Photo by Therese Mikkelsen
It is the law to wear seatbelts. I sometimes forget to put mine on. I am grateful that my car reminds me. I notice when watching a movie or TV show that when people get into their cars, they automatically put their seat belts on.
As is true for wearing masks there are certain human behaviors that no one thought that people would accept as a necessary change. There was a great deal of pushback in the 1950(s) on the suggestion that seatbelts should be worn by everyone. It was the same argument that we hear today about “interfering with a person’s individual freedom”. President Johnson issued a law in 1966 requiring people to buckle up. Seatbelts now are used by 91% of Americans. Their ability to save lives has been documented. It is now the norm. People frown when you are in a car with someone who doesn’t buckle up. Others in the car speak up and the fellow passenger buckles up quickly.
In 2005 the Italian government banned smoking in restaurants. Everyone said that it was unenforceable. I have been to Rome where smoking is prevalent in the population, but no one smokes in places where people eat. The Italian people are free spirits. They park on sidewalks and are known for a relaxed culture. Mark Hall, Professor at Wake Forest University, works in the area of health care and public health. He indicates that Italy used hortatory laws which are laws that promote social laws rather than mandating them. The Italian government used such examples as driving at the speed limit as the same thing as not smoking in a restaurant. It is unhealthy and will save your life AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS. It will make dining a better experience.
However, we know that persuasion has not worked in our country regarding masks. We know that masks were not accepted during the 1918 influenza either. There was even an anti-mask league. Governor Doug Burgum, of North Dakota, is the newly re-elected Republican governor. He opposes a mandate to wear masks. The Republican governors of our nation recently told the Biden transition team to “not waste their time trying to require masks in their states.” As I write this post, we are in another spike of the virus which has been referred to now as a humanitarian crisis.
What is the answer? Joanne Silberner, a health and medical researcher, offers part of what is needed. She writes, “In the end what worked for seatbelts were efforts by public health advocates, financial incentives, state level mandates, enforcement, solid research, effective health messaging – all activities that are possible with masks.”
But something else needs to be addressed to have masks as a norm. It is confronting that major ethical issue of taking away someone’s freedom when you require that they wear a mask. We are already doing that. We take away your freedom to drink and drive as well. That is now an accepted norm for freedom is linked to a person’s need to be responsible. The general public is appalled by people who drink and drive because it may affect other lives beyond their own.
But there is something else that is very much needed. It is the third ingredient to freedom and responsibility. It is accountability which no one talks about except recently I saw a doctor in the Midwest make the following statement: (I will paraphrase) “You may not wear a mask because it infringes on your personal freedom. Your freedom is the most important thing to you. Helping others may not be. But let me give you another fact. If you come to our hospital when you have the Covid-19 virus there is no more room for us to treat Covid-19 patients. You will have to go to another state.”
You can listen to people as well who have had the virus such as Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey and friend of President Trump. He spent a week in intensive care after prepping the President for a debate. You know the Governor to be direct and pull no punches: “It’s terrible. Wear a mask damn it! Just wear a mask!”.
One’s freedom stops when it crosses the boundary of affecting another in a negative way. We need more ethical talk on this issue and accountability as well. Our medical providers are burning out on this recent spike. They are overwhelmed.
If we can stop smoking in public places, require seat belts for all, punish drivers who drink, we can get people to wear masks. In the words of Senator Elizabeth Warren, “I have a plan for that!” That’s what the Biden Administration will give us.
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