As more cities in Florida implement mandatory mask orders, a debate between people for and against masks is getting heated.
Many against masks say being required to wear them goes against their freedoms. So Fox 4 asked an attorney about this.
AD-LIB TRAFFIC CONDITIONSAS MORE CITIES IN SOUTHWESTFLORIDA HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUTMASK MANDATES, WE’RE SEEING ALOT OF HEATED REACTIONS ON BOTHSIDES.
MANY *AGAINST WEARINGMASKS, SAY THEY’RE A VIOLATIONOF THEIR FREEDOMS. BUT IS THISACTUALLY TRUE?
I ASKED A LOCALATTORNEY.:06-:12:37-:49MANY EXPERTS HAVE COME OUTSAYING MASKS WILL SLOW THESPREAD OF COVID-19.Dr. LoureenDownes - FGCU NursePractitioner Program Director"many people need to understandpsychologically that it’s notnecessarily a matter of beingtold what to do.
It’s a matterof life and death" 7 SECBUT WE’VE SEEN SOME STRONGREACTIONS LIKE THIS, TO BEINGTOLD TO WEAR A MASK --NATS FROM COSTCO VIDEO - 2 SECSOME BELIEVE BEING TOLD TO WEARA MASK, GOES AGAINST THEIRFREEDOMS."we will protect our rights.
Iwill not wear a mask.
Fine me,and i will not pay for it" 5 secSO I WANTED TO GET TO THE BOTTOMOF THIS BELIEF.
DOES BEING TOLDTO WEAR A MASK LIMIT YOURFREEDOM?FORT MYERS ATTORNEY SPENCERCORDELL SAYS IN A WAY, YES.SPENCER CORDELL "it is aviolation of freedom that thegovernment is saying we areforcing you to do something thatyou don’t want to do for thebenefit of other people, andpeople have problem with that "11 SECBUT -- CORDELL SAYS OURGOVERNMENT *DOES HAVE THAT RIGHTTO LIMIT YOUR FREEDOMS, AND THATDOESN’T MEAN IT’SUNCONSTITUTIONAL.SPENCER CORDELL "people getmixed up between their freedomand constitutional right.There’s not a specificconstitutional right, againstwearing a facemask.
It’s not oneof the protected classes likespeech, assembly, firearms. andtherefore, you’ve got lessprotection on it.
It’s still ait’s still a limit on yourfreedom.
But it’s not one ofthose specifically protectedfreedoms under the Constitution"22 secCORDELL COMPARES THE MASKSORDINANCES PASSED IN PUNTAGORDA, SANIBEL, AND FORT MYERSBEACH... TO SEAT BELT ORDINANCESOR SPEED LIMITS.SPENCER CORDELL "I want to beable to drive as fast as I can,but if everybody’s driving it atwhatever speed they want to do,that would be more dangerous onthe road.
So the state ofFlorida says, we are doing speedlimits and local jurisdictionssay our speed limit in this cityis x.
They’re allowed to dothat.
That’s a limit on yourfreedom, but not anunconstitutional one" 18 secIN OTHER SIMPLE TERMS, LOOK ATIT THIS WAY --SPENCER CORDELL "compare it Tothe city can make you mow yourlawn because they want to havewell maintained lawns in thecity of Cape Coral.
Well,they’re allowed to regulatethat.
They think it’s safer tohave people wearing a mask,they’re allowed to regulatethat" 13 secAND FOR PEOPLE WHO BELIEVEWEARING A MASK RESTRICTS YOURFREEDOM, HE SAYS --SPENCER CORDELL"the mask, whileit’s restrictive and it limitsour freedom, It’s a lessrestrictive measure than a stayat home order.
And that’simportant to keep in mind here"9 secCORDELL SAYS HE THINKS OURGOVERNMENT LEADERS *DO NOT* WANTANOTHER SAFER AT HOME ORDER,BECAUSE IT WAS SO HARD ON OURECONOMY, SO THEY’RE TRYING TOFIND A MIDDLE GROUND, BY MAKINGPEOPLE WEAR MASKS... AND SEEINGIF THAT WILL SLOW THE SPREAD OFCOVID-19.
HE SAYS IF WE CONTINUEON THIS CURRENT TREND OFINCREASES IN CASES, AND PE
As the U.S. works to fight off the spread of COVID-19, it's also fighting off another trend.