Commentary by Samuel Strait – April 25, 2022 With the Centers for Disease Control's masking mandate for public transport struck down recently by a federal judge in Florida, does anyone really wish to go back to the way things have been for the past two plus years? Seems that at least some in the American population wish that everyone boarding a plane, bus, or train were forced to continue with that political charade. The Biden Administration's Department of Justice also appears to be on board with the continuation of the CDC mandates which as it turns out had no legal authority to do so in the first place. The best part of two years being dictated to by an organization that did not have the power of legal authority to mandate any restriction of the public on their personal health decisions while aboard public transportation is that mandates in the future will no longer rest in the hands of a capricious government department of whom has no legal authority to do so.. Keep in mind, the judge wasn't saying anyone couldn't continue to mask up while on a plane, train or bus, just that the CDC had no business or power to insist that everyone wear what has always been more of a fashion accessory than any kind of serious nonpharmaceutical preventative for virus control. Since that ruling there has been the predictable virtue signaling from the left over "how dangerous" this ruling is, and how many more will "die". Most have shut themselves off from the fact that there is no credible "science" that supports masking as being beneficial what so ever. There have been several vain attempts by the CDC and a couple other "prestigious" academics to support the masking effort, but all have died upon closer examination. A recent comment on a previous article which appeared in the CCTimes about the foolishness of masking, pointed to a preprint "study" showing that masking was 83% effective if one used N95 masks that were properly fitted. The local "mask karen" , who likely hadn't read anything more than the title and the fact that it was attributed to the "CDC" continues to be unaware that the study was not "scientific" in any sense of the word. The "study" consisted of an impressive collection of Southern California "experts" who relied on "trained" survey takers to conduct phone interviews with random residents in mostly urban areas of Los Angles, and San Francisco to determine mask type and whether or not infection resulted from a bit over 1,000 interviews. Real medical professionals, if there are any left in the Country, would be rolling in the aisles laughing. This is but one of the few efforts to make masking about public health prevention and not about reality. It is unlikely that the DOJ's feeble efforts to overturn the Florida ruling will prevail going forward, yet we continue to be forced to address an issue that was clearly judged as an unacceptable mechanism for virus spread prevention long before Covid-19 entered the picture. Nothing has really changed from the perspective of hard science about masking since it became the go to "solution" for the power hungry in the Country. All of the feeble attempts by the CDC and various other suspects in federal and state governments have done nothing to change that science. Masking while currently optional has not produced any data that supports the idea that it will prevent transmission or infection. But by all means, the masking Nazis should continue to wear their "yellow stars" over their faces as a badge of virtuousness and allow the rest of us to quickly identify the foolish. Those that have understood just what masking truly represents, should be vigilant against any further attempts to reinstate such madness, as there will be further efforts. The best option for those that have educated themselves on masking should be to never let up on the idea of the utter worthlessness of wearing a mask for anyone. Peddle to the metal until that "lie" has been utterly obliterated. The second measure that should occur since much of the madness has come from our political dictators, is to ask each and every person running for elected office where they stand on "masking up". If they are okay with mask mandates, they should first be exposed as such, then not receive your vote. And finally, recent success in the courts is an absolute must to continue every where that this travesty rears its ugly head. Democrats have long used to courts to impress their will on the public, it is now time for a little pay back. Continued push back on all three fronts will likely become a ongoing effort until any notion that the response to Covid-19 over the past two years was acceptable. Yes, one's personal health is important, but as it has been for centuries, it must remain personal, not some inflatable ball that the virus dictators can bat around. Let not your government continue to be the problem….