Is sanity returning to West Virginia? Are we finally getting back to normal?
“Sanity returning?” you ask. “Back to normal?” Yeah, yeah, very funny. We asked for that. Point taken.
“Sanity” and “normal” are relative terms, and whether or not we ever enjoyed them in the Mountain State may be subject to dispute. Still, there’s no denying that the last year or so has been crazier than usual and prompts feelings of nostalgia for a time that now seems, comparatively speaking, sane and normal.
Our governor lifted the statewide mask mandate last week, and wasn’t that nice of him? Where he got the power from to issue it in the first place remains a mystery, and the usurpation is likely to come back to haunt him when Justice is called to justice – along with other would-be tyrants.
The decision to lift the mandate was probably Babydog’s idea, but it was Big Jim that announced it, reveling in his own magnanimity. “I’m going to stop violating some of your Constitutionally-protected rights today,” he might have said out loud, if his inner monologue had been near an open mic. Nevertheless, the lifting of the mask mandate was the most momentous thing that happened on “West Virginia Day.”
Five days later, West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Evan Jenkins lifted the mask mandate for the state’s court system, with some exceptions.
“Courts may continue to hold hearings and proceedings using remote technology where appropriate,” Jenkins ordered. “Courts should continue to avoid scheduling ‘call dockets’ to reduce prolonged waiting periods in lobbies, common areas, and courtrooms.”
We’re glad the mask mandates have been lifted, but we expect Justice, Jenkins, and countless other public officials across this country to be held accountable for any abuses of their authority.
We also expect to have an answer as to whether or not any of this insanity was necessary. The masks, the social distancing, the lockdowns: were any of them justified?
And we expect many of our fellow citizens to continue wearing masks, even though doubts remain on their efficacy.
