This morning, woke up to a cheery note, in Bloomington Indiana local paper. YES!
However, the headline here reads much larger than it did in the paper, where it occupied the second tier down of page one headlines. Nineteen Republican lawmakers are attempting to argue against the requirement, given that the vaccines are “don’t have full Food and Drug Administration approval.” I.e., they are for emergency use only. However, “less than a third of the 71-member House Republican caucus signed onto the letter.”
What’s really interesting to me, what I did not know beforehand, is that the Indiana governor last month “signed a bill that prohibits state and local units of governments from requiring a “vaccination passport.” GOOD! The article finishes with: “Legislative leaders argued it did not apply to universities.” Or did it, I want to ask, if said universities receive state funding?
Next, more good news. One hour later, had to go to the paint store. Walking towards the door of the nearby Sherwin Williams, I notice there are no signs. Hmmm . . . Does that mean masks not required? I stuffed the mask in my hand into my pocket and walked in. Yep. Though one customer was heavily masked, the clerk was not, nor were painter workman guys that entered after I did.
After I was done, I thanked the clerk for not requiring masks. And he said they took the sign down when the local ordinance changed, last week. We talked about various local establishments that have not changed their rules, for example the nearby Krogers, even though national Krogers has officially removed the mask mandate for anyone who is vaccinated. “And they can’t ask if I’m vaccinated!” he said. We both laughed. (Researching further, it’s called a HIPPA violation if they do, but at least some sources says they can ask, but you don’t have to answer.)
In any case, we were having fun getting real together. One final exchange.
Me: “FEAR destroys the immune system.”
Clerk: “Yes, and it destroys the mind.”
BINGO.
Here’s a snarky telegram post that some people might want to use . . .
Another, subtler response is this: “Since I don’t have a mask on, you can assume I’m vaccinated, right?”
Or, how about this: a spoof on identity politics and political correctness . . .
Out at Menard’s two days ago, their new sign said if you’ve been vaxed, then no need for a mask. Of course I waltzed right in, maskless. Yes!
I presumed that the others without masks were either like me, in defiance of the rules, or were actually vaccinated. Probably the townies, the academic Bloomingtonians, were vaccinated, and the rural and blue collar folks not. That’s been my experience around here. A clear dividing line between urban and rural, and between classes, with urban supposedly more educated types much more likely to “go along” with what “authorities” are telling them.
But:
Oh, and one more consideration: given my “advanced age,” it’s very easy to assume both that I’m more than unusually scared of dying, and that of course I’ve been vaxed. So I’m unlikely to encounter anyone who would dare to question me! Another social situation where “playing the age card” works wonders in this twilight zone that the human race was steered into way back in March 2020.
Should I get this button, or not? I think not. The age card will do. Unless I want to cause a ruckus. Do I?
