Smokey Bear to Trump: You're AWOL!
As the body count of coronavirus victims continues to climb to nearly four million infected and over 140,000 dead in the U.S., one of the simplest, cheapest, most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is for everybody to wear masks, especially when social distancing from others is not possible. But wearing masks in public has been disdained if not sabotaged by many of the nation's ostensible political leaders, including the climate change and COVID-19 denier-in-chief, Donald Trump.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued recommendations for everyone who is capable of doing so to wear masks in public, and has provided ample evidence of the effectiveness of wearing masks to limit the spread of the virus.
But Trump and other Republican officials have dismissed these recommendations, claiming that mandatory mask rules to protect public health is an assault on individual freedom. Essentially, "Trumpists" have wrapped themselves in the flag to stand up for an individual's right to get sick and the freedom to spread sickness to others.
For example, amidst soaring COVID-19 cases in Georgia, its Republican Governor Brian Kemp has gone so far as to ban mayors in that state from issuing mask-wearing rules, and has even sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms after she issued a rule. Yes, Governor Kemp and his idol Donald Trump demonstrate that in 'Merica we have freedom that includes free-to-be-dumb.
Trump has made a public spectacle of refusing to wear a mask (except for a couple of quick photo-ops in hospitals), and has steadfastly refused to issue a national mandate requiring people to wear masks in public spaces. Recently, it seems he is trying changing his tune, tweeting that it is "patriotic" to wear a mask, especially if you purchase a "Trump 2020" or "MAGA" mask from Amazon.
Likely unbeknownst to Trump--for better and worse--for over a month there has been a mask enforcement policy developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, effective in all USDA agencies and offices, that will be triggered if and when the decision to require masks nationwide is made. This "USDA approved" mask mandate outlines the consequences for employees who refuse to wear masks or other approved face coverings. Security personnel can preventing these refusniks from entering a USDA government building, or if they are already inside, security personnel can command them to immediately leave the building, and supervisors must officially declare the offending employee(s) Absent Without Leave (AWOL) from their jobs.
This seems to be the appropriate label and consequence for Trump's refusal to provide effective leadership to counter the coronavirus crisis. He's not just ignorant of science or incompetent in directing government agencies, Trump has gone full-blown AWOL, and should be forcibly removed from government buildings.
While it is both impractical and unhealthy for wildland firefighters to wear face coverings while doing arduous physical exertion in high heat on the fireline, there are plenty of other situations away from the firelines where the use of masks should be required to protect the health and safety of crewmembers. There are many additional policies and actions that can help limit crew exposure to the virus, and these should also be required of agency employers in the interest of protecting firefighter health and safety.
It should not have taken millions of Americans infected with COVID-19 and tens of thousands of tragic deaths to get Trump and other government officials to publicly endorse wearing masks or support local leaders who are making the right decisions to protect public health. Now that Trump is paying lip-service to the use of masks, he should be permanently masked up not just as a matter of public safety to protect citizens from his toxic hot air, but to hide his shame.
If and when we have a national mandate for wearing masks or other face coverings, Smokey Bear should chase Trump and his supplicant virus deniers out of their offices while growling: "You're AWOL!"