Apparently, a lot of people in Guilford County have no desire to start wearing masks again when they’re indoors eating, shopping or whatever.
In emails and calls to commissioners, on social media and in person, many citizens are letting the Board of Commissioners know that they’re displeased, to say the least, about the new mask mandate that goes into effect on Friday, Aug. 13.
Even before the Tuesday, August 10 vote of 7 to 2 by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, some area mayors told board Chair Skip Alston that they weren’t in favor of the mandate, which carries fines for people who don’t mask up and for businesses that don’t make them.
The vote was along straight party lines and, after the mask mandate was approved, Republican Commissioner Justin Conrad said that he began getting inundated with calls and emails from people who thought the mask mandate was a major mistake. Conrad got a lot of angry feedback – and he’s one of the two county commissioners who voted no on the matter.
Commissioner Alan Perdue, also a Republican, is the other one.
Conrad contacted the Rhino Times on the Thursday after the vote and asked that the Rhino make it clear he was opposed to the motion. He said he thinks the county requiring masks for people indoors at public places is a blunder – and he doesn’t want to unfairly get lumped in with the seven commissioners who voted for it.
George McClellan, an Oak Ridge Town Councilmember who’s planning on running for county commissioner next year, posted a video on Facebook denouncing the new mask requirement.
He called the mandate “heavy handed” and said that business owners are just recovering from the pandemic but the mask mandate will hurt businesses again.
He also said the move could “undercut vaccination efforts.”
“The drama surrounding the mandate will possibly create a distraction in the effort to get people vaccinated,” McClellan said in the video.
Former Republican Guilford County Commissioners Jeff Phillips and Alan Branson no doubt wished they were still on the board for the vote because each had some choice words for the current board – and each man says he would have voted no.
Here is how one call from a county resident to a current commissioner went this week.
“I’m not doing it,” the caller said in a voicemail to the commissioner. “I’m vaccinated. Not doing it. I’ll fake it – I’ll hold my little mask up in front of my face, go in the store, put it in my pocket. You guys are nuts.”
The woman calling in said that the board was perhaps “playing God” and added that with smallpox and chickenpox a threat, “We might as well go around masked for the rest of our lives.”
Alston said he is hearing some negative responses to the mandate but added that he is hearing even more positive feedback.
On Thursday, August 12, Alston said, “The count today is 45 yes and 15 no.”
Its time to have an insurrection in Greensboro. DO NOT go downtown for anything. Make the streets empty and don’t eat in restaurants or go to bars or go shopping except the grocery store. Lets show the idiots WHO is running the City. WE can control Greensboro. Haven’t we had enough!!!!!!!!!!!
We HAVE had enough. Now go get vaccinated, wear your damn mask and social distance so we can put this thing behind us!
Amen! We have to stand up for ourselves. Obviously many in our County government are not. At best masks should be optional along with NO NASTY LOOKS from those who disagree.
1. That’s not what an insurrection is.
2. Are you really calling for an insurrection?
Skip’s positive to negative count on responses is 45/15? That’s the kind of math that makes sense to no one . My count is 50 no, 10 yes, with 5 of the no’s being business owners.
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. The more people become informed the higher the NO count gets.
Not saying Skip’s 45 yes’s are uninformed but…..
I’ve no doubt Mr. Alston would like to tout the three to one public support. I’ve also no doubt that in my conversations with friends and associates that we’ve no choice but resist this unnecessary and heavy handed abuse of power. What we can and will do is conduct as much business as is possible in neighboring counties and online.
Once power is taken , it is seldom relaxed or removed.
Do you expect Skip to tell the truth about reaction to his latest boondoggle?
I have some Florida swampland that’s good for development!
I agree with the woman who called in to the commissioner that said she will not be wearing a mask.
And as to Skip Alston saying that more people are for the mask mandate than against it, I and most people that I know do not believe anything that comes out of his mouth!
Skip Alston is also a liar.
Politicians and other public people are fairly subject to criticism. I don’t like Skip’s politics, but I’d like to read your proof that Skip is a liar.
Tell Skippy and the others who voted for the mask mandate, I shall be shopping and dining OUTSIDE Guilford county until they lift the mandate. As an 80 year old, fully vaccinated, it is an insult for idiots to presumably assume the vaccine ineffective!
I don’t believe anything they say.
As for Commissioner Alston, the truth ain’t in the man. He’ll spew whatever it takes to achieve his purpose. He is shameless. Pitty the fool! I will not wear the darn mask and there is nothing you can do Skippy! Nothing. Hear it loud and clear mister.
This debacle that Skip is espousing is right out of the Democrats playbook .Keep all people dumb and tied to the government.They have gotten the college children Believing this crap and the are after the K-12 now. Also these Democrats are doing everything to ruin America,Joe with his economic disasters and the border CRISIS that is currently destroying all neighborhoods in our wonderful country.With 20-30% of all illegals coming over the border having COVID,they are being placed with no exams for the disease.This means that every community the illegals are placed in have the capacity to infect anyone they encounter.How many of these people are actually infecting our Americans and we are being held to a standard that the illegals are not .They can go anywhere any time they want while maybe infecting regular Americans as they go.
