An American tradition: pushing back on laws that make people safe |
| The debate surrounding the use of face masks in the U.S. is far from settled. On Thursday night, in a town hall-style event, President Trump swung between two sides the debate in a matter of minutes, initially supporting masks, but then quickly backtracking. |
| “On the masks, you have two stories,” Mr. Trump said, claiming falsely that most people who wear masks are more likely to contract the virus. |
| This is hardly the first time Americans have pushed back against rules that are meant to keep them safe. Our colleague Christine Hauser found a telling analogy from the 1980s: the war over seatbelts. |
| A legislator in New Hampshire called them constricting. A Michigan man said seatbelts messed up his look. A sailor in Massachusetts argued the government had no right to force him to wear one. |
| Sound familiar? |
| Seatbelt skirmishes spilled into capitals, legislative halls and on radio shows. The contours of the debate — and the balance between individual and public interests — have also played out in other matters of health and safety, like vaccinations and helmet laws. |
Dr Andrzej J.Samosiuk
Psycholog
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