Shame or being shamed is not something new to registrants or their families. Whether it’s personal feelings of shame or feelings of shame bestowed upon them by others, it’s a hurt that stays with each of us.
Perhaps that’s why it’s so disturbing to see the increase in “mask-shaming” when we turn on the news.
In the past few days, the events at a coffee shop and a retail grocer have garnered the public’s attention. People being publicly shamed and videoed for not wearing masks in stores during the pandemic and then those videos making the rounds on multiple TV networks.
With so many of us sheltering in place, our children are at home, viewing more TV and internet than ever.
Are we teaching our children that’s it’s acceptable, news worthy and even in one instance, monetarily rewarding, to publicly shame others?
Registrants and their families are unfortunately all too familiar with public shaming. Public shaming is one of the detrimental consequences of a not-so-well-thought-out public registry. Not only are those on it shamed, but their families, their children, are often shamed as well and not only by grown-ups, but also by other children. The negative effects of shame can last a lifetime.
Halloween has become a public shaming event. Registrants homes are often targeted and vandalized, police in some communities’ place unwarranted signage in front of registrant’s homes, there are registrant-round-ups and curfews with much media attention. As a society, we’ve allowed, even encouraged this kind of public shaming to go on for centuries, always under the guise of “public safety”.
Our country’s history is marked with society sanctioned public shaming from scarlet letters to public stocks and dunking’s. Our society has encouraged the proliferation of public shaming and its always justified by being “in the name of public safety”.
Those doing the “mask-shaming” today claim to be doing it in the name of “public safety”.
“Shaming” has never made anyone safer. Educating the public makes people safer. Those on the registry and those advocating for registrants know that educating the public is a slow process at best and even when they are provided solid, proven, scientific facts, not everyone is willing to accept or process new information.
In the meantime, our children, the next generation, are watching us, the people they look up to, the people who are supposed to know right from wrong, shame each other on TV. Instead of teaching our children that we’ve learned from the past, from our country’s poor history of public shaming, we’re demonstrating to them that public shaming is acceptable, the way to force people to conform.
If we are to change the world, we must speak up, we must educate and we must teach by example.
Shaming others is never acceptable behavior, whether it’s aimed at those not wearing masks, those on the registry or anyone else. It’s just plain wrong.
I tend to disagree with the article. People refusing to wear masks, and thus possibly infecting others need to be called out. That’s different from one group being shamed because its assumed they’re going to break the law due to a conviction possibly decades ago.
Personally, I think the whole Coronavirus thing is overstated. I would really like to know the ratio of individuals that have caught and recovered from the virus to those who have died from it. From what I’ve read, those that have died had some very significant health concerns outside the virus, and those that survived it simply complained of various degrees of the flu (bad for some, not so bad for others). Further, I’d bet that anyone that died who had the virus is probably classified as a COVID death whether the virus killed him/her or not (I’ve heard a few anecdotes of people killed in car wrecks but attributed to COVID because they had tested positive for it).
I can’t help but wonder if the reaction is due to the occupant of the oval office. I remember how Asian Bird Flu and Mad Cow disease were supposedly going to wipe the population out during the Bush years, and can’t think of any serious pandemics during the Clinton or Obama terms (never heard a single word about the plights of the homeless during those periods either).
Sorry, but I don’t buy the hype. Projections like “20 million deaths by the end of the year” will be followed up by, “See? only 100,000 dead. Thank God for us! Would have been so much worse if not for us!” It’s all political PR nonsense made possible by a public that only reads headlines and soundbites and are either to busy, lazy, or indifferent to dig deeper.
I also find it concerning that the government’s answer is to obey them without question, regardless of the impact on your life, under penalty of arrest. Ironic that some call for those who don’t wear masks under the pretense of protecting them from contracting or spreading the virus to be sent to jail or prison where contacting or spreading the virus is near certain.
If hand washing and paper masks are the defense to COVID, then either it isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be or you’re screwed. I concede that many people are susceptible for one reason or another, but adapting should be their responsibility, not society’s.
Just some clarification in case I missed the mark on this one.
Wearing masks is the socially responsible thing to do during this pandemic. Suggesting, encouraging and educating others about the need for masks to protect not only themselves but others, is also the socially responsible thing to do. Personally, I’m just not sure that “publicly shaming” those who don’t wear masks is the right way to go . Shame is powerful. One incident of public shaming, humiliation or embarrassment can often affect a person for their entire life and sometimes with tragic consequences. There’s got to be a better way.
The price of public shaming. I would hope this is not some a Letterman interview of Donald Trump or Lennon’s monologue of the Donald or maybe Paul’s view when he said: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Do we all take a look at ourselves mask today. Some couldn’t care less about the Gospel while some only care about self-esteem or is marxism the way. Do we all have responsibility, I’m sure we do, or who is having symptoms of pride as authorities today with this to wear a mask, To distance oneself to self qurantine ones self.
Didn’t pride cause the fall of the Garden by both man and woman or who is locked up in this confusion today. Sure we can reach for figures or get all the data from scientists in this virus control environment but who’s controling the human thought. Who is doing inhumane to the humanity of mankind. Talk about a throw off when our president doesn’t even wear a mask and tosses the ball to each state in some pride type of understanding.
Do we all assume we already know the answer or are we enlighten to rectify or justify the means or where was thou when the foundation was being formed. Kat has something with this article and Gralpher and many just giving opinions but were is the understanding. Sure the main reason for this forum is to help others and yes the goal is still the same to rid or band much of this internet encounter that is more based on Pride. To bring back the Constitution and civil rights and true understanding to America today. Sure helping others is a great gosal for everyone.
One would have to say the bible has no introduction in all this sex ordeal or the use or abuse by authorities in this subtle manner. One wonders who created you and me or are we all trying to understand the untold story today in this enticement and this mask of delusion.
While Janice, Kat, Chance and even the lady advocates do a lot of research one wonders what is good enough. One even wonders who fights their battles in this distancing battle. Don’t you know you have the best person fighting your battles is God. Yes let God fight your battles. So were is the open door policies today, where is the offending justice or defending justice today or is the power of the tongue no man can tame..
Should the famous parable of the Pharisee and Publician tell one something. Forth quotes that will remind you what the 4th of July is all comes from Ronald Reagan when he talks about the aspirations of the spirit
@ LPH What if’s, what if’s. What if you never were on a computer or what if you had never met that person or what if blood wasn’t thicker than water or who poured out their blood for you. Man I can see why every one of you all on here are guilty. Are you all to wise for your own conceit.
Isn’t that whats wrong with America today they are to wise in their own conceit or Should we all have a fund drive for a Trump widson fund or most on here. One of my friends here which is black we talk about God, my situation and other things, we also talk abut who dishes out trains or brains. Did not God give you a brain to reason with.
One can either bow down to Government in their calamity or bow down to God or face up to own’s fears or should we understand about the women who wiped the feet of Jesus with her tears, so who’s, the prostitute in the story.
A Dr. stated that she believes we will have to wear masks till 2022. People should wear masks and practice good hygienes. However I wouldn’t shame a person if they didn’t wear one it’s their choice. Nobody should be shamed of what they have done regardless of whether wearing a mask or not; and having a criminal history.
Dear wise bible Saddles, Did God give Joseph a brain? Because Mary ( mother of Jesus) was an underaged teenager and Joseph was an adult. So today he would be a registered sex offender. You should know who you worship ( just saying)