“'Emergencies' have always been the pretext on which the safeguards of individual liberty
have been eroded.” ~ Friedrich August von Hayek
This terrible flower that is found on traditional Japanese clothing, the so-called Kimono Iris,
has pretty much been eliminated from the state of Victoria.
“Kimono Iris: Victoria reaches 38 days without a new Iris case.
Victoria achieved 38 days in a row without a new Kimono Iris case as a SriLankan Airlines
flight touched down at Tullamarine on Monday”.
Okay, so the first question that comes to mind is: If there are no cases of Kimono Iris,
why then are masks still mandatory?
Some of you will be shouting, but they aren’t mandatory!
Just check the rules!
Doing a quick search online, I’m met with this news headline: “Kimono Iris Victoria:
Mandatory masks dropped, bar service allowed.
Victoria has relaxed almost all of its capacity rules for the hospitality sector as mask rules
are relaxed except for shopping and public transport.”
Ah, EXCEPT!
That old chestnut.
Masks aren’t mandatory EXCEPT for shopping and public transport.
Of course, I wanted to check the actual rules firsthand, not just listen to what the media
are reporting.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.
It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” ~ Ronald Reagan
Going to the Victoria State Government’s Kimono Iris website, we’re met with this
KIMONOSafe Summer rhetoric.
Victoria’s KIMONOSafe Summer.
This is the actual website apart from a few minor modifications to keep the censors at
bay.
Looking at the details, it states: “KIMONOSafe Summer – restrictions apply from 11:59pm
Sunday 6 December 2020.
From 11:59pm on Sunday, 6 December 2020, Victoria moves to KIMONOSafe Summer restrictions.
These eased restrictions will let Victorians get back to doing the things they love, while
also protecting everything we have worked so hard to achieve this year.
This means that: You MUST carry a face mask with you when you leave home.
Wearing a face mask is ONLY mandatory on public transport, while in taxis or ride share vehicles,
or when going to large retail venues, including shopping centres, supermarkets and department
stores.”
In case you don’t understand what a large retail venue is, Chairman Daniel Andrews reiterated:
“Masks must be worn in indoor shopping centres and supermarkets and department stores, for
instance, Kmart or Myer, IKEA, Bunnings, JB Hi-Fi just to give you a few examples.”
People were still a bit confused about his reference to Bunnings, so he tried to explain
it more clearly: “To give you a fairly common sense example … if you go to Bunnings and
you are inside the store, you are wearing a mask.
If you are in the car park, you do not have to wear your mask.
But if you are queuing up for a sausage, and you are with other people, and you are simply
not keeping a distance when you are part of a crowd… you need to put the mask on.”
But some people still didn’t quite understand what he meant when it came to Bunnings car
parks and bathrooms, so Chairman Andrews sent out a tweet: “Look, if you’re in a Bunnings
car park safely sitting in your car with the windows closed, then you do not need to wear
a mask.
But if you have the windows wound down by more than 1.5cm, or you’re sitting in your
car with a stranger, then of course, you must wear the mask.
If you’re in the bathroom at Bunnings and it only has a single stall, then you’re
safe to not wear a mask.
But if you hear somebody else walk into the bathroom while you’re still in the stall,
then you must put your mask on.
If you’re lucky enough to be at a Bunnings which has more than one stall in each bathroom,
then you must wear the mask, even if there is no one else in the bathroom with you.
I mean, that’s just common sense.
The risk of infection is greater when there are more stalls.”
But somebody was still a bit confused about showering, so Chairman Andrews cleared everything
up on Twitter: “When it comes to showering, if you’re at home by yourself, then of course,
you don’t have to wear a mask.
But if you’re showing with another person who is not a close relative and unable to
maintain a 1.5 metre distance, then you must wear a mask.
If you’re showering with a close relative, that is, somebody who is your second cousin
or less, then yes, of course you don’t need to wear a mask.
But obviously, showering with your third cousin or greater poses a significant health risk,
and both of you must wear a mask.
I mean, this is all just common sense.”
“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.” ~ Voltaire
“Look, after the past decade of Victorians wearing face masks, it’s become abundantly
clear that people aren’t understanding the rules very well, so to make things clearer:
MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES.
THIS INCLUDES SLEEPING, SHOWERING, TOILETING, EATING AND DRINKING, SWIMMING – INCLUDING
BOTH FREESTYLE AND BACKSTROKE, KISSING, MAKING LOVE, SMOKING, VAPING, AND ANY OTHER ACTIVITY.
THIS RULE IS FINAL SO PLEASE STOP SENDING ME YOUR INANE QUESTIONS.”
I know what many of you are saying, despite there being no active cases of Kimono Iris
in Victoria, the mask-wearing laws are there to protect you from a sudden outbreak.
But if you really believe that, if you really believe that you should wear a mask because
of the risk of a sudden outbreak of some disease, then you should forever wear a mask.
As long as there are human beings, there will always be a risk of some kind of sudden outbreak.
That’s the risk of living on this planet.
But forcing people to carry or wear a mask when there are zero active cases in your entire
state, is just bordering on ridiculous if you ask me.
Even the Australian Government’s Department of Health is not advocating such a thing,
and I quote: “Where there is low community transmission of KIMONO-19, wearing a mask
in the community when you are well is not generally recommended.”
Look, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be allowed to wear a mask, of course you should
— if you choose to.
But dictating that all people must carry or wear a mask when there are zero cases of community
transmission is no longer about public health.
It’s about maintaining power and control.
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your
very existence is an act of rebellion.” ~ Albert Camus