In February of 2012, I started a Facebook group. It’s called, “Mahoning Valley Citizen Promoters“ or MVCP. I started it for a few different reasons. One was that I was tired of hearing nothing but bad news about our area. Another reason was that I was bored hearing people say, “There is nothing to do around here.” The other reason is that my father was a small businessman and I know what a struggle that can be. The site is for members to post any good news that happened locally. It is also for these citizen promoters to mention local business they like and to report events happening locally. I also, like to post job opportunities. I want to see more of our young folks find jobs and stay in our area. While it started out to be about the Mahoning Valley, other nearby areas have been welcome to join and promote their region. That is why we now have posts about: the Shenango Valley, Columbiana County and Lawrence County.
During this pandemic the site has tried to step up information about take-out food at local restaurants. In the last few months some local take-out food sites have been established on Facebook. There is one for the Shenango Valley, Mahoning County, Trumbull County, Columbiana County and Lawrence County. Many of those have over 4,000 members in the span of two months. That’s impressive as, I’ve been doing this for eight years and only have 400 members. Then again, all those sites have gotten local press which helped them get members.
I have been posting info from any of the restaurants that post a daily take out menu. While I promote take out, I am still not sure I want to venture in to any sit down restaurants. I could go into detail about why I think that is risky but I’d rather let some area folks express their views on this subject. The following is from a post from one of our area take out Facebook pages. I used initials instead of real names.
ML: I did a pick up dinner at – – – & not one employee had on mask or gloves. And handling money!
LN: I have my own opinion on the masks, but if a business is requesting that I wear one I will out of respect.
JWS: rules, they are called rights and liberties. Our rules were made nearly 250 years ago. They call it the constitution.
JK: which makes them slightly outdated
BZ: please go read Federalist paper #10 where Madison eloquently states how the common good of all far outweighs the rights of a select few.
CS: I work at Lowes and have to wear a mask all day long. I get customers who bitch and whine about wearing one for a half hour. It’s such a small inconvenience to wear one to protect yours and others lives. We are so spoiled here. Others live in war torn countries; go without food and basic essentials. It’s all about perspective. Put it on and think and focus on something else for goodness sake. You will not suffocate.
MB: I’m a nurse at a hospital as is my husband. We all wear them all day. Sometimes this is 12-16 hours and everyone does it and is fine so I think people can survive 5 mins.
PS It’s a lot easier than wearing a respirator.
JWS: does that bother you? It didn’t bother you 3 months or 3 years ago. So what!!
KJ: you are ridiculous. Go watch Trump and Cry about your rights some more.
JWS: hopelessly naive.
ML: it bothers me because a rule is a rule. 3 months ago we did not know the dangers now we do. Wearing a ventilator is much harder than wearing a mask!
RR: Agree totally, it’s not going to kill you and if you feel it’s violating your civil right, go somewhere else, these are the small business that you want open but yet you can’t wear a mask when they ask you to.
CM: Same thing was at —– Saturday! I was appalled! No distancing no masks just employees and us!
CO: And some retail workers are getting hurt for trying to enforce the rules
JWS: I’m gonna be the fly in the ointment here. The point is that the government takes bites out of our freedoms little by little. Think about am the things we were “Allowed” to do 20 or 30 or 40 years ago that we aren’t “allowed” to do now. Life is a risk, from start to finish. It isn’t the government’s job to mommy us thru life. The mask is the symbol of this virus. Seems small, but it isn’t small at all.
CS: Didn’t use to be illegal to drive drunk. Should we go back to that?
PV: What’s helpful is that those of you who Post the stores etc. are letting others know what’s going on. We all have the choice to stay away from trouble. I appreciate all your posts.
AF: A lot of people have medical conditions that make wearing masks not possible.
JC: And that is what delivery services are for.
AS: and a lot of people don’t, but say they do. I have 3 medical reasons to not wear the mask, but you know what… I still do and still haven’t had an asthma, or panic attack.
DB: Anyone who has an immune compromised family
member will think differently about the mask….wearing it will help to protect….be considerate and help us help each other…
A restaurant owner should be more compassionate don’t you think???