This is a good example that all Democrats want is to make sure everyone else will be under their control.DEMOCRATS WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.PASS THE WORD TO ALL CONSERVATIVES!!!
Never let a crisis go to waste….
I personally don’t like wearing masks. But it is the right thing to do so we avoid becoming the next FL, TX or LA.
I have many many friends in Florida some in healthcare and in Texas I have hundreds of people I know personally from work. Everything is completely normal. Don’t believe the media. Talk to someone who lives there.
I am sick and tired of Skip Alston and his demoncratic party trying to run our lives, ruin our economy and our COUNTRY! This is nothing more than a power move. I have had covid, took the vaccinations and now I AM ORDERED to WEAR A MASK OR BE SUBJECT TO A FINE OR IMPRISONMENT. I don’t think the fine and imprisonment will hold up in court. Who will enforce the mask mandate? The sheriff;s office, GPD and the other police agencies have enough to do with the rise in crime and weekly if not daily murders and shootings!!! (Where are all the activists? Stupid question since it doesn’t involve a WHITE cop killing a BLACK man!) I will not shop in GUILFORD COUNTY. I will go to Burlington, Reidsville, Madison etc. If any of these other cities/counties around us decide to play “STUPID”, I’ll find other ways to buy the things that I need. I’m sure that I am not alone when I say “I refuse to abide by Guilford’s mandates and will shop outside of Guilford County, High Point, Greensboro etc.”
What about all the hundreds of illegal immigrants that were secretly brought into Guilford County. Were they tested and quarantined? No one talks about the un-accompanied children that were being housed at the old Hebrew Academy.
IF YOU VOTED FOR THESE DEMONCRATS, SHAME ON YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR LOSS OF FREEDOM!
THANK YOU JUSTIN CONRAD AND ALAN PERDUE FOR TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING!
Could it be that the recent mask mandate by Skip Alston and his demoncrats has a hidden racial agenda/meaning. The ethnic group with the least amount of fully vaccinated people are people of color, mainly black. With all this talk of equity, it seems that this group of individuals that are wearing a mask indoors, outdoors and even when alone in a car may feel singled out and as a result Skippy proposed the mask mandate???? I didn’t follow the science, just statistics.
I also heard of a restaurant that was wanting to only allow vaccinated people to dine inside and un-vaccinated to dine outside. He was informed that it would look too much like the segregation of the 50’s/60’s.
You’re sure going to win a lot of hearts by referring to everyone you disagree with a demons.
It’s almost comical. Who is actually going to enforce this crap anyway? I do believe the “board members” who voted for it should have someone following each of them around and pounce at every opportunity to fine their butts.
Remember the left’s motto. “NOT FOR ME, BUT FOR THEE”. They think and act as if they are above the law or toooo good.
I like many others will dine and shop in neighboring counties. I don’t even want to shop online when Guilford County is receiving tax from my online purchases.
“45 yes and 15 no.” That’s perhaps 60 people. How many people in the County? Why does 60 of them mean anything?
Oh, yeah, who were the 60?
Went to a movie today at 1. The girl selling popcorn asked if I had a mask. I politely but firmly told her no, that starts at 5. I’ll be gone by then. Sorry for the businesses here but if you try to enforce it, I’m okay with driving elsewhere. Either the businesses stand up or they lose business. By the way THE MANDATE GOES THROUGH JANUARY 2022. Thanks Skip, goodbye guilford. Hello Alamance, Rockingham, & Florida
Skippie probably has a total of 45 employees and family members. It IS possible he did not lie this time and he polled his family and suck-up employees who of course told him what they thought he wanted to hear.
Putting a piece of cloth around your face isn’t going to stop a virus. This has already been proven.
There are TWO “DEMANDS” today in this country. TAKE DOWN OUR STATUES and WEAR A MASK!!! Sounds like that they are connected. What is coming next for US to be required to do to please them.
It is a shame we have to have these kind of decisions made by the council. Just remember the next time you vote to weed out the problem makers and vote for people who have your values in mind.
I will cancel my usual routine and go to Randolph or Davidson instead. I like the idea posted earlier about shopping out of Greensboro 100%. Guilford county is usually not as wacky but this time??? Either way vote with your wallet.
Up to a 20 hour er wait for Cone this week. Begging nurses to work overtime by paying them insane overtime. Wouldn’t it be nice to have all those nurses back that quit or know they are going to be fired soon.
Went to Mediterraneo in Greensboro to pick up to go 24 hours after mandate when into effect. 2 of employees went crazy because I forgot my mask. Were actually SCREAMING “ Get her out of here!”. I was escorted out in the pouring rain and lightning!! Keep in Mind all at table had no masks and 24 hours ago the restaurant was full of unmasked patrons. As long as we have people in our county this uneducated , hysterical and and brainwashed by the liberal nuts representing our county like these emplyees were, we are doomed. It was BEYOND RIDICULOUS.
This is true. I have seen this behavior elsewhere.
Americans are educated to be not educated.