Life is not without risks
My friend refused to wear a mask at Costco today and they called the police. There isn’t one case of COVID on Kaua‘i. What are we hiding behind our masks from? I don’t know one person who has had COVID or even the regular flu. We are not building up herd immunity. We are just prolonging this surreal scenario indefinitely. I realize some people are waiting for a vaccination, but there are others of us who will not take it.
I know some people who praise our mayor for the job he’s doing — restricting our freedoms and ruining our economy. But not everyone agrees. Many of us are not buying the fear and disinformation the media is spoon-feeding the public. We just don’t speak up because we are tired of being called selfish and being shamed for not wearing our masks. I always ask my accusers why I need to wear one if they are wearing one. Don’t they trust their own masks? If they’re worried about getting sick, they are free to wear a mask or “stay safe at home.” The rest of the world needs to get on with life.
Reality check people — viruses come and go. There will be other viruses after COVID, and we’ve set a terrible precedent if we think we can just shut down the world and hide in our houses every time there is a new one. Where in our Constitution does it say, “the right to life, liberty and never being exposed to a virus?” It doesn’t. Life is not without risks.
I would rather have freedom with the risk of getting sick than to be imprisoned in fear and poverty with no freedom. The last time I checked this was still the United States of America, the home of the free and the brave. Unfortunately, we are neither free nor brave anymore.
We’ve given up our freedom for the illusion of “safety.” And now we have neither freedom nor safety. Are you enjoying the “new normal” yet?
Janet Eisenbach, Kilauea
Shop local – it will be rewarding
I encourage everyone to support local shops and restaurants even more so during these trying times. Several restaurants, in addition to take out, have outdoor seating that provides a safe place to meet friends and connect while enjoying someone else’s cooking. Hanalei businesses, many barely recovered from the flooding more than two years ago, are certainly in need of our support in order to survive.
Merchants are happy to have us, and always grateful for our purchases. I recently bought a unique T-shirt at Hot Rocket Hanalei (HRH) in the Ching Young Village, and because I was a resident was automatically entered in a raffle. Two weeks later I was thrilled to learn I had won an original, framed oil painting by Anne Schneider, an accomplished artist and one of the HRH owners. I know the raffle for another painting is ongoing and reason alone to shop at HRH. Good luck to everyone and, in this case, a good deed was rewarded.
Diane Chait, Princeville
Just follow the county sign ordinance
Suggestion to both GOP leader Steve Yoder and columnist Gary Hooser: If you like a local law/code, support its enforcement.
If you don’t like it, work to repeal it. Otherwise, don’t pontificate.
“Summary of outdoor signs – Chapter 15, article 4, Outdoor sign Ordinance Kaua‘i code.” “Signs shall not exceed thirty two (32) square feet in area and eight feet in height …”
I am sure the legacy of the good ladies of The Outdoor Circle of yore would approve.
Richard Machell, Kapa‘a
Great point Richard! Yoder, take down your illegal eye sore!
Bulosan signs are an eye sore, he placed it all over the place, guess he thinks he can “buy” a seat, acting that he is so popular…Quarantine breaker.
In addition to shopping locally, there’s another way to support some of our local businesses. All that produce growing in your back yard, if not being used, give it to a restaurant. That would be one less thing they have to purchase in order to serve this community.
There is a reason why there are no new infections on Kauai. People are taking precautions like wearing masks.
Do your part. Be part of the solution, not the problem.
amaislen@aol.com But if Q had said in January, “Everybody put on a mask!” I’ll bet you’d have done it. If Trump had said it, there would have been a sea of red MAGA masks across America–he missed a branding opportunity! See? Terrible businessman!
You want to take risks? Be my guest. But your deal in the social contract doesn’t give you the right to risk the health of others.
This from someone likewise reduced in personal liberties and income who also wants his neighbors to survive a killer virus.
“your deal in the social contract doesn’t give you the right to risk the health of others.”
Are you assuming that if one doesn’t wear a mask, they are automatically, and intentionally, putting others’ health at risk?
Do you really think that shopping maskless (sounds risque) and keeping your germs to yourself can’t exist in the same world? (reminder: nobody here has the virus)
The virus spreads in close confines primarily from family member to family member, not brief casual contact. We’ve known this for months.
If someone tests positive and they list “Costco” as a place they went to recently, do you think contact tracers are going to track down all the Costco shoppers? Or do you think they will focus on the person’s family and close contacts?
Do we really know that no one on Kauai has the virus? How exactly do we know that? Just because there are no active cases at the moment doesn’t mean the virus does not exist on the Island. What we do know is that folks can be positive without any symptoms or can test negative but actually be positive. With tourism resuming, maybe, on Oct 15 with the 72 hour negative test, I guarantee you there will be new active cases on Kauai. If you have the virus, whether you know it or not, and don’t wear a mask, you can infect others, yes, even in Costco or other indoor facilities.
“Do we really know that no one on Kauai has the virus?”