JWS: did we wear masks during other bad flu stains, NO! Should be a choice, not a mandate.
DB: agree to disagree!
CA: Seems Self Centered or Extra Ignorant.
DB: I agree. I am doing it to protect others. My few seconds with a mask on will not kill me.
Why purify water then? Drink it from the river.
Why wash glasses or dishes?
Why wash your hands?
Why do the speed limit?
Why drive on right side of road?
Why pay taxes?
What is the point of anything?
DB: I am doing it to protect others. Trust me. No one controls me. I do what I want.
I am not arguing with you. My opinion to save lives. You do what you want. Your choice.
CS: Did this many people die in a few months time with any other flu we have experienced in our lifetime? Don’t think so….since this virus is most highly contagious. Those who feel it is ok to do as they please you can do so … I will choose to be cautious and hopefully remain well
TB: can we please, for the love of whatever you believe in, quit comparing this to the holocaust? You aren’t being killed for your beliefs. You aren’t hiding from your government. You aren’t being marked by anything. You are being asked to think of your community and you don’t want to because it inconveniences you – begs the question why you are on a community page. It shows how absolutely tone deaf you are to the tragedy and frankly makes you look disgusting.
BH: This has nothing to do with our rights or freedom! Any decent, considerate human being should want to protect themselves and others. If you can’t wear it for medical reasons I’m sure someone can help you out. My daughter is a Respiratory Therapist and can confirm wearing a mask is the better alternative to a ventilator
JWS: The ventilators killed most of those people. They needed more oxygen in their blood, not to be ventilated. But you must have missed that. And oh yes my dear, it is 100% about our freedoms.
AK: you are hopelessly brainwashed.
BZ: the reason the ventilators “killed” people is because there were major clotting issues that have just been discovered and now the rate of recovery is much better due to a cocktail of anti clotting and immune suppressing drugs to help with this symptom of the virus. This is NOT the flu but much more virulent and we have NO comprehension of the long range effects yet. Scarred lungs with diminished capacity, destroyed kidneys and liver…. and who knows what else. So when your freedom impacts on MY freedom to stay healthy because you are a walking, virus shedding, no symptomatic carrier, then it is selfishness and a big lack concern for the people around you not freedom.
DB: Amen
CC: Some people need to grow up! We’ll see what kind of bad ass you are when you’re standing over your mother/ father, child watching them struggle for a breath! You’ll probably be so cool then!
LB: I just plz can’t understand y people can’t wear them. Ok if u don’t care if u get sick that is on u. But when u get sick people have to take care of u then they get the risk of being sick. What happens if u don’t get sick but ur a carrier. R u ok with making someone else sick where they could die.
Just wear the gosh darn mask plz!
As you can see some people mentioned two restaurants that aren’t using gloves or masks. That makes my point about it being risky to open up restaurants. It’s also a two way street about the employees and customers causing a virus outbreak. What if I told you that one of the posters above owned a restaurant? What if that one seemed the least informed about the virus and also the most militant about not wearing a mask? Yes, JWS owns a restaurant. That is very scary.
Note the part where KJ says, “You are ridiculous. Go watch Trump and Cry about your rights some more.” He has obviously been in JWS’s restaurant before. That is because one wall features a poster praising Trump. I couldn’t sit in a restaurant during a pandemic with a poster of a president responsible for the spread of a virus that has killed 90,000 of my fellow Americans. I ate at this restaurant once years ago before Trump was elected. I haven’t been back because I found the food very bland. I would certainly not return when I know the owner doesn’t believe in wearing masks. I also don’t want to eat where the owner rubs my nose in politics. I’ll also say that my father never talked politics, religion or sports in the business he owned. He had a family to feed and put that first. He didn’t want to say anything to jeopardize that. I guess things are different today.
I wanted to use the voices of others, to tell you about the dangers we are facing opening up this economy. I feel for all the small businesses and their employees. I hope they will do all they can to protect their employees and patrons. Do what you can to support our local businesses but put your safety first.
PS: I didn’t want a lawsuit so I didn’t mention the two restaurants not wearing masks or the name of JWS’s restaurant. If you’d like their names send me an email or Facebook message.
Peace from our bunker to your.
Elecpencil 