If me wearing a mask means I'm less likely to either A) become infected or B) unknowingly spread the virus, then why wouldn't I? It shouldn't be about politics.

You realize you began that question with an “if”, which makes it a hypothetical. But, the logical answer is that there are those of us, including Dr Fauci at the beginning of the pandemic, who laugh at the assertion that putting a cloth mask over your face will diminish transmissibility of an virus.

Bottom line, masks do nothing, if they worked there wouldn’t be recommendations now that are saying to double or triple masks. To fully answer your two questions:

A. Masks don’t prohibit or diminish you or I being actively infected.

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B. Masks don’t prohibit the spread of infections.

If/when I wear a mask, and it’s a rare thing I’ll do, it’s because a business requires it, and even then I tend to stay away from any entity that “requires” a mask since my state is open for business. Publix and Home Depot require masks at the national level, so I’ve changed my grocery store to Winn Dixie and my home hardware store to Ace. I’ll never “adapt” to a masked environment. Never. If you enjoy that environment, or feel safer in it, I’m happy for you..., but it’s just not my cup of tea.

First of all, you made an excellent point. In the early stages of the pandemic there were an abundance of unknowns. As more information became available assumptions changed radically. Dr. Fauci learned of the errors in his early recommendations.

A. Masks absolutely diminish the chances of contracting COVID - IF WORN PROPERLY! No, they do not give complete protection, but marginal protection is better than none.

B. Masks absolutely reduce the amount of moisture droplets emitted from the nose and mouth greatly. The virus is carried in those droplets. Does a mask prevent emissions of all of the virus carrying droplets? No, but reduction of those droplets absolutely reduce the chances of those around you receiving a viral load sufficient enough to infect them.

The number of “unknowns” still greatly outweigh the number of knowns. Dr Fauci laughed, literally laughed out loud, when asked if regular cotton masks make a difference. Regardless, let’s discuss the current situation. If masks are effective..., then why the demands now to “double” mask and/or triple mask?

It’s much easier to ask ppl to not talk or laugh, lol, which is governmental advice now, lol. How about singing? Nope, can’t do that either.

It’s a power play, an attempt at governmental control over all aspects of our lives. Nothing more..., nothing less.

AG, love you like a fat kid loves chocolate, seriously I do. And I don’t want anybody, including those on this forum, to get ill or injured. But I refuse to allow the government to take away my liberties, bc they are scared and don’t know what’s going on.

First I will say I do whatever I can to not get/spread the virus. I wear a mask, I haven’t been out to a social situation since last March. I have groceries delivered. I skipped my annual trip south to see my 87 and 84 year old parents, brothers and sister. I have high BP and I am overweight. I do NOT want to get COVID.

That being said, I fully believe that some aspects of this pandemic have been politically motivated and manipulated. No doubt, it is a complex issue with many variables. Therefore, I think references like Tin Hat are counterproductive. There are numerous examples of politicians in positions of power using mask mandates and lockdown orders to apply financial, political, and social media pressure on opponents while they break these very same rules themselves. China, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, North Korea and many other countries have the power to run the daily lives of their citizens. I do not want that here.

Freedoms can be eroded easily. I lived in Colombia South America during the 80’s while Escobar was the true power and I’ve seen it. My mother in law (she lived with us for ten years) was born in the former country of Yugoslavia and tells stories about it. I live 3 miles from where the first shots were fired in the Revolutionary war. There is a statue and park there marking the event. The formation of the first government ever to recognize that the power comes from a higher authority than the government itself, that we have God given rights as individuals, is a Precious and rare thing. To dismiss someone who feels they are seeing these rights being taken away as a crazy tin-foil hat wearing person is ignorant and dangerous.

If me wearing a mask means I'm less likely to either A) become infected or B) unknowingly spread the virus, then why wouldn't I? It shouldn't be about politics.

No. It's not about politics. It's something far more self-centered. There is more concern with "nobody's going to tell ME what to do" than there is concern for others. It's as simple as that.