I participate in a weekly call with the New Mexico Chamber Executives Association and we always talk about how the NMCEA speaks business! This means that the mission of all chamber executives is to focus daily on the businesses in our territory. Everything I do every day is done with the mindset that it will expand business in Grant County, New Mexico. My daily goal is to help existing business grow, to help new business develop and to make sure that the economic development of our county is strong and robust. This leads to tourism and jobs!
The "other side of the coin" to the statement "we speak business" means that we try to stay above the political fray on the social issues of the day, and believe me, there are many issues today that are deeply political. The 2020 Presidential election and current COVID 19 crisis are two of the hottest button issues we've been faced with in the last 25 years. The political spectrum of the upcoming general election is wide and extremely divisive. Believe me when I tell you that I sincerely believe that it will grow even more divisive as time goes on.
In my previous column I mentioned that the chamber of commerce and I, as its principal spokesperson, have adopted a position of "no position" on social issues. Then I spoke about my feelings about wearing masks in public. Today, I want to clarify my position on this and set the record straight. Last week I told the people who refused to wear masks in public to, "put on their big boy panties and stop being selfish." In retrospect, I might have been a bit harsh.
There is logic on both sides of the argument to wear masks in public, and frankly, they both make sense! The mortality rate of COVID 19 is ridiculously low and the cure rate is surprisingly high. Many people argue that masks are not a help and actually cause harm while others argue the masks may be making a difference. I have to admit that, at one point I didn't see the point of wearing a mask and I even felt uncomfortable wearing one. I found it hard to breathe in my mask, and I didn't like the way the CO2 built up in the mask as I was walking around.
I learned about my friend being hospitalized for complications caused by COVID 19 and I was shocked. I know her and saw how she was being careful, as we all seemingly are being, and yet she still contracted the virus. I don't know how she contracted the virus but, frankly that isn't the point.
I began to look into it and learned how masks can actually help mitigate exposure. Here is what I learned: If person A, not infected and without a mask comes into contact with Person B who is infected and is wearing a mask, the likelihood of Person A contracting the virus is +/-75%; If Person A, not infected and wearing a mask comes into contact with person B who is infected and is not wearing a mask, the likelihood of Person A contracting the virus drops to +/-55%; If person A, not infected and wearing a mask comes into contact with person B, who is infected and wearing a mask then the likelihood of person A contracting the virus drops to +/-1.5%. This is a science I can live with.
The fact is that the sooner we slow the virus down and learn how to mitigate our exposure to it, the sooner we can all get back to business as usual.
People have told me that we can never eradicate this virus! They have told me that if we give in to this violation of our constitutional right (freedom to not wear masks and leave our house to go to work) then what will the government think of next? And maybe they are right! However, I believe that life is full of compromises and we are often forced to put ourselves in uncomfortable positions if we want to get better.
I have learned to wear my mask in public. I have learned how to recognize the value of my own constitutional rights and I understand that, if I want to live long enough to partake in said constitutional rights, I must compromise a bit. Will you please join me?
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