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Why has the wearing of masks as a means of coping with the coronavirus become more politicized in the U.S. than in any other country?

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I read pretty much most of the medical journals published on this virus.

Yeah? Well, that’s, y’know, that’s just like...er...your opinion, man.

LOL!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Politics aside it's hard to get man children to do anything they don't want,as witnessed right here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

????? Foreigners were not able to leave Japan since April until last month and be able to return. It still remains difficult to leave and return.

Hmmm

"Face masks are almost universally worn in public, especially in urban areas, indoors and on public transportation. U.S. citizens should be aware that failure to adhere to mask-wearing norms reflects poorly on foreign residents."

Interesting.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

since your family is Japan based, does your Japanese wife and daughters wear masks has most Japanese do. You haven't left the country since the start of the pandemic.

“Sometimes” to your first question and and yes, I have on the second one.

Yes, we should listen one to scientists who make us feel comfortable, who tell us what we want to hear

Feel comfortable? Not about what I want the scientist to say, I just don’t believe everything revolves around Fauci exclusively.

You are doing an uncanny impression of a person who doesn’t know any scientist apart from Fauci

Well, that’s your opinion, I disagree.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

@bass

You are doing an uncanny impression of a person who doesn’t know any scientist apart from Fauci and cannot name a single medical journal dealing with this virus.

Uncanny.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It all depends on which scientists you believe or feel comfortable with

I pick the scientists I like

Yes, we should listen one to scientists who make us feel comfortable, who tell us what we want to hear

(rolls eyes).

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Which ones do you like? Why do you like them? 

Take your pick! I read pretty much most of the medical journals published on this virus.

>

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Also, don’t cherry pick scientists 

No, I pick the scientists I like

Which ones do you like? Why do you like them?

What scientific journals have your read

Enough.

Which ones?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Also, don’t cherry pick scientists

No, I pick the scientists I like or the consensus of the rational ones I feel that don’t have political agenda attached to this virus

who affirm what is on your rightwing hymn sheet. The last time I asked you for your sources which led you to your beliefs on coronavirus, you linked to an opinion piece in a tabloid. 

That was your opinion, as many scientists have various opinions

What scientific journals have your read

Enough.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

It all depends on which scientists you believe or feel comfortable with, not everyone trusts Fauci, you have multiple universal viewpoints when it comes to dealing with this virus and they all have their opinionated version of facts

Do you know what ‘consensus’ means?

Also, don’t cherry pick scientists who affirm what is on your rightwing hymn sheet. The last time I asked you for your sources which led you to your beliefs on coronavirus, you linked to an opinion piece in a tabloid.

What scientific journals have your read on this and which articles have you read which go against the views of the rightist hymn sheet you seem to be parroting?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Going with the consensus of scientists is about the best we’ve got. That doesn’t mean opinion pieces from tabloids, by the way.

It all depends on which scientists you believe or feel comfortable with, not everyone trusts Fauci, you have multiple universal viewpoints when it comes to dealing with this virus and they all have their opinionated version of facts.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

And I said, the so called smart ones (if you want to use that term) that are in charge of telling everyone to wear the thing are caught violating their own rules, so why would I then follow, let alone trust or believe them? Come on now man!

Idiots listen to politicians on matters like this, be it hypocritical leaders, conspiracy theorists or deranged crackpots talking about injecting disinfectant.

Going with the consensus of scientists is about the best we’ve got. That doesn’t mean opinion pieces from tabloids, by the way.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You are politicizing those that are dumb to be Republicans

No, more like Democrat leaders that THINK Republicans are not on to their political spiel.

I just expressed that 50% of people don't wear masks are dumb because they are uneducated,

And I said, the so called smart ones (if you want to use that term) that are in charge of telling everyone to wear the thing are caught violating their own rules, so why would I then follow, let alone trust or believe them? Come on now man!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Or, just a thought, it's because many are selfish and prefer to believe bizarre and baseless conspiracy theories.

Or they see their leaders preach to follow the rules they put out, but don’t follow their own rules like the hypocrites they are so known for.

Even more selfish are those who have a modicum of education, obscene wealth, privileged access to subsidised medicine and yet proudly proclaim their opposition to subsidised medicine and wearing a mask in public.

And this is why people across the country don’t trust what liberals Continuously try to push down everyone else’s throat. People don’t want to just listen to one side of the argument, people are tired of being lectured and ridiculed bye it wealthy class liberal media main stream pendants that on television nightly telling people that they are uneducated and that they don’t have the right to question authority and that their peers are better and smarter than them and as long as these powerful liberal elites conduct themselves in that matter, you will always have skepticism

Stupid is as stupid does. Trump is mighty stupid. Therefore the republican party that told people not to wear masks are murderers.

