If this plan is implemented, it will be the most proactive measure taken by the US government on the issue of wearing masks since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic. However, the most ironic part lies in this. As the country with the most serious new crown epidemic in the world and the death toll has exceeded 470,000, even one year after the outbreak, it is difficult to implement even the most basic protective measures such as wearing a mask. What exactly is this for?
Is it because of cultural differences?
Many people believe that there are differences in mask culture. According to a sociological study by City College, University of London, there is a fear of masks in Western culture, so when someone in the crowd wears a mask, they are vulnerable to discrimination. But is this really the case?
European countries with the same western culture have obviously different attitudes towards masks. After the outbreak, France and the United Kingdom successively issued "mask injunctions." The Italian and Spanish governments also quickly issued clear guidelines and policies, which quickly made people accustomed to wearing masks. According to photos taken during the pandemic in 1918, it was also very common to wear masks in the United States at that time.
Therefore, the explanation of cultural differences is obviously too far-fetched. In fact, looking back from the beginning of the epidemic to the present, the disputes surrounding masks also reflect the current serious internal friction and tearing in American society.
At the beginning of the outbreak, "anti-masks" became the mainstream
In the early stages of the epidemic, Trump, as the President of the United States, was undoubtedly the most critical figure in promoting the concept of "anti-mask". He believes that wearing a mask during the epidemic is a symbol of "vulnerability" and has repeatedly accused people of overreacting to the epidemic. Whether it is in a severe epidemic and crowded occasions, or in a campaign rally attended by tens of thousands of people, Trump does his own way and refuses to wear a mask.
According to a piece of information, in April 2020, the US Federal Department of Health and Human Services proposed to the government to send 5 reusable cloth masks to each residential address. However, it was quickly rejected by Trump on the grounds that "doing so will cause unnecessary social panic" and "will trigger the panic buying of masks" and so on.
At the same time, Trump also labelled people wearing masks as [politically incorrect". He once said that some Americans now wear masks not to protect against the new crown virus, but to inform Trump himself and the US government. Express dissatisfaction. And he also put forward some strange theories: "People have big problems with wearing masks. People wear masks but remove them with their hands, rub their eyes and touch their noses. This has led to people not being infected with the new crown virus. Know how I got infected."
In addition to Trump, the mainstream media and even government departments in the United States are also contributing to Trump's arguments.
CNN stated in a report released on January 31, 2020 that it is recommended not to wear a mask unless you are sick or caring for a patient. The Forbes website also published an article on February 29, 2020: No, you don`t need to wear a mask to fight the virus, they will even increase your risk of infection.
In March 2020, the protection provided by the U.S. government to the American public clearly stated that healthy people are not recommended to wear masks to protect against diseases caused by respiratory viruses.
Therefore, under the propaganda of the president, the media, and the government, people generally resist wearing masks, and there have even been many incidents of Chinese and even Asian students being beaten and insulted because of wearing masks.
The spread of the epidemic has accelerated, and American society`s attitude towards masks has begun to change
After April 2020, as the epidemic became more and more serious, the attitude of all walks of life in the American society towards wearing masks began to gradually change.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a protective recommendation on April 4, 2020, recommending that Americans wear cloth masks to prevent the spread of the virus. At the same time, the CDC has also launched a tutorial on self-made masks on the website.
At the same time, poll data also show that 75% of Americans disagree with Trump's handling of the epidemic. The Trump administration's support rate has also been declining. In March 2020, Trump's support rate was as high as 51%, and by July 2020, it was only 40%.
Under pressure, Trump finally changed his attitude. He tweeted on July 20, 2020, saying, "When you can't maintain social distance from others, wearing a mask is patriotic." The next day, he tweeted again, saying "you should wear a mask when you can't maintain social distancing."
Despite this, the American society`s attitude towards masks has not reached a consensus, but still shows a phenomenon of partisan division. The survey shows that 89% of Democrats support mandatory wearing of masks in public places, while only 58% of Republicans support it.
In addition to differences in political positions, the issue of masks has also led to a typical "American" difference in values-public safety or personal freedom is important? Many opponents believe that the mandatory requirement to wear masks violates their citizenship rights. This led to controversy, fights and even gun battles in many places, and one person died in the conflict that occurred in Los Angeles. In May 2020, a security guard at Family Dollar in Michigan was shot dead for refusing access to customers who did not wear masks. Disputes have also emerged between local governments. The governor of Georgia once sued the mayor of Atlanta for a "compulsory mask order."
Biden pushed the "mask injunction", but it was frequently blocked
After Biden became the President of the United States, although a number of measures have been taken to promote the implementation of the epidemic prevention work, including the "mask injunction", the opposition still cannot be quelled.
On the one hand, officials in the local government continue to try to prevent the implementation of the "mask injunction"; the Wisconsin state legislature plans to vote this week to try to overturn the state's "mask injunction." In Indiana, there are also a large number of lawmakers who opposed the "mask extension order" announced by the state and questioned the effectiveness of masks. Florida and Georgia even prohibit subordinate cities and counties from implementing "mask injunctions."
On the other hand, a large number of Americans still strongly resist masks. A few days ago, a group of anti-mask people gathered in front of the Dodge Stadium in Los Angeles County, California, one of the largest new coronavirus testing centers in the United States, interfering with the vaccination work, resulting in the testing center being forced to close. On Sunday, local time, anti-mask protests also took place in New York City and Kennewick, Washington. Participants believed that the epidemic was not as serious as the government claimed.
Therefore, the Biden administration had to consider the "mass distribution of masks" measures to increase the popularity of masks among the American people.
Biden's small abacus: Use the mask issue to further liquidate Trump
In fact, the Biden administration also has a lot of political considerations on the issue of masks. After the Biden administration took office, it took a series of actions contrary to Trump's policies and assumed a clear political posture of fully liquidating Trump. Since poor response to the epidemic was the decisive factor in Trump's final defeat, it is time to make a big fuss about masks and completely reverse the "political correctness" of not wearing masks during Trump's period, and it will also help to further improve Trump. Liquidation.
However, if the mask issue continues to be tied to politics, it is easy to complicate and politicize the originally simple issue of epidemic prevention. Therefore, many people are not optimistic about the measures taken by the Biden administration to "mass masks".
Many sociologists also pointed out that the vast majority of Americans who refuse to wear masks are not because they cannot buy masks, but a [political choice". Some people are further worried that the Biden administration`s measures on the mask issue may be too radical. It aroused the rebellious psychology of Trump supporters and caused even greater conflicts.
It seems that as American society continues to tear apart, disputes surrounding the small masks will continue. At the same time, people die from the new crown virus every minute in the United States. This is a huge irony and tragedy.