Idaho Christian Lawmaker Opposes Mask Mandates Because Masks Hurt “Our Souls”

I posted yesterday about how Idaho State Rep. Charlie Shepherd said he opposed a childhood education funding bill because it might lead more women to work outside the home when, in his mind, they ought to be homeschooling housewives, every single one of them.

(He’s a Republican, in case you were curious.)

Turns out his colleagues are equally insane. On Tuesday, speaking in favor of a bill that would prohibit any mask mandates issued by local government officials, State Rep. Karey Hanks said (falsely) that masks were bad for our health. In fact, she said, they’re even worse:

… So we live in a republic and we the people should have a voice and a choice about our own health. And, um, I have done some research and would like to share it with you on the physical and emotional and even the mental injury to our bodies — and possibly even our souls — as healthy individuals are required to wear face masks.

Nothing will make you facepalm harder than a Republican who begins a sentence with “I have done some research.”

It should go without saying by now that individual freedoms aren’t the issue here. If someone chooses to not wear a mask, it could literally kill someone else. That’s how this virus works. That’s why mask mandates are necessary. If you want to be an idiot, go for it. When your stupidity hurts innocent people, the government needs to step in.

The idea that masks are so bad that they lead to “mental injuries to our bodies” and hurt “our souls” tells you that Karey Hanks didn’t speak with any health care professionals. She just threw some words into a Christian Mad Libs and used the results for her floor speech.

The Mormon legislator has repeatedly cited her faith on social media when she’s not busy trying to increase the COVID body count in her home state.

House Bill 281, Hanks’ bill to ban local mask mandates, has only been introduced so far. But given the legislature’s makeup, there’s no reason to think sensible voices will outnumber the crazies. Let’s just hope as many people as possible get vaccinated quickly before more Republicans hurt their constituents.

(via Political Wire. Thanks to Scott for the link)