Herald – Tribune: Against the urging of medical experts, city of Sarasota eliminates mask mandate.
SARASOTA – Going against the urging of four medical doctors and other local health experts, the majority of Sarasota city commissioners have agreed to eliminate the city’s mandatory mask ordinance.
The mandate for face coverings in public, put in place last July, was largely rendered symbolic in September after Gov. Ron DeSantis cut local governments’ ability to enforce it.
Those in the majority on the City Commission felt that masks were too “burdensome” for residents and businesses, and because the city could not punish those who did not comply, what was the point in keeping the mandate in place? Besides, people are just going to do what they want, they contended.
“This was one of those ordinances that was done as a public spectacle,” said Vice Mayor Erik Arroyo. “People don’t really respect us as a commission for us trying to regulate every single little thing. It might make us feel good about passing it, but it just doesn’t work, and I think we need to stop this now.”
Because the mandatory mask ordinance was an emergency order, the commission needed four affirmative votes. Arroyo, Mayor Hagen Brody and Commissioner Kyle Battie all voted against extending the ordinance for 60 days. Commissioners Liz Alpert and Jen Ahearn-Koch voted for the extension. The mandatory order will expire Feb. 25.
Similar to Sarasota County, the city will draft a resolution that would encourage residents to wear face coverings. That decision passed 5-0. more
Hell yes!
NEXT NRA Convention site! 😀
I urge Liz and Jen not only to continue to wear their masks, but two wear at least three of them and one has to be a whole-head mask. Oh, yeah, and eye holes would be cheating!
I live in Sarasota County, but not in the city proper. Even the local Walmarts don’t enforce their “masks required” signage. When I go to the Publix grocery store I do wear one, though, because I live in a neighborhood full of old and timid people and I wouldn’t want to be the one to make them apoplectic and stroke out in the checkout line. It would tend to slow things down, I imagine.
A virus that for most people has a 99%+ survival rate should not require masks.
Send the unused masks to San Francisco so the street shitters can wipe their asses.
We ventured out today to my old hometown, went to eat at an old restaurant I ate at all the time when I was a teenager. My old hometown is ran by a bunch of leftist idiots and has a mask mandate.
To backup a sec, my husband had went by my sister’s house to help her out with something as he was out working this morning and then we met for lunch. I didn’t go to my sister’s because her and her husband are idiots terrified of the virus. He said they stayed outside 10 feet away from him in their masks. BTW they’ve both have had two rounds of shots.
Now he beat me to the restaurant and I saw the sign on the door that said city mask mandate, you must wear a mask to enter, then some dipshit had written on the sign in black marker, “that means you!” I walked in without a mask and had to walk past several tables to get to the back of the restaurant. People were looking at me like I had the plague, while they all sat there without masks on. So I had even more fun and purposely coughed into my hand and saw some literally jump away. lol People are idiots, walk in with a mask, sit down take off mask and they’re safe unless someone like me walks by without a mask then they’re not safe, but are safe from the table across from them because those people are sitting down.
Then we went to the farm store after lunch, they had the same city made sign on their door, someone had wrote on it as well in magic marker, except it was much funnier, it said, “only applies to sheep!” Outside of the employees I saw nobody wearing a mask.
In the restaurant it was 80% under 40 and 20% over 50, although there was an old man and woman who looked to be in their 70’s who came in with a mask, sat down at a booth in between two other booths with people sitting at them and took off their masks, cause you know it doesn’t spread while sitting. Farm store was totally opposite.
Something else I did see in the restaurant was Grandma, Daughter and baby Grandson who looked to be about 9 or 10 months old. Grandma held him without a mask, while masked mom put the high chair cover in the chair. Grandma put him in chair and masked mom leaned down and said something to him, his eyes got big and looked like he was terrified, puckering up to cry until she sat down and took it off and he saw her face. Then a young couple walks by masked and the terrified look came back. I felt sorry for the poor baby.
So they can have mask mandates until the cows come home and it doesn’t mean businesses will enforce it or that they will ever get everyone to comply.
I stopped wearing masks. If a business objects, I walk out. When a Karen confronts me I reply “My body, my choice” . That usually pisses them off.