When has it become socially acceptable to yell at people and insult them for wearing a mask?

By John, 4 September, 2022

The other day I went to the State Fair, and mostly had a good time. I figured I'd pop into the Grandstand. My rule is, I'm going to mask when I go indoors for any extended length of time, but like, especially at the State Fair grandstand. 

I figure, if the grandstand gets too crowded for me, I'm going to turn around and go right back out again. 

As I approach a booth I'm interested in, I hear someone yell "Like this guy over here!" I turned and looked at him. He looked like a dude in his mid thirties, shorts, not intoxicated, and he was with a few other guys. 

"How are you going to eat with that thing your face!?" He then proceeded to berate me for wearing a mask, ending with "Why are you wearing a mask anyway, don't you know you're OUTSIDE!?"

I gave him a funny look. This all happened fast and I wasn't sure yet if he was being sarcastic or serious or kidding or what the hell was going on. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but rather than explain anything, I just pointed up and said "That's a ceiling isn't it? Not exactly outsi-"

"What are you afraid of CATCHING? FUN?!" Him and his friends all started laughing. 

No longer really interested in the booth, I also realized I'm almost surrounded by these guys, so I move to go around them. As I pass one of them he starts screaming but he's screaming literally so loud I don't understand it so I turned around again and I realized he was yelling

"SIX FEET! SIX FEET! YOU GOT CLOSER THAN SIX FEET TO ME!"

and they all join in

"Yeah, how could you do that to him!"

"Don't you know what six feet means?!"

In my head, I'm still thinking "what in the actual fuck is going on" and first guy starts yelling again "OH! You know what! I bet this guy has a booster. I bet he loves boosters. Are you excited for the next booster!? "

Then he pulls out his phone and starts recording

"They should just have a booth at the fair! A booster booth! Do you know where the booster booth at the fair is?"

So his phone is like, right there in my face. I wasn't really sure what to say or what direction to go with this guy. 

But then I realized a few things. 

1. The person holding the camera gets to decide whether or not it even gets posted, and they get to decide how to edit whatever it is you say. 

2. I don't have any desire to be in some shithead's video on YouTube today. 

So I just said "What?"

"I said, do you know where the booster booth is, where I can get a booster here at the fair?"

"Nah man, I don't know anything about that." And I walked off.

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