Why can’t we all just get along? Just do your thing, let me do mine, and us and the world will all be fine

Recently I read an article here on Medium titled (and I’m not sure I’m getting it exact, though hopefully close) “The Politics of the Mask.” It was a good thought-provoking read, not to mention an inspiration to me to write an article along the lines of the same topic, that of wearing masks in public in hopes of preventing/slowing down the spread of Covid-19.

During the two-plus month “shutdown” of, basically, the world due to the novel coronavirus, a lot of ugliness has surfaced. Okay, maybe it was always there but unfortunately events and crises that invoke fear and panic always shows off people’s true colors — and they often aren’t pretty. One such example of said ugliness is how it seems people/the media are making this pandemic into a highly political (and thus, divisive) issue. Oftentimes I read articles in newspapers or on social media and I think, “Really?!”! This isn’t a political issue, it’s a worldwide public health situation!” So it’s not a Democrat issue (as some conspiracy theorists would have you believe) or a Republican issue. It’s just an issue. No need to put partisan labels on it.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” — U.S. President Harry S Truman

I realize that the aforementioned fear and panic caused by this current issue is at the root of much of what people say and do that may be perceived as ugly, rude, contentious, and so on. The panic is the…