The United States continues to grapple with the virus that's killed nearly 500 thousand Americans in one year, but a formidable obstacle to conquering it is the public willingness—or lack thereof—to abide by safety guidelines and mandates designed to slow the spread.
In the earlier stages of the outbreak, as more information became known about its characteristics and spread—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amended its guidelines to endorse the wearing of masks or other facial coverings. Its reversal came after scientists learned of the ubiquity of asymptomatic transmission.
Then-President Donald Trump said at the time that he didn't intend to wear a mask, despite the CDC guidelines. He frequently cast doubt on masks' effectiveness and mocked those who wore them. His staff and supporters followed suit, rendering masks as a political stance, rather than a simple safety measure.
Even a year into the pandemic and with Trump no longer in the White House, this skepticism remains rampant.
Far-right podcaster Steven Crowder—of "Change my mind" meme fame—has frequently scoffed at masks despite their proven effectiveness.
He continued this pattern today in a recent tweet.
Crowder probably thought he'd made a good point, but people soon pointed out that it was the very skepticism and politicization of masks by him and his peers that made millions hesitant or outright unwilling to wear them.
Twitter users were merciless in their replies.
Soon, people were responding with questions of their own.
Data has repeatedly shown that masks are effective in reducing chances of transmission.
DonaldJTrump.com