Letter: Freedom requires responsibility

Graphic by Lori Deaton

Whatever happened to: “No shoes. No shirt. No service”?

Today that phrase must be changed to, “No mask. No gloves. No service.” The reason is not political. It is a matter of caring about a fellow citizen’s health and their right to live.

My wife went to shop at a local grocery store [recently] to pick up one item, Drano. As she approached the area in the aisle where the Drano was on the shelf, a woman, seeing my wife wearing a mask and gloves, pulled her cart across the aisle to block my wife from going farther. Yes, the arrows were on the floor showing the proper direction for customers to move during their shopping. This woman went the wrong way without regard and stood next to her cart to make sure my wife could not go farther.

After several minutes, my wife calmly asked the woman to move to allow my wife to proceed. Rather than politely move, the woman verbally assaulted my wife, screaming that no one is going to tell her what she can and cannot do. She raged on about she has the “freedom” to do whatever she wants. Her rant continued as my wife backed away and reported the incident to the manager.

The manager said his hands were tied because he cannot police the behavior of his customers. He was wearing a mask. At that point, my wife, who is very rational and not easily prone to tears, burst out into frantic crying. She left the store and felt very ill. The grocery chain has done little except to refer the incident to the regional manager. We’ve heard nothing from the manager.

What has happened to the American people? We were drawn together after 9/11. We pulled together to overcome the Depression, the Great Recession, and defeated evil during World War I and World War II. Now, we are reduced to this savage behavior in the name of extremism. That behavior does not make this country great. It makes this country implode from within. Has the evil we defeated landed on our shores?

I have a preexisting condition. If my wife gets the virus, I am likely to get it and suffer to the point that it could be fatal. That will not change politics and the outcome of the elections in November. It will just put another notch on the bedpost of hate. How many others must be exposed to fatal illness so that a few can claim their “freedom” to kill and abuse?

Freedom must be accompanied by responsibility if we are to be truly free. Freedom does not give one the right to take away or risk another person’s life in an act of a grossly irresponsible extremism. Corporations must care more about their customers’ health than pleasing people who have no regard for the safety and health of others, much less themselves. This is especially egregious when a corporation puts profit over the health of its customers.

Let’s Make America Care Again.

— Chuck Fink
Weaverville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Letter: Freedom requires responsibility

  1. bsummers

    Derp. Mah stupid has rahts. Freedum to infect others is covered bah the God-given 2A!!

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.