Ron DeSantis Wonders Out Loud How Masks Became Political

By Nikki Slusher

No this is not an Onion headline. Anti-mask merchandise salesman and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has started to wonder why masks have become so political. The Republican leader of the Sunshine State didn’t have to look very far for answers.

A quick search on DeSantis’ campaign site links you to his merchandise store which is full of anti-mask items, like koozies and trucker hats, which costs a lot more than a cloth mask from the gas station. Some of the phrases printed on the items read “Don’t Fauci My Florida” and “How the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on?” Other than trying to create a villainous narrative on the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci for promoting mask wearing, social distancing, and getting vaccinated, the most disturbing part is that these are slogans on the merchandise for a governor and not a frat-house party.

With COVID-19 cases and death toll spiking across Florida, the newly non-political anti-masker issued an executive order over summer that prohibits local school districts from requiring masks for students and faculty to help combat the spread of the delta variant. A Florida judge has since ruled against the governor, allowing schools to implement mask mandates with no parent opt-out. Of course, the non-political anti-masker is appealing this decision in the higher courts.

During a press conference the potential 2024 presidential candidate and pro-Trump governor pulled the amnesia card when he began talking as if he was confused by how masks had become such a hot debate topic.

“Since I’ve been governor, I think any issue that has politics—and I don’t know why the masks have politics around it,” DeSantis stated. It’s important to note here that since the pandemic began in 2020, DeSantis has repeatedly mocked mask guidelines while earning points with conservative voters nationwide. “Let the parent make the decision that’s best for their kids. If you want the masks, do it, if you don’t, don’t—that’s fine.”

DeSantis continued speaking to reporters. “We have unions involved, and the same unions that wanted schools closed all of last year,” he said. “Remember, we were in court last year at this time because they sued me to close the schools. We were getting kids back in school, we understood how important that was for parents and kids to be learning and all this stuff.”

Masks haven’t been the only war the Florida governor has ignited against. He has also garnered attention for his stance on opposing preventive covid efforts, such as private organizations requiring “vaccine passports.”

The amnesia card may work for Bravo’s Real Housewives reunion specials, but not when it comes to failed leadership that resulted in thousands of deaths. While Gov. Frownie Face continues to spearhead the “let’s kill them all” movement in Florida, one would like to think that he will see the answer to this issue the next time he cracks open a cold one and puts his koozie on.

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