No, because if you go by that Trump did tell people they can make that decision for themselves and look how many people died in New York and in California and a mini of these blue states and people are still dying into wearing masks he got five Democrat governors that put people in nursing homes and he died and they were totally responsible for that. Gavin Newsom, Andrew Cuomo, Tom Wolfe, Phil Murphy, Gretchen Whitmore are all responsible they are the leader of their states and the people want their states to be opened and they are not listening to their own constituents and again this is the reason why people have their doubts they have been caught without a mask, so you can’t blame people for not wanting to wear the mask or at least skeptic about it

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Stupid is as stupid does. Trump is mighty stupid. Therefore the republican party that told people not to wear masks are murderers. Death rate in USA would be 50,000 today not 300,000 if HRC had won in 2016 instead of Trump.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Because the media says so.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@bass: You are politicizing those that are dumb to be Republicans

Freudian slip? That or projection?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@bass: You are politicizing those that are dumb to be Republicans and I never once said that. I just expressed that 50% of people don't wear masks are dumb because they are uneducated, and that has nothing to do with a a party they may belong to.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Aplogies, meant to add; it makes one wonder what all these brave medics died for.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

it’s no wonder they don’t trust the media and refuse to wear the mask and that won’t change.

Or, just a thought, it's because many are selfish and prefer to believe bizarre and baseless conspiracy theories.

Even more selfish are those who have a modicum of education, obscene wealth, privileged access to subsidised medicine and yet proudly proclaim their opposition to subsidised medicine and wearing a mask in public.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

People were being skeptical about the mass way before Trump started causing a stir about it

This isn't about people being 'skeptical' about the effectiveness of masks. Trump saw that the Democrats were supporting the use of masks, so he had to go the other way. He made mask wearing into an 'Us and Them' situation. You wear a mask, you're a Dem, if you don't you're with me.

Imagine doing that during a rampant pandemic?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

So yeah, masks became politicized because the President made them so.

People were being skeptical about the mass way before Trump started causing a stir about it

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Because Trump politicized it.

He claimed that masks were anti-American, and that wearing one was a sign of disapproval of himself. He also refused to wear one because he "didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.".

He also mocked Biden for wearing one and said that wearing one was not a good look for the leader of the free world.

So yeah, masks became politicized because the President made them so.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

They simple don’t care about another.

live free or die! Europe has shown us so much caring over the centuries.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Because 50% of the people have little or no education, and actually think there is an amendment attached to the constitution that says they have the right to not wear a mask. Dumb

Well, all of these Democrats have supposedly been educated and yet so many are caught not wearing a mask, so I think they are the dumb ones for being caught every single time without one and again you’re going to have skepticism and people just not buying into this entire thing.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

Because 50% of the people have little or no education, and actually think there is an amendment attached to the constitution that says they have the right to not wear a mask. Dumb.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

It’s really unexplainable to most normal sensible people that actually care about other people and their community. They simple don’t care about another .

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The USA is an interesting place. They pride themselves on being leaders in a lot of areas but one just has to laugh when they scream for rights and tolerance and then turn around and almost appear to scream their version down others' throats. 

Not really, but we want our political leaders to respect our rights and decisions, they may not do so much in other countries, but we demand they do it in our ours and add to that, you have a very intolerant leftist media that supports one side overwhelmingly and misrepresents the people that are skeptics about mask wearing considering their are so many opinions worldwide and many of our Democrat leaders don’t believe in them as well. They preach to us to where the mask, but they keep getting caught not wearing one, they speak in total contradictions..

The first thing they do is blame someone else for their lack of intelligence.

What? So who by your opinionated personal definition are the smart ones?

Everything the government does and asks, NO MATTER IF IT'S RED OR BLUE, is viewed with some sort of contempt.

Because we are not a collective body, I personally won’t wear a mask, other will, they go by the science they say, there are so many counter arguments on this, I follow a different scientific opinion.

It would appear to be ingrained into the typical American that the French are to hated and yet they are so ignorant of the fact that their beloved Constitution was heavily influenced by the French and that the Statue of Liberty was made by the French as a gift from the people of France. So when the Americans had a little spat a decade or so ago with the French, they started calling French Fries, "Freedom Fries".

Hmmm....But we are not French and thanks to the efforts of this “US” President a vaccine is now ready to be distributed to the masses, but yes, we do like fries. as well with ketchup.

I guess that logic must be the reason why the USA is the ONLY first world nation still not officially using metric something which started in France in the 1790s with the metre and their decimalised system which later became known at SI (Système international (d'unités)) (International System of Units). *

We tried, we don’t like it and most of us are happy with our system.

