I usually post my Casino and running stuff on my other blog but given the political and social nature of this particular post I'm going to put it here. As you know The Ghost does NOT mask in public. I don't drive with a mask on. I do not walk the streets with a mask on. I do not run, bike or do any other strenuous activities with a mask on. I barely wear a mask at my [current] workplace.
I posted the physics as to why anything short of a properly worn N95 respirator is totally not effective at blocking ANY viral transmission while also restricting your breathing. So I won't repeat it here. So since I knew masks were safety theatre I only wore one when in private property. So for months I had been in and out of casinos regularly. For all I know I have been exposed to C-19 multiple times. Anyone who has been in a casino knows full well that the concept of "social distancing" is irrelevant because people walk around and behind you all the time, inhaling and exhaling. People who win big jackpots whoop and hollar and then you walk right through the air they yelled into. If you are the paranoid type a casino is your next to worse nightmare after a subway ride.
One thing very positive to come out of this pandemic has been the elimination of indoor smoking in casinos. There are many places I simply will not go to because I decided I was not going to subject myself to second hand smoke for hours on end in the chase for money. My health comes first and I don't have to be there. This may change back soon but hopefully not. Anyway onto the experience.
I don't do segregation. We, as in America, dealt with this decades ago, there is no separate but equal with the exception of bathrooms and changing rooms. We don't make people go through separate entrances. We don't restrict what parts of a room or building they may use. We do not set aside special hours for "those people".
We don't do that shit.
And so I entered this casino which will not be named for various reasons. The outer doors showed the now familiar masked head picture so I went and put mine on. Private property. Fine. Upon entering everyone I saw had a mask on. Ok. Fine. I went to the restroom and saw a "new" sign that indicated that per CDC mask requirements are dropped for Whites only. Sorry, no, "fully vaccinated".
Off came the mask.
No. Don't ask and I'm not telling. And really you should stop talking about your personal health situation with anyone you work with or are doing business with. Once you agree to disclose the "expectation of privacy" thing usually goes out the window if it gets to court.
Also, and this bears repeating: If you got a vaccine and you believe it works then the status of any other person is irrelevant. For example, you have your measles shot. Do you even THINK about whether the person next to you has also had the shot? No? And don't be so certain that they have. Think of the outbreak that happened in NYC.
If you got your vaccine and you are still worried about getting sick then WHY DID YOU GET IT? Do you regularly purchase things that you believe to be defective?
So if you're in the "I don't want to be around the unclean unvaccinated" camp, you are an ass either way. Continuing on:
An elderly couple also saw the sign and commented that they had been vaccinated and that the sign says nothing about social distancing. They kept their mask on. Now personally I think their decision was dumb but I respect it. You do YOU. Me. No mas.
Here's the thing. You gotta be like the people who did the lunch counter sit ins. You walk in there like you belong. You take your seat in the "whites only" section like you belong. YOU are not doing anything wrong. THEY are doing something wrong by treating you like a diseased second class citizen.
Do not go for it.
So I approached the floor entrance where there was a security guard with his mask on. He waved me by. Went past another one who was checking ID for age. I'm too grey for that BS. Pass him without incident too.
I wander around 90% of the floor and not a single employee said a thing. Kudos to them for that. Finally spotted my game of choice and noticed that another mask-less individual. And there we were, the only two people in the entire building who had no mask on like normal human beings. We were surrounded by people wearing all manner of masks. Many of whom were wearing them incorrectly.
Multiple employees walked past me while I was playing and didn't so much as stumble.
Kudos.
Later I left without incident. Like a regular human being. I didn't try to avoid "security" or any floor staff and none of them gave me grief.
Now given the age demographics of people who go to casinos I was actually surprised that everyone still had a mask on. Thinking about it, the signs were not exactly in conspicuous locations. Secondly I think there is still a lot of fear out there. The media really did a number on the public and it takes a particularly strong mind to not fall for it. Lastly, there are political considerations. Not a few people are keeping on masks in order to "not seem like a Republican." That's dumb but they can remain dumb as far as I'm concerned.
So this is the new segregation. Don't go for it. Do not accept second class citizenship. Kudos to the organizations and employees who see this and don't do it.