45 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
45 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: "Respect Problem"
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date: 2021-03-04T23:10:58-06:00
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draft: false
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---
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America has a respect problem. Well, specifically Texas has a respect problem.
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People respect others too much. You see, there is too much respect going around
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right now, and I won't contribute to it.
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This week Governor Abbott announced that he's going to be rescinding the mask
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mandate he has had in place since last summer. Texas ranks last in distribution
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of the current COVID-19 vaccines. Yes, the vaccine infections have been falling
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lately, but they've fallen before only to rise again when we've reduced our
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vigilence. And, since the announcement, social media has been flooded by people
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saying they're going to respect others who both choose to wear and choose to not
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wear a mask when phsyical distancing is not possible. And they've been calling
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on others to choose to respect people for their choice of whether to wear a mask
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or not as well.
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This is a problem, and it conflates what respect is. You see, respecting another
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person comes in two main flavors. There is respect that is given - respect that
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another person is human and has certain inalienable rights. This respect is due
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to everyone, always. But there's another type of respect, and that is the type
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that is earned. This is respect because you've seen that someone is particularly
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talented, athletic, hard working, wise, compassionate, and so forth. This is the
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type of respect that salutes someone for the choices they make and the decisions
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they follow. And this is the type of respect that is being offered and coerced
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from others during this transition from government mask mandates to personal
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choice.
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But the problem is, if you elect not to wear a mask when physical distance and
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barriers are not possible between you and other people, then you are profoundly
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lacking in behavior worthy of respect. You've shown that there is something
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profoundly missing in you. It might be your judgment and wisdom, it might be how
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well informed you are, it might be your compassion, or it might be something
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else. But, whatever it is, it is demonstrably lacking by your inability to make
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the right choice and wear a mask. My respect for the choice you make must be
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earned. And, if you choose to not wear the mask, then you have not earned that
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respect. To paraphrase Nick Fury, "I recognize that [you have] made a decision,
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but given that it's a stupid-ass decision I have elected to" disparage it.
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So no, if you choose to stop wearing a mask because the governor has lifted his
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mandate, then I will not respect your choice. I won't contribute to the problem
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we have with respect in America.
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