You miss my point. Whether anyone has it is irrelevant to the known primary vectors of transmission. Of course there have been carriers, and even those with active infections on the island, and we know who the virus spread to. This is called empirical evidence. It spreads within close confines, not casual contact, and masks, which everyone is wearing on the mainland during brief casual contact, have done nothing to stop, or even slow, the spread.
Are you “mask believers” all wearing masks in your own home or whenever you are within 6 magical feet of your family? You should be. “Well, that’s just silly. Why would I wear a mask in my own home?” The odds of you being infected and not knowing it at home (if you believe that can happen) are the same as the odds of you being infected and not knowing it at Costco. If you are infected and you don’t know it, you are infected and you don’t know it everywhere you go.
Janet your ideas completely miss the point of public health. Let’s look at a place that agrees with you: Florida. In Florida there’s been 13,000 deaths vs 99 in Hawaii. That’s 130 TIMES more dead people. Florida only has 20 times more people total- that means the death per capita rate in Florida is over 6.5 times higher than our state. It’s literally infinitely higher than Kaua’i with our zero deaths. If we had Florida’s rate, 650 Hawai’i residents would have died. So as of today there’s about 550 people ALIVE in our state who would be dead if we did it the way Florida did it. Obviously to you, “freedom” means a lot of unnecessary dead Americans.
Florida also isn’t an island. Du-dur!
How many Kauaians have died this year? Were any of those deaths preventable? Why didn’t you prevent them?
Wearing a mask won’t prevent anyone from getting a virus. Don’t believe me? Everone on the mainland was masked up and the virus spread faster than when there were no masks available. Still don’t believe me? Just ask Josh Greene. If he tells you they work, he also has a condition known as cognitive dissonance.
If you STILL don’t believe me, could I interest you in investing some money into a “Resort Bubble”?
Let’s see, the Director of the CDC said, yesterday, that masks were the single most effective way to stop the spread of the virus.
Then we have a guy using four different names to make it look like more conservatives are commenting.
Oh yeah, this is a tough choice!
I don’t know what part of the mainland you live on but here in central Cali about 40% of the people refuse to wear a mask. Maybe they could have a mask free day at Costco once a week for all who don’t think wearing a mask helps?
Janet,
You are not selfish. You are not alone in your perspective. The herd has lost its collective mind.
Baabaa black sheep
To Life is Not Without Risks,
You have the FREEDOM to leave Kaua’i.
Richard Machell, your problem is that you didn’t read the entire ordinance, Political signs are exempt from regulations.
Hey Janet- Herman Cain would like to say hello. Except he can’t, ‘cuz he’s dead. There are over 900,000 other people who would like to say hello, but they can’t either, ‘cuz they’re dead too. You said it yourself, the Constitution says “the right to life…” You must’ve missed that part. Like I told you before, Las Vegas is nice this time of year, could be a good move.
Fact check: halfway true
People died this year. Provisional death counts published today by the CDC estimate that 1.95 million Americans have died so far in 2020.
Approximately 10% of these deaths were deaths where Covid, while not necessarily the cause of death, was involved.
Twitter removes QAnon supporter’s false claim about CDC coronavirus death statistics that Trump had retweeted.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/30/politics/twitter-coronavirus-deaths-false-claim-qanon-trump/index.html
Janet, if your friend refuses to wear a mask at Costco, then don’t shop there. Or Safeway, or anywhere else that requires a mask. There! Problem solved!
And before you come back with “but it’s his or her right to shop there”, no, it’s not your friend’s “right”. Their store, their rules. Follow the rules and shop away. Don’t follow the rules, don’t shop there. Your choice.
Thank you Janet!
Very well written
Janet, stay on the north shore!
Janet, you have been watching too much Fox News.
IRT Janet
Its their store policy. Don’t like the policy shop somewhere else, plain and simple. Its just the same as other shops that have “no shirt, no shoes, no service policy!” Whats so hard to understand about that?
Hey Janet, are you living in poverty? That vacation rental of yours would suggest otherwise. Are you a member of the new “Selfishness has Won” cult? A business has the right to refuse service.
i am so very sorry for your loss.
Richard, Hooser would never miss an opportunity to pontificate to the rest of us on a subject, and Yoder…well, I think his position speaks for itself! Needless to say, many people have had it with Trump and his lies, and more than enough of Yoder and Hooser with their pontificating to island voters…as if these two have any justification to do that! Get a life, guys!
Janet, you also have the choice to be maskless…..AT HOME! Many of us do not feel that we are giving up any constitutional, or god given right to endanger others currently! Instead people like you feel empowered to “spoon feed” the public with whatever crazy, unproven idea or ideology you wish! The reason why you do not hear from the mask wearing majority is, we’re tired of pointing out the obvious to you. Virus’ come and go, thats accurate. Our public health officials are responsible for limiting the spread of ebola VIRUS a few years back. Most businesses, being private property, the owner(s) can dictate what behavior they allow on their property, including the use of masks. Dont agree? I am sure Costco will refund the balance of your membership if you ask! Costco warehouses are for the benefit of its members ( and safety of its employees). Dont wish to wear a mask? Take it, and your membership refund, and shop elsewhere! You definitely have the freedom to do that. Wonder how many currently open businesses will allow you to shop withOUT a mask? Good Luck!
