From time to time I worry about our state of mind, from time to time I worry about what are we thinking, and from time to time I worry about how gullible we have allowed ourselves to become during this trying time of COVID19.

I like definitions so let me begin with a couple of definitions; not that I believe you lack for a definition for anything I might say - I believe most people are smarter than I.  I just want everyone to know what my actual concern is I do not want you to wonder where I am trying to go.

Merriam Webster defines gullible as being easily duped or cheated.  Merriam Webster also defines duped as one that is easily deceived or fooled.  I have no more definitions to share and I truly am sorry if any one of you feels offended by my overstating the obvious.

On the 21 of August, 2020, I went to a Ford place here in Fredericksburg VA.  The reason I went to Ford was because in May I took my wife’s vehicle into Ford for an oil change and a Virginia State Inspection.  That again was during the month of May.  It is not often that I drive my wife’s vehicle so while driving my wife’s vehicle during August (which was the next time I drove my wife’s vehicle since the visit to Ford in May) I noticed the Virginia State Inspection had not been completed; or at least the window sticker had not been updated.  So, when I was offered an opportunity to wait, I was informed that without a face covering on, I would not be allowed to wait inside.  I asked why and was told the reason was posted on the entry door to the lobby waiting area.

As I approached the lobby entry, I noticed and read the sign on the doors that said "Per Governor Northam's Executive Order 61 No individual with a fever, symptoms of COVID-19 or known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days will be permitted to enter this establishment”. We ask that you please wear a mask".

While I had no idea what Virginia’s Executive Order (EO) 61 stated, I did know that Virginia’s EO 63 pertained to Face Cover (mask) wear in the Commonwealth of Virginia so I chose to ignore the misinformation posted on the door and decided to not wear a mask.

I spent the next hour and seven minutes being lectured by various members of the staff for not wearing a mask in a public space; it was a very long hour and seven minutes so when I got home, I looked up Virginia’s EO 61 and it turned out that "Pursuant to Executive Order 51 dated March 12, 2020, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority is offering the following opinion in regard to the temporary approval of outside dining areas in conjunction with Executive Orders 61 and 62".  Although Virginia's EO 61 is COVID related, in my perusal of the EO I could not find a relationship to wearing a mask in that EO.  By the way, Virginia’s EO 61 expired at 1159 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, 2020.  As I said earlier, I was in the Ford place on the 21^st of August 2020.

Virginia's EO 63 lists exemptions wherein neither employee nor patron needs to wear a mask and under Virginia's EO 63's exemption number six, Virginia's EO 63 states “Persons with health conditions that prohibit wearing a face covering.  Nothing in this Order shall require the use of a face covering by any person for whom doing so would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition.  Any person who declines to wear a face covering because of a medical condition shall not be required to produce or carry medical documentation verifying the stated condition nor shall the person be required to identify the precise underlying medical condition”.

Virginia’s Department of Health enforces this Order and if found guilty of not complying with Virginia’s EO 63 one can be fined up to $2500 or a year in jail or a combination of both.  BUT, according to Virginia’s State Law § 18.2-422 it is a Class Six Felony for anyone over the age of 16 to wear a mask in public.

The manager was not in the office during my visit because of a couple of days off in a row so when I called him on his next work day he told me that Ford’s Corporate office approved that note and sent it to all of Ford’s locations.  The fact is that in about 15 states and in the District of Columbia it is illegal to wear a mask in public.  Having said that, one should know that an executive order issued by the Governor does not supersede what is constitutionally in that state’s law to enforce; my understanding of how the law should work would make Governor Northam’s Executive Order 63 unconstitutional.

I guess my point is that because of misinformation and gullibility and our own stupidity about how to enforce laws that exist throughout the United States we follow those ahead of us into gullibility blindly enforce our own agenda affirming that you must abide by our policies or we will call the cops; I ssay go ahead, the police will not respond to enforce your policy.  I think a little common sense should prevail.  Knowing that Virginia’s EO 61 expired at 1159 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, 2020 kind of sends a message that since there was no replacement order to the EO stating otherwise, the threat of COVID19 is no longer a threat and that we should get back to normal and go back to work.  I have included some links below should you like to examine these orders in more detail.

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-63-and-Order-Of-Public-Health-Emergency-Five---Requirement-To-Wear-Face-Covering-While-Inside-Buildings.pdf this is for EO 63

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter9/section18.2-422/ this is for Virginia’s prohibition of mask wearing in public.