Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor,

I was born and raised in Glasgow, and after high school left for college to live in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a dual citizen as I’ve generally visited Glasgow 1-2 times a year since. My wife and I recently made the big decision to move back here after 20 years away. We don’t know if we’re going to make Glasgow our forever home yet, but we’re going to give it a good try and we’re excited and hopeful for our future here.

It’s been tough to come back and see a significant number of community members seemingly ignoring the health risks of this virus even as its numbers are growing to a very dangerous per-capita percentage here. We moved from an area where the massive numbers just could not be combatted. We thought we were moving somewhere safer. This community actually has significant advantages in fighting the spread of the virus with its remoteness and low population density. We can actually test and contact trace - everyone! That’s an incredible capability communities only a little larger than ours can’t dream of. It’s a tragedy that the last piece of the puzzle – getting citizens to wear a mask – is the biggest road block to more safety here.

In response to the True Patriot’s recent letter, I just shake my head. I will never understand the thinking that “masks equal caring is a false narrative”. The author says he cares a lot and is willing to run errands and go the extra mile for people who are sick or at risk. But he won’t wear a mask? Not only have we learned that masks are actually incredibly effective against this particular virus – akin to a vaccine while we wait for a vaccine – but it seems to me that wearing a mask is literally the least you could do to keep your community safe. I understand some can’t wear a mask for health reasons, and that’s OK, as long as everyone else who CAN wear them, does.

Wearing a mask is not submitting to tyranny. It’s being selfless. Wearing a mask is not being duped by a hoax. It’s being empathetic and acting in good conscience.

I’ve been working with many households here helping folks with their technology issues. Of course, a lot of those are elderly people. I’m here to tell you - they are terrified of this. Who can blame them? The look of relief on their face when I come in their homes with a mask is worth the bother right there. They actually worried that I wouldn’t wear one, and then what? You can see that just the social anxiety of how to handle someone being unsafe around them is taxing. And if I’m being honest – it’s taxing on me too.

If you think that not wearing a mask is somehow upholding our freedom, you might want to think a little harder about all the values freedom is comprised of. One of them is the concept of Civic Duty. Right now the most important thing you can do for our community is the one thing you are not.

It’s time to think and act like wearing a mask matters, because it does. Here’s hoping for better days ahead.

From a Concerned Citizen

Travis Young

Glasgow, MT

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