Ukraine has been under constant missile fire since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the country last week. Ukrainians are scrambling to find a way across the border to safety, or are huddling in underground public transportation systems to stay alive. Hundreds of Ukrainians, including children, have died already.
But for conservatives like far-right pundit Tomi Lahren, surviving in a war-torn country is equally as traumatizing and dangerous as wearing a mask.
In an ill-advised tweet, Lahren compared the aggression in Ukraine to local mask mandates used to slow the spread of COVID-19, which has killed nearly a million Americans.
The Russian invasion is "tyranny" but forcing Americans to wear face diapers and get 3 ineffective COVID shots is "our patriotic duty." Weird.
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) March 2, 2022
Calling masks "face diapers" and falsely claiming the three-vaccine series is "ineffective," Greene dismissed the idea that vaccines and mask mandates designed to keep neighbors safe is not a "patriotic duty," but "tyranny." Her comments come as local officials around the country have loosened the mandates to acknowledge this latest state of the pandemic.
At last night's State of the Union, on which Lahren was commenting, the joint session of Congress convened without masks, after the House of Representatives lifted its mask mandate under new guidance from the attending physician of Congress, Dr. Brian P. Monahan.
Social media users didn't take kindly to Lahren's whining and especially her comparison to Ukraine.
What a glib way to talk about people suffering and dying in a war and comparing it to you having to wear a mask on a plane or something. https://t.co/HrAI6TWuXV
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) March 2, 2022
Wearing a surgical mask is like having an invading army shell my house, actually. https://t.co/dwI2sCuUj4
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) March 2, 2022
people are being bombed https://t.co/CsJRVdD9SM
— kate (derogatory) (@katewhiteshark) March 2, 2022
Would you rather be living underground while your home and loved ones get bombed to bits or wear a mask on your face at the supermarket? It’s tough, I know. https://t.co/Re8fmhbrsc
— Miranda 🕊 (@dreamcore_elegy) March 2, 2022
Invading a sovereign democracy is equivalent to having people wear masks and getting a vaccine? The fact people actually think like this is insane. One was for societal good and one is quite literally an act of war. Seek help Tomi https://t.co/gE9SR9nQTy
— kyran 🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@jujutsukyran) March 2, 2022
“My life is exactly as hard as Ukrainian people resisting Russian occupation because I have to wear a mask when taking a Lyft.” https://t.co/Jroil8Ik8o
— Chris Jackson (@ChrisCJackson) March 2, 2022
They roasting of Lahren didn't let up from there.
We gotta study Tomi’s brain for science because I’m certain there’s never been anyone this stupid. https://t.co/iKoOomhlDw
— Carlon Carpenter (@CarlonCarpenter) March 2, 2022
Ever notice that people who call them “face diapers” tend to have diarrhea of the mouth? https://t.co/AbUyKvuBhL
— Alice Radley (@alice_radley) March 2, 2022
You can just tell that Tomi Lahren's inner monologue is the sound of a potato rotating in the microwave. https://t.co/VvOCsvxKGF
— Bizarrobrain (@bizarrobrain) March 2, 2022
Lahren later doubled down on her belief that public safety guidelines amount to "tyranny," while also conceding that "Putin is horrible & sadly we have tyrants here too."