In an Oregon county.
Whites only: County exempts 'people of color' from mask mandate
When it comes to science versus social justice, social justice wins hands down.
That’s the lesson from one Oregon County, where a directive requiring all residents 12 and over to wear masks in indoor settings outside the home or outdoors when they will be near others includes one glaring exception that has nothing to do with “social distancing” or coronavirus infection.
“People of color” get a pass.
In coastal Lincoln County, a directive issued by the health department Wednesday specifically exempts non-Caucasians (referred to as "people of color") from wearing masks required of all other county residents if they “have heightened concerns about racial profiling and harassment due to wearing face coverings in public.”
So for Lincoln County health officials, possibly groundless concerns among some residents about the possible perceptions of others trump the need for gear all other county residents must wear to prevent a potentially deadly infection from spreading.
Whites only: County exempts 'people of color' from mask mandate
When it comes to science versus social justice, social justice wins hands down.
That’s the lesson from one Oregon County, where a directive requiring all residents 12 and over to wear masks in indoor settings outside the home or outdoors when they will be near others includes one glaring exception that has nothing to do with “social distancing” or coronavirus infection.
“People of color” get a pass.
In coastal Lincoln County, a directive issued by the health department Wednesday specifically exempts non-Caucasians (referred to as "people of color") from wearing masks required of all other county residents if they “have heightened concerns about racial profiling and harassment due to wearing face coverings in public.”
So for Lincoln County health officials, possibly groundless concerns among some residents about the possible perceptions of others trump the need for gear all other county residents must wear to prevent a potentially deadly infection from spreading.