# New crime in Illinois - Wearing a medical mask while Black **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506 "2020-04-10T15:06:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/1 "2020-04-10T15:06:31Z")
[Story here](https://chicagocrusader.com/cop-follows-two-black-men-around-illinois-walmart-for-allegedly-wearing-surgical-masks-asks-them-for-id/) It’s like cops aren’t even trying to hide their racism anymore. The police chief supported the officer saying he misunderstood the policy of wearing masks in the Walmart which means one of two things must have happened 1. The two men were the only two wearing masks and by co-incidence were black 2. The cop also escorted all of the white people out who were wearing masks but that was not reported. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/2 "2020-04-10T15:18:08Z")
Here in NC masks are illegal except for kids on Halloween. Other states may be the same. I assume because of bank/store robberies. I think now the cops are not going to worry about masks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/3 "2020-04-10T19:33:48Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I think now the cops are not going to worry about masks. Unless the person has a suspicious skin color. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/4 "2020-04-10T23:06:06Z")
The Governor of Illinois has advised people to wear masks whenever they go out into the world. If this cop ain’t a racist fuck, then my sdmb name ain’t bobot. And in defense of Illinois, I’ve lived here my whole life and have never heard of Wood River. I looked it up, and Wood River is more St. Louis than it is Chicago. When you get south of I-80 in Illinois, Illinois becomes a whole 'nother place. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/5 "2020-04-10T23:21:03Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The Governor of Illinois has advised people to wear masks whenever they go out into the world. Yes, but this incident happened on or before March 18, before the Governor and others were pushing mask wearing. I still wouldn’t bet against the cop being racist, but back then they could indeed have been the only ones in Walmart wearing masks. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/6 "2020-04-10T23:30:25Z")
It is a bit fucked up that the guy doing the filming drops the mask at the end. Being safe, eh? (I just watched the actual video.) Cop still a racist fuck. He could have kept just as close an eye on those guys that he wanted to without having to turn it into a confrontation. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/7 "2020-04-10T23:35:00Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The Governor of Illinois has advised people to wear masks whenever they go out into the world… When I heard that, my first thought was, what could go wrong here? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/8 "2020-04-10T23:56:26Z")
I’ve seen enough of the outrage culture to be open to other possibilities. THis video plays into the outrage that we all feel and want to feel about racism and evil. But I’m only seeing a bit of video from the people claiming they were mistreated. I note in the video they don’t claim racism; but it is being spun as a racist encounter. I can’t make a judgment because I don’t know what happened before the video or know the unbiased aspect of the situation. But it makes a good story to feed the outrage we so want to feel ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/9 "2020-04-11T01:25:46Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yes, but this incident happened on or before March 18, before the Governor and others were pushing mask wearing. If Illinois was like Colorado, mask wearing was not uncommon in mid-March before the Governor recommended mask-wearing. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/10 "2020-04-11T01:27:52Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I’ve seen enough of the outrage culture to be open to other possibilities. Among private individuals? Sure. But between black men and white cops I think racism is always a distinct possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/11 "2020-04-12T03:43:11Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I’ve seen enough of the outrage culture to be open to other possibilities. Yeah, we’re probably just blowing a few million incidents out of proportion. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/12 "2020-04-12T16:05:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yeah, we’re probably just blowing a few million incidents out of proportion. and this could be one of them we are blowing out of proportion…that’s the point. You SOOOO want this to be a racist incident that you aren’t open to the possibility that it could be anything else. Can you enlighten me on why you think this particular event has to absolutely be a result of racism by a white cop on two black men? Even the two men, don’t mention that this incident is because of racism. Think about why you want it to be so. Look, I know its hard to not think I must be a racist nazi myself, because I don’t automatically tow the party line and follow the mantra that this event HAS TO BE racist. But there is too much evidence missing to make that assumption and draw such a conclusion based on such scanty data. Read the article, again…the worst case of racism is from the Police Chief Wells who incorrectly went on the defensive thinking there was a claim of racism…he started the commentary about race. the two men claim they were being kicked out because they were wearing masks; not because they were black. > [@](#): > > “Coronavirus is real! This police officer just put us out for wearing masks and staying safe,” Best shouted as he walked out of the store. When Jackson told another customer about the conflict, she agreed the situation was “f—-d up.” ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/13 "2020-04-13T11:16:19Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Here in NC masks are illegal except for kids on Halloween. 😕 So immunocompromised people are supposed to just never, ever leave teh house? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/14 "2020-04-13T13:06:04Z")
Does the blue gangsta need a reason to harass people? No, the blue gangsta does not. It doesn’t matter why, just as long as the thug gets to flex his pecs and feel like a man once in a while. Disregard the constabulary ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/15 "2020-04-13T14:10:24Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Here in NC masks are illegal except for kids on Halloween. Other states may be the same. I assume because of bank/store robberies. I seem to recall that most anti-mask laws were because of the KKK. At least in the Southern states. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/16 "2020-04-13T14:19:43Z")
Double post - apparently the timeouts are still with us. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/17 "2020-04-14T00:08:15Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Read the article, again…the worst case of racism is from the Police Chief Wells who incorrectly went on the defensive thinking there was a claim of racism…he started the commentary about race. > > the two men claim they were being kicked out because they were wearing masks; not because they were black. Do you feel confident the police chief will fairly investigate the incident to see if it was racism? For example, see if there were any white people wearing masks that were not thrown out? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/18 "2020-04-14T02:29:41Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Do you feel confident the police chief will fairly investigate the incident to see if it was racism? > > For example, see if there were any white people wearing masks that were not thrown out? That’s a different question than if they were kicked out for being black. If there were white people wearing masks who were NOT kicked out, than I would be more confident that it was a racially motivated incident. If there were no white people wearing masks, how would that answer the question? Would you be confident that it was racist, if these two people were the only ones wearing masks, and were the only two kicked out? To me, if they were the only ones wearing masks and the only ones kicked out, I couldn’t say with any confidence at all that it was racially motivated. That’s the point…I don’t have enough data…I don’t know if you have enough information to make an informed decision or if you are reaching a conclusion based on a preconceived notion and desire for that conclusion to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/19 "2020-04-14T04:13:28Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > You SOOOO want this to be a racist incident that you aren’t open to the possibility that it could be anything else. No, I don’t want it to be a racist incident. I’d be happy if there were no racist incidents. But I don’t go around pretending racism isn’t a real thing and racist incidents don’t occur. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506/20 "2020-04-14T17:11:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > No, I don’t want it to be a racist incident. I’d be happy if there were no racist incidents. > > But I don’t go around pretending racism isn’t a real thing and racist incidents don’t occur. Sure I totally agree. We are still talking about this one incident under discussion right? The focus of the thread is not on all incidents or if racism exists or doesn’t. I’d never fall into that camp. My point is and still remains that I don’t have enough data to indicate that THIS particular incident is racially motivated. Those that automatically think its a racist incident based on what is presented are making those conclusions based on the race of the police officer and the two customers. If the customers were white, we wouldn’t care; If the officer was black, we wouldn’t care. THe fact that the officer is white and the customers are black, cause some to make a prejudicial assumption based on race. (I wonder if there was some word to describe making prejudicial assumptions based on a person’s race?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-crime-in-illinois-wearing-a-medical-mask-while-black/851506.md?page=2)