The USA actually does use the metric system for all medical, science, aeronautical & space, military, automotive, etc.

Yes, but in other areas we don’t, we won’t, we tried it in the late 70’s and it failed miserably, not dumb, we just like our way and if people want to learn it, they have every right and can get that information for themselves, but once again, this is exactly why people in the US are split on this because of mocking, ridiculing and deep rooted doubt. People want to wear the mask, they should, if others don’t want, they shouldn’t be forced.

Now if that doesn't explain US stubbornness and ignorance, NOTHING EVER WILL

Europeans in all honesty are the last people to call anyone stubborn. We should respect the rights of everyone. But with this kind of debate circulating the airwaves, it’s not helping one side to trust the other, not being stubborn it’s all about individual freedom and choice to do what each person thinks is right.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

The USA is an interesting place. They pride themselves on being leaders in a lot of areas but one just has to laugh when they scream for rights and tolerance and then turn around and almost appear to scream their version down others' throats.

While the USA pretends to be a world leader in so many ways, its citizens appear to be anything but if we are to take the current virus response as an example. The first thing they do is blame someone else for their lack of intelligence. Everything the government does and asks, NO MATTER IF IT'S RED OR BLUE, is viewed with some sort of contempt. It would appear to be ingrained into the typical American that the French are to hated and yet they are so ignorant of the fact that their beloved Constitution was heavily influenced by the French and that the Statue of Liberty was made by the French as a gift from the people of France. So when the Americans had a little spat a decade or so ago with the French, they started calling French Fries, "Freedom Fries". I guess that logic must be the reason why the USA is the ONLY first world nation still not officially using metric something which started in France in the 1790s with the metre and their decimalised system which later became known at SI (Système international (d'unités)) (International System of Units).

The USA actually does use the metric system for all medical, science, aeronautical & space, military, automotive, etc. but leaves their citizens to deal with the imperial system in their personal lives and this end result has them crashing into Mars when they convert the wrong way. To understand just how broken the USA is, they waste just over a TRILLION US DOLLARS a year running both measurement systems.

Now if that doesn't explain US stubbornness and ignorance, NOTHING EVER WILL.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

What, even the anti-maskers don't trust their soon-to-be ex-potus, whatsisname? Sheesh

Naw, we’re not Lemmings, liberals can tow the line, I choose to opt out refs of what Trump thinks.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

『What is needed is trust and tolerance』

bass4funk:

Yes, but when you don’t trust the people in charge then it becomes hard to do.

What, even the anti-maskers don't trust their soon-to-be ex-potus, whatsisname? Sheesh!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Masks became politicized in the U.S. mainly for two reasons:

1) The CDC, Fauci, and other health officials lied. Months later, those same officials admitted that they had told the American public masks were not necessary or helpful because the government and hospitals wanted to stockpile PPE. That lie likely cost thousands of lives and eroded trust in health officials. At about the same time, the same officials sold Americans on a two-week lockdown to “bend the curve,” which they then tried to extend to two months or more. As fatigue and economic losses mounted, this bait-and-switch further eroded trust in anything public health officials said. When public orders changed to “wear a mask,” many people responded with a middle finger.

2) Arresting people. Japan hasn’t arrested kids playing in parks or people walking outdoors without masks. Adding the threat of jail to a mask order inevitably politicizes masks.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

zichiDec. 13  08:29 am JST

Too many Americans confuse freedom with irresponsibility.

I’d like to substitute ‘irresponsibility’ with ‘self-righteous selfishness.’

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Because we have (had, thank God) a total idiot for a President who failed (among all his other failures) to lead the country by example.

Biden and the so called medial experts are leading by example and the numbers continue to rise and because the media pushes this narrative 24/7 and absolutely nothing else and pushes to keep the lockdown in place and people see their lame liberal leaders NOT wear masks or follow the guidelines they push them to follow, it’s no wonder they don’t trust the media and refuse to wear the mask and that won’t change.

-7 ( +7 / -14 )

Because we have (had, thank God) a total idiot for a President who failed (among all his other failures) to lead the country by example.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Four the past four years we have had a brazen huckster as President....

....or a brazen media with a political agenda using their pundit platform to undermine the President and to politicize the issue at every turn which was more important for them than the actually people that suffered and perished from this virus that everyone got wrong so many times and the science as “Science” always does is always changing, evolving, enough sides to blame in this and as such you’re going to have various opinions on mask wearing.

Let this be a lesson to other democracies - fraudsters, aided by adversarial foreign governments, can influence a significant minority of your public too - and they're still at it today...

