FOREST CITY – There exists a weird similarity between the divisions caused by the Pandemic Panic and those raging over anti-racist cultural wars. Both have seemed to cleave us into different camps; among them those emboldened by the sense that politically correct collective good trumps individual rights and our founding principles, and those with a building indignation that is just as righteous as it is American.
When Governor Roy Cooper issued his decree mandating face masks be worn in public, it created a dichotomy that is bound to feature conflicts, even violent ones. Not even a week into the mask requirement, an argument at a Chilli’s restaurant over compliance with the mandate ended in a man being shot. This is not surprising; it was predictable. And every authoritarian measure that pits the collective versus the individual is going to create such a diametric framework.
From WBTV:
“[…] The incident happened in the early evening hours of June 27 outside of the Chili’s restaurant on Sparks Crossing in Forest City, according to Forest City Police Chief Chris LeRoy.
LeRoy said a verbal argument between two people started inside of the restaurant. He said at least part of the argument was about compliance of the governor’s face covering requirement.
The police chief said restaurant management asked the people who were arguing to leave the restaurant. The chief said the argument escalated outside of the restaurant and a man was shot. He said the injured man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police are still investigating the shooting. No charges were filed against anyone involved in the situation, police say.”
We’re not sure who shot who, the maskless or the collective’s enforcer, but if no charges end up being filed it could mean self-defense. Either way, this will not be the last time violence erupts in direct connection to compliance with mask mandates and executive edicts.
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