By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – January 26, 2022 In the past two years have you ever walked into a business or office without a mask on and noticed the "Hostile Stare"? Have you been approached by someone who seems hysterically agitated over your lack of a face covering? Have you been called a "Monster" that is disregarding "Public Health and community safety"? As masking became common place in this Country, virtue signaling over the lack of any sort of face covering has very often reached the level of the absurd. Various incidents, well documented on social media have become the center for the great divide over masking. There is a relatively large segment of the American population that wear masks every where outside, inside, while driving, even while strolling through the park solo. They demand that others maintain the same practice, including children as young as two years of age. The other side of the debate will only wear the mask when forced to do so for necessary activities, most obviously on public transport while traveling, airplanes, trains and buses. While the mask wearers are secure in the knowledge that they "think" they are right and responsible, the maskless feel the same way. Thus far there is little evidence that either side can come to terms with the other. The common thread for the masked is that those that refuse are putting everyone else in danger. Hence, the masked feel those that oppose mask wearing are little more than criminals. The maskless feel that wearing a mask has little to do with putting people in hospitals only to die later. They feel that the charges of anti social behavior and mass death is immoral and anti science. When nearly all public health authorities are on the side of the masked and claim that masks are essential to save lives, how do the maskless respond. For the most part there is abundant scientific evidence that masks are essentially useless face decorations against viruses. There has been a large body of research not only during the pandemic, but for many years prior, pointing to the obvious that the masked and its promoters likely are unaware. A Corona Virus is less than 100 nanometers in size, where as the gaps in surgical masks are over 1,000 times that. Cloth mask gaps commonly clock in at 5,000 times the size of the virus and neither provide any real form of hindrance for the passage of virus particles. The original purpose of surgical masks was to prevent infection from bacteria, a whole different size of particles, something that most medics cannot even comprehend the size difference. The larger problem for the masked community is not that it is anti science, which would merely make it harmless nonsense, but masks are not harmless bits of face coverings. Masking is essentially a useless bit of decoration that has over the past two years caused great psychological harm in all age groups, and greatly reduces the very necessary ability to communicate properly. Facial expressions hidden by masks are unavailable during conversations which allow individuals to gauge emotions that are essential to a complete communication. Bonding and friendships become stilted, awkward and uncomfortable. This almost immediately manifests itself in anxiety, and depression. People become less kind, similar to those whose only contact with the outside world might be as a key board warrior who is not always mindful of what is broadcast on the internet. In addition to the well documented uselessness of masking, health issues can also become problematic, particularly in school age children This has become an entirely different conversation that likewise is not being addressed. So, the question becomes, "Why, exactly is the medical community and the pro maskers so entrenched in what is clearly a failed practice? What motivates medical professionals to lie about the effectiveness of mask wearing? Why do school districts insist that young people who receive no benefit from masking and can be subject to great harm continue the practice? Why is there any kind of discussion at this point in time that makes masking "essential to public health and safety" when it very clearly is not?