W.J. Tomash’s letter ("I wear a mask for other people, not myself," Aug. 5 Gazette) is incoherent and disrespectful, to put it lightly. I feel it necessary to respond to this letter, in defense of Mary Harland, whom I do not even know, yet feel sad for her having to read these unkind, unfair, accusatory words hurled at her. Nobody deserves this kind of backlash for merely writing an opinion.
I also feel the need to point out another sad reality that cannot be denied: the mask-wearing issue has become an extremely political, polarizing issue that has turned people against each other in the most hateful ways. And the mask bylaw that will now pass without question is another example of government overreach for a safety measure that remains inconclusive in its effectiveness.
W.J. harshly criticized Mary Harland re: her letter from July 8 that stated “Not everyone should be wearing a mask”. Well, the fact is that Mary is correct – not everyone can or should wear a mask. And their reasons are actually nobody else's business.
It’s interesting that W.J., clearly a pro-mask, self-proclaimed virtuous person, laments that they are so selfless and altruistic, yet wastes not a second to judge, insult and defame someone who simply had a differing opinion. The hypocrisy is unfortunate, yet not surprising. I see it often now, across many settings. A society that boasts about "inclusiveness and tolerance" has become everything but these things. And the mask mandates pushed on us will only make matters worse. It's unfortunate that city council did not have the forethought to think this through properly and thoroughly before ramming through a decision that is guaranteed to cause more problems. Another thing that does not surprise me.
I would suggest to W.J. to do a lot more research. You claim to be "educated enough to believe in medical science." If that's the case, you'd be informed about the limitations of masks. Health Canada has stated that "masks alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must consistently and strictly adhere to good hygiene ... including frequent hand washing."
I also suggest W.J. become better informed about facts and science, especially before verbally shaming somebody who did absolutely nothing wrong.
Kelly Kerr,
St. Albert
