This issue has polarized opinion. Some of my friends–who are intelligent, not comically liberal, and very kind and respectful otherwise–argue that the call for wearing masks in public has gotten coercive. In the absence of a national law mandating the use of masks in public spaces, it is difficult to have productive/enlightening discussions about this. Is this call really an infringement of out civil liberties? I don’t think so at all, but I also think we need to understand the other point of view. People are being hounded for taking off their masks for a few seconds owing to discomfort. This friend thus claims that even people who appreciate the necessity of masks in public (and in fact do wear masks) are being hounded for seeking momentary comfort (necessary comfort perhaps?). Some have no choice but to wear them for extended durations, and that is a difficult situation to be in. Some empathy for them would be great. I wear a mask because I think it’s responsible, but also because I don’t want someone coming up to me and telling me that I’m erring. This is contact I’d avoid if I wear masks. No matter where one stands on this, physical distancing is non-negotiable (if you can afford it), and we simply must wear masks and isolate if we present symptoms. And get tested of course. As sociologists have been saying in this regard, if we have rights and liberties, we also have duties and responsibilities. They go hand in hand; can’t have one without the other. But definitely a heated topic with my folks and friends.