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Letter to the editor: What to do with the mask/no mask policy

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When I was a teenager, I saw signs at stores or small businesses “NO SHIRT NO SHOES NO SERVICE.” I can also remember signs in stores that read “WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE FOR ANY REASON.”

Now, when I go into a store it reads “Masks Required & Stay 6 Feet Apart”.  Most people are wearing them, a few are not.  Why is no one in the store saying anything to ones who are not?

Walmart has a new policy not POSTED on the doors that they no longer allow open firearm carry.  Walmarts in New Mexico have taken all the firearms out and they no longer sell ammunition or will not restock it.

Now we are being told if you are vaccinated you need not wear a mask inside a store.  So will the stores take down the mask signs, and make me prove I am vaccinated?  I even see small stickers on the floor telling me which way to shop down an aisle, but most people ignore them.

I know Walmart has cameras on you to make sure your do not shoplift, guess they don’t care about other stuff. No employee ever says anything to you if you go against the signs or stickers on the floor.

As a retired police officer of many years, stores often called police to arrest people who stole things in the store, were drunk, or even brothering other customers.  If they told you to leave for whatever reason, you could be arrested for criminal trespass when the police showed up.  The police would rather not arrest you, so they often wrote you a non-traffic ticket.  You were often banned from the store and told you would be arrested if you came back.

Some stores kept your picture or information so they could remember you.  Keep in mind our state government recently fined and or threatened stores in Grants to stay closed, follow the mask rules or get a big fine!

Many store employees were assaulted or threatened when they did try to stop people at their doors for not wearing a mask.  I am quite sure the law in most states is the same, and they should have just called the police instead of trying to get physical with someone.

It’s kind of like Black Friday when people waiting in line go crazy and rush the doors to be the first one to get the 52-inch tv on sale.  Seen lots of fights in stores in the past even before Covid-19 was a problem during the holidays.

I know for a fact Walmart trains and has a plan for all the stores when they have a lost child reported to them.  A code is announced over the loudspeaker and the doors are locked down until the child is found.

Guess they should have come up with a drill for NO MASKS, too late now!

Mr. Harry L. Hall
USAF Veteran Retired Sheriff Lt