MY TURN: The truth of science

The My Turn by Doug Albertson, “Thoughts on science, not politics,” was great. I love its clarity, thoroughness and reliance on real facts.

In a nutshell, the reason we are to wear masks and social distance and wash our hands is to prevent contamination to ourselves and others. Since it concerns others besides ourselves, our government can (and should) issue mandates as it does for excessive noise, indecent exposure, and MANY other instances where a mandate is issued for common good.

In Summer Bushnell’s defense of the stance against the mandate to wear a mask, she pulls in the Constitution as the authority, rather than the common good. Like it should have authority in this question? But she also thinks the deaths, since the number is only .06% of the population, are no cause to get upset.

This is the Republican Party that supported to the bitter end the divisive president Donald Trump. When are you more thoughtful and feeling Republicans going to take control of the direction of your party?

ELLEN LARSEN

Rathdrum