Thanks Janet. What Uncle aina, George, and Joe blow don’t tounderstand is business owners DO NOT have a choice of whether or not to allow massless customers in. IT IS MANDATED BY THE COUNTY. It is not a owner decision. Got that? What the pro-maskers don’t talk about either, due to their own FEARS of getting Covid, or their lack of confidence in their own immune systems, likely due to poor health from bad eating, lifestyle, etc, is that the numbers and scientific data DO NOT justify mask wearing. Listen to the real doctors. Not the MSNBC and CNN talking heads that are paid to manipulate the minds of the masses. The data actually suggests masks have a negative impact on ones ability to fight off disease. They harbor germs, reduce oxygen intake, and even give one a false sense of security. Not one pro mask commenter has answered your question. Aren’t you safe with your own mask on? Isn’t it my body, my choice? Oh wait, that only applies to murdering a baby in your womb at the expense of taxpayers. What none of the loony lefties want to address either is why the FDA restricted hydroxychlorquine once frontline doctors started showing it cured the disease literally within a day! It was considered safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers for 70+ years now all of a sudden its banned for Covid? Why are the hospitals getting $39,000 for every Covid death? Why were some 300+ labs reporting 100% positive testing? Why were BLM protests not a source of spread but church and school were? The numbers are nothing but lies. And the sheeple are falling for it! You’d have to be sleeping not to notice what is going on here. Sadly, many ARE sleeping and they still will be when the wolf finally does come. Read your history folks. Did the Pro maskers not read the CDC report that corrected the true US death count from Covid only 9,000 from the disease alone? Still, crickets from people who live in fear and look to their only god, the government, to save them from the risks of LIFE.
It is obvious that all of us tend to watch-get their news from one source left or right. So who is right because they both cannot be but here we are? We can’t even look at the frickin fatality numbers and agree on anything.
Another thing that is clear is the confusion and chaos that is happening is getting worse daily and I don’t know about you but I’m getting weary. This mask issue is absurd. I wish that anyone who doesn’t want to wear a mask didn’t have to but if they don’t then it tells me what kind of a fellow citizen you are. I would also like to say to Janet and her ilk that it is real easy to not wear and say I am not afraid, especially here, of contracting Covid19. Also, because everyone is wearing a mask at Costco then a health tracer can rule that out to a degree you did not get it there, or anywhere else masks are worn. I know that when I hear of a covid case here I think have I been anywhere that I could have come in contact with that infected person?
The reason we don’t have an outbreak here is because our officials took the bull by the horns and ordered public health rules be followed.
The next few weeks are going to be a very bumpy ride, buckle and mask up for your fellow citizens and Vote.
Do you have any links to go with the fantastic numbers you have. The only thing we have to fear are masks themselves.
All of you poor, poor anti-maskers are so put upon by our “mean” mayor and our “mean” governor because they want you to suffer horribly in that tortuous mask. Well how about those meanies that make you buckle that terribly uncomfortable seat belt that they also make you wear or those damn lines on the road that make you stay in one lane at a time?
Children’s hour is over, grow up and quit your bellyachin’.
9k CDC report is a hoax. $39k for every Covid death – hoax, reduced oxygen intake – hoax (and easily proven with O2 finger monitors. Hydroxychlorquine cured in a day – BIG FAT hoax. 300+ labs reporting 100% positive testing _ bigger, fatter hoax.
Pete,
You and I seldom agree so I don’t bother responding, but, you gonna believe what someone says in a press conference over what you can see with your own eyes? If he said obese people were healthier than thin ones, would you believe him? Everyone masked up on the mainland. Virus still spread like viruses do. Masks don’t stop the spread of this virus in the general public. You shouldn’t believe anyone who says stuff that contradicts simple observation.
“Everyone” on the mainland? Fact is, masks reduce the spread. No one claims it is perfect, but it’s an easy and much more effective act for people to take that mitigates the issue, helping get the economy and society back to more normal, with fewer deaths.
Masks greatly reduce the spread of the virus in public.
Masked up on the mainland? Are you on the mainland to know this is true? I am here on the mainland for the past six weeks helping a family member where the virus numbers are some of the worst in the country, along with the deaths. Half the people here do not wear masks even though it is supposedly required. All I hear is masks don’t work, fake news or “I don’t know anyone who’s had it” while the cases and deaths remain steady. It is pretty pathetic and even more pathetic to listen to people whine in Kauai about wearing masks when it has been consistently almost virus free.
Everything is awesome… Yes, you would have certainly been better off if you would have put a period after your first sentence And let it go!
The mask is a simple thing that tilts the effort in favor of it being managed. In Asia, where a year ago, you would see 10% of Mall customers wearing masks because they have colds and consideration outweighs vanity, everyone wore masks. Like any mass method, it is imperfect. People wear them improperly. wear less effective ones, and pull them down to talk. However, in Asia, this method, where it was mandatory, gave the pros a chance at containment. Without masks, it’s like a wildfire!