Montgomery City Council votes down mask ordinance, sends doctors out in disgust

[brooklynite]

Source: Montgomery Advertiser

Jackson Hospital pulmonologist William Saliski cleared his throat as he started describing the dire situation created by the coronavirus pandemic in Montgomery to its City Council before they voted on a mandatory mask ordinance. "It's been a long day, I apologize," he said.

...snip...

After they spoke, and before the council voted on a proposal by Councilman C.C. Calhoun to mandate mask-wearing in public in Montgomery, Councilman Brantley Lyons questioned whether masks and six-foot distancing really helps. They do, the doctors replied. Lyons was unmoved. "At the end of the day, if an illness or a pandemic comes through we do not throw our constitutional rights out the window," Lyons said.

From the crowd, doctors called for him to visit the hospital sometime.

Instead, the council killed the ordinance after it failed to pass in a 4-4 tie, mostly along racial lines, with Councilman Tracy Larkin absent. Councilman Clay McInnis voted with three Black council members — Calhoun, Oronde Mitchell and Audrey Graham — in favor of the ordinance. Lyons, Charles Jinright, Richard Bollinger and Glen Pruitt voted against it.

Read more: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/06/16/montgomery-council-votes-down-mask-ordinance-doctors-disgust/3203300001/

[brewens]

1. I freakin' hate "at the end of the day". That's one you'll never hear me say. n/t

[cactusfractal]

3. Same.

It's the worst kind of filler, and when I hear it in a meeting I invariably fantasize the painful demise of the speaker.

[thesquanderer]

6. It's been an epidemic at NPR (n/t)

[Steelrolled]

17. I find "can't wrap my head around" to be worse.

[Blues Heron]

2. if an illness or a pandemic comes through we do not throw our constitutional rights out the window

Of course you do fool, the constitution is not a death pact. You give up your rights all the time for emergencies. You take your shoes off at the airport to thwart the relentless, never ending tidal wave of shoe bombers who would bring down our planes on a daily basis right? So put on a mask for a real threat idiot.

[yardwork]

9. I didn't know there was a constitutional amendment about masks.

[Blues Heron]

12. its an emergency, certain rights go bye bye

[yardwork]

13. I know. I'm just pointing out the absurdity of the fuss over masks.

I understand that constitutional rights can be suspended during emergencies, including public health emergencies. Many people don't know that clause is in the Constitution. It's understandable that people complain during curfews, when rights to assemble are suspended, etc.

But who ever thought the Constitution guaranteed a right not to wear medical protection?

The drama.

[Blues Heron]

15. cool, misunderstood your post

[louzke9]

20. And they don't eliminate the First Amendment...

National emergencies just suspend them temporarily. Like the air travel suspension after 9/11.

[sop]

4. Republicans turn COVID-19 safety measures into another battle in their rightwing culture war.

[soothsayer]

7. What a strange hill to die upon

Literally and figuratively

[yardwork]

10. It really is. Sad.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Fayetteville, AR passed a mask ordinance last night.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.4029tv.com/amp/article/fayetteville-city-council-passes-ordinance-requiring-face-masks/32886352

[soothsayer]

8. Hey, good!

[UpInArms]

11. I wonder if Lyons supported the Patriot Act?

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2011/06/20/patriot-act-and-quiet-death-us-bill-rights

“The Patriot Act drove a stake through the heart of the Bill of Rights, violating at least six of the ten original amendments–the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Amendments–and possibly the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well. The Patriot Act also redefined terrorism so broadly that many non-terrorist political activities such as protest marches, demonstrations and civil disobedience were considered potential terrorist acts, thereby rendering anyone desiring to engage in protected First Amendment expressive activities as suspects of the surveillance state.”

[canuckledragger]

19. And with everything stated there...

Do folks understand those violations were intentional?

It has always been a hammer for conservatives in office to pound on their perceived enemies - especially that super broad definition of terrorism. It's how they try to stifle free speech they don't benefit from.

[Maribelle]

14. Montgomery City Council gets another chance to show off how racist it still is.

If the situation were reversed, however, if whites were the ones experiencing more casualties than others, you can bet your bottom dollar this would have passed.

Shame on you Montgomery City Council. This smacks of your days with George Wallace as governor strongly maintaining your infamous Jim Crow Laws, and it appears as if you couldn't care less if it does.

[raccoon]

16. "There is none so blind as he who will not see." Nt

[James48]

18. White Council members support "Right to Die" legislation

Somebody should report those guys to the Right-to-Life local chapter.