By Douglas V. Gibbs ——Bio and Archives--December 15, 2021
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The California Secretary of the State Health and Human Services Agency under Governor Gavin Newsom has determined that a new mask mandate (law edict without the benefit of legislative assistance...a very unconstitutional action, by the way) is necessary (it is a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, no person shall be deprived of their life, liberty or property without due process ... your liberty is your ability to make a choice regarding the day to day operations of your life) and in addition to the mandate being VERY illegal, it is also a slap in the face to those of us unable to wear face coverings due to medical reasons.As a U.S. Navy Veteran I am unable to wear a mask or shield on my face. It has nothing to do with my ability to breathe, but instead is related to the horrors I endured while serving while underway during confrontations with the enemy with an Oxygen Breathing Apparatus mask on my face. A mask or shield on my face causes anxiety, panic, and in five cases when I tried to wear facial coverings in March of 2020 in an attempt to comply with the demands of government and business requests, extreme vertigo that in two of those cases resulted also in a loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, my interactions with the Veteran's Administration over this disability has been minimal due to my mask disability. Now, I have just received the news that the State of California is reimposing a statewide mask mandate for all indoor settings for one month, ending January 15, 2022. The sudden effective date only a day away at a time when my funds are low because I am just now getting back on my feet after a disastrous 2020 leads me again to not be able to work. I will lose income, and I will be unable to fulfill my financial obligations as a result.
The mask mandate, in short, requires me to sit at home and lose money and possibly my livelihood because the State of California has decided that I am a lawbreaker for not wearing a mask as a result of my service to this country. Is that the way the Newsom administration plans to be seen? As a governor that stands against our disabled veterans, intent to sink them financially because of a mandate that has no exceptions? I am angry, again, at Governor Gavin Newsom's administration's inhumane treatment of California citizens, demanding that we all fit in a single box or else suffer the consequences. Shame on you, Governor Newsom for denying those with medical exemptions for mask wearing the ability to take care of themselves, and for persecuting disabled veterans in need, labeling them as lawbreakers because of their medical disabilities.I have no choice but to refuse to comply with this latest mask mandate. I will be contacting my Sheriff to make sure he remains true to his word not to enforce these illegal mandates as he has pledged in the past. Unfortunately, pressure on businesses will make it so that I won't be able to walk into a store or other type of establishment for a month (and if the locations who hosts my Constitution Classes conform to the mandate, I will lose my primary source of income, as well). To be honest, while I do have a medical exemption, I am also aware of the ineffectiveness of the masks, and how dangerous they actually can be for some people. But, that's a different conversation for another day.
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Douglas V. Gibbs of Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary, has been featured on “Hannity” and “Fox and Friends” on Fox News Channel, and other television shows and networks. Doug is a Radio Host on KMET 1490-AM on Saturdays with his Constitution Radio program, as well as a longtime podcaster, conservative political activist, writer and commentator. Doug can be reached at douglasvgibbs [at] yahoo.com or constitutionspeaker [at] yahoo.com.