willingness to give us a good scare, has called a debate to settle the topic:

RESOLVED: Masks Are for Halloween!

The Debate will be Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 at Burger Moe’s, 242 7th St. W., St. Paul MN 55102.

The Chancellor will preside over drinks beginning at seven o’clock p.m. and joins the Chairman in encouraging people to arrive early and thank our host venue by spending money while partaking of food and drink. The debate will begin at half past seven. Please be responsible and follow current government edicts, as we need to project law-abiding conduct, lest the regulators get too interested in our social gathering. There is no dress code; however, gentlemen who wish to speak must wear a tie; ladies are encouraged to adhere to a similar sartorial standard. For those gentlemen arriving sans tie yet wishing to discourse on the resolution, the Purveyor of Ties will keep on hand several remarkable selections.

Questions regarding debate caucus procedures or about the John Adams Society itself may be directed to the Chairman at (651) 494-9008 or the Secretary at (651) 398-9316.