What should you do if someone isn’t wearing a face mask as you shop in Charlotte?
The battle over health and safety versus freedom of speech and expression rages on as America enters its seventh month of the coronavirus pandemic. The issue over wearing a mask is as polarizing as politics these days and new CDC recommendations say it’s best not to confront someone who is making the choice not to wear one.
“The lack of knowledge or being ignorant about the need is not a factor. By now, everyone knows you should wear a mask, or it’s required,” said Dr. Rick McAnulty, associate professor of psychology at UNC Charlotte.
A Pew Research study shows 85% Americans say they regularly wear a mask or face coverings in stores. That’s up from 65% when the same question was asked in June.
While most Americans are donning the face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, there are still those who refuse.
CharlotteFive had set out to talk to people about the nitty gritty of mask wearing — how people have addressed confrontations, the dreaded “exposed nose” situations, feeling someone’s hot breath on the back of your neck and knowing there’s no way the person in line behind you is six feet back. A common theme immediately emerged: People do not want to talk about this on record. It was clear this topic is still a touchy subject.
“A majority not wearing a mask, they’re making a statement,” McAnulty said. “Most are trying to express their personal freedoms. (They are saying:) ‘In this country, I should be free to choose my risks, like whether to wear my seat belt or not.’ There’s a psychological term we use on how people react to an attack on their freedom, psychological reactance. It’s a well-documented phenomenon where people have a natural inclination to resist external pressures, especially if they’re imposing on our personal freedoms.”
There are reports out weekly of fights over masks. That’s why the CDC put out the new guidelines recently for retail and customer service-based employees.
It’s recommended for these employees to not “argue with a customer if they make a threat or become violent.” It goes further, adding “don’t attempt to force anyone who appears upset or violent to follow COVID-19 prevention policies.”
“You’re not going to convince people by confronting them that all the sudden you’re right, I’m wrong. I should’ve been wearing a mask all along. That’s not going to work. If anything, it’s going to make people cling to their beliefs even more. It validates their irrationality,” McAnulty added.
Business owners try to unmask the controversy
With more Americans wearing masks, it’s becoming easier for business owners. Most contacted by CharlotteFive said they’re not having too many problems.
“Every now and then we get someone without a mask. Most times you say something to them and offer them a mask, and they say they just forgot. We had two people who came in looking for a fight,” said Andy Wilkerson, owner of Blackhawk Hardware.
The hardware store offers masks upon entry but will not let people shop without one. In the cases of people refusing to wear one, the owner took care of it himself.
“It helps that I’m 6’7” and 250 pounds,” said Wilkerson. “I’m standing there saying put on a mask and people put on a mask. It’s a very polite conversation unless they make it otherwise.”
“I may have had two instances in four months,” said Paper Skyscraper owner Bill Godwin. “We have a big sign on the front door saying masks are required. We have a tray that has free disposable masks in case people forgot them. We really haven’t had that many people come into the store not wearing a mask.”
Pop-up shop owner Jekia Benson shared a similar story.
“Most people are wearing their mask. For the people not wearing a mask, they’re OK running back and getting it. We haven’t run into that yet — 98% of them already had masks on,” said Benson.
She is opening her first retail store, Five 13 Studio, on East Boulevard on Labor Day weekend. She doesn’t expect any problems with people refusing to wear a mask.
“People just understand this is the status quo. This is where we are. People I’ve observed are walking with their masks on. It’s like the expectation has been set,” Benson said.
One restaurant in Blowing Rock decided to send a strong message to its customers about masks being required. Charlottean Julianne McCollum snapped this picture of a sign. “Do not pout. Do not whine. Do not argue. Do not harass the employees. Do not spout conspiracy theories or regurgitate misinformation you got from your dumb uncle on Facebook. This isn’t political. This is basic health and safety. Do not choose to be the reason the rest of the world is laughing at us,” the sign on Bistro Roca said.
Most businesses we contacted were not so outspoken. Just like the consumers we asked, many business owners didn’t want to speak with CharlotteFive on this topic because of the potential outcry.
When businesses don’t comply
On the flip side, some customers told us they went into a business, and not a single employee was wearing a mask.
Bryan Connell said he and his wife, who uses a wheelchair, recently browsed a Mooresville antique store. When they went to check out, they asked the employee to put on a mask.
“She said, ‘What, so your mask doesn’t work?’” I was stunned and she (his wife) was stunned. We just dropped everything and just walked out of the store, and we haven’t been back,” said Connell. “No one needs to be rude, particularly be rude to someone in this wheelchair.”
Social media windstorm
On social media, people’s reactions when they see someone not wearing a mask during COVID-19 have ranged from anger to frustration.
“I’ve become numb to it. I work at a grocery store, and I’d guestimate that between 10-20% of the customers I see either aren’t wearing a mask or wear it improperly,” Ben Goshorn (@TheSoccerGoose) tweeted.
When asked about it further, Goshorn responded that he felt helpless about it.
“It was very frustrating for a few weeks after the mask mandate went into effect. Now it’s just the norm, unfortunately,” Goshorn wrote.
“I just avoid them (someone not wearing a mask) as much as possible and get angry how something simple like mask wearing can be politicized,” tweeted Chris Davis (@ThatChrisDavis).
“Very frustrated,” tweeted Ryan Bailey (@RyanJayBailey). “But to be very honest, I don’t like to confront strangers in a country where people are allowed to have guns in their cars.”
That’s the point the CDC was making with its new recommendations.
“You don’t confront strangers, unless you’re prepared for it to escalate, because most likely it will,” UNC professor McAnulty said. “I’d rather take my chances with the virus than a handgun.”
This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 11:43 AM.