Not sure about a minority, not buying that, but it definitely does divide the nation as we watch on the news that skepticism continues to grow.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

You wouldn't have needed to ask this question prior to 2016...

Four the past four years we have had a brazen huckster as President....well. President to some, adored cult leader to others...

When he tweets out that he is a stable genius, yet thinks there's a word "covefefe", you know you're in trouble...

Let this be a lesson to other democracies - fraudsters, aided by adversarial foreign governments, can influence a significant minority of your public too - and they're still at it today...

0 ( +6 / -6 )

we have natural instinct to be more skeptical of big government

I don't agree. Distrusting governments and politicians is fairly universal, and I'd say more common outside of the USA. What is different perhaps is a stronger preference for voicing opinions and conflict. I'm always surprised at the nature of political rallies in the USA with thousands there cheering their leader. I wonder how many of the voting public in countries in Europe or Japan would turn out to such events.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Americans seem to find it very difficult to agree. On more or less anything. Agreement seems to them a process of automatically disagreeing, then fighting and shouting until the other side backs down. They came to the New World in protest and are still protesting. 

Well, I don’t know all that, seems a small smidgen of truth to the part that we have natural instinct to be more skeptical of big government and now more than ever especially when so much of this has been politically driven and both sides have made points, stretched the facts, medial professionals from verified countries as well in the States made a lot of mistakes, miscalculations and predictions about a new and unknown virus, a lot of people because of this are now more skeptical than ever and some refuse to wear a mask as they are NOT convinced based on various medical opinion viewpoints concerning the virus and you see this across various States not to mention, most Americans don’t want to be forced to do anything they don’t feel comfortable with especially if the reasons for it turn out to be more political than medical .

What is needed is trust and tolerance.

Yes, but when you don’t trust the people in charge then it becomes hard to do.

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

Other than what has been already said, would be the capitalistic nature of American society.

More conservatism less towards socialism implies more individualistic and less societal view of everything. Benefit is viewed personally (corporately), the idea of doing something without direct benefit is a direct detriment. Businesses hedge risk for themselves but the idea that businesses would spend resource to hedge risk for others or the market as a whole when they are not forced to is silly.

But to answer the question, it is certainly politicized when the policitians themselves literally make it their polarizing issue on a daily basis.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Indoctrination over education.

Indeed. That’s just what is needed now. I couldn’t agree more.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Any excuse to attack Trump.

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

Because they have too much freedom and are irresponsible AF.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Indoctrination over education.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

As an observer and not a participant, one considerable factor is the level of polarization.

All democracies have left and right. It's what maintains a healthy balance over a longer term - or should do!!!

In most democracies moderate views from just left of center - center - to just right of center, possibly make up the big majority of folks. The extremes are usually a small to very small minority.

In the US it appears that the mid left & mid right have much more weight as do the far left and far right with my observation that the far right are considerable. ie 70mill Trump voters.

A fundamental belief of mid-far rightists appears to be that no govt can infringe on our individuality and freedom and being TOLD to wear a mask impinges on that right. Other more moderates seem to take the more communal responsibility line - all for one and one for all or help thy neighbour or the like.

So following the die cast by Trump, many - not all - of his supporters refuse to wear masks.

Then you've got the squirrelly neo-evangos numbering in their millions who believe that by covering the breath of life given by god by a mask is the work of satan.

All in all it seems like a recipe for dysfunctionalism on a grande scale.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I don't think it's right to label the U.S. as more politicized than any other country when it comes to the wearing of masks when dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Agree that it happens everywhere but I do think it is more so in the U.S. because of what has become extreme division in U.S. politics and the pure hatred that people from both sides appear to have for each other, and the leadership of one side coming out and announcing it as anti-American.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Americans seem to find it very difficult to agree. On more or less anything. Agreement seems to them a process of automatically disagreeing, then fighting and shouting until the other side backs down. They came to the New World in protest and are still protesting.

What is needed is trust and tolerance.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Why has the wearing of masks as a means of coping with the coronavirus become more politicized in the U.S. than in any other country?

Incompetent leadership.

17 ( +20 / -3 )

Because they are...I do believe 'covidiots' is the proper term.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

Trump!!!

5 ( +11 / -6 )

I don't think it's right to label the U.S. as more politicized than any other country when it comes to the wearing of masks when dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. It's just that too many people pay too much attention to U.S. media and the the gun-toting self-righteousness of too many of its citizens. Ignore U.S. news and look at the rest of the world; you'll see the same, but without the deadly weapons. It's a simple matter of degree.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Nothing is not political in America, right down to the toilets. They are ripe for totalitarianism. Crazy place, and sad.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

Because they stupid.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

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