Hello, all.
I've been here pretty much since TheDonald moved from Reddit (spit) and was ChristianSoldier. I didn't migrate over here until now.
I have not been wearing a mask. I've been asked to leave a few stores, and did so quietly and without making a fuss. That apparently ended today.
Anyway, I needed new glasses, and got a prescription. A few weeks later, I went to an optician to get fitted for glasses, and walked in without a mask. No one said anything about it. One optician came to help me, but she left and the head optician came out and picked up where she left off. The whole 45 minutes or so I was there, no one ever mentioned masks. He told me they'd be ready in two weeks and he'd call.
Last week, the head optician called and said the glasses were ready. So, we drove the 50 or so miles into town today to get them. When I walked in the door, the receptionist insisted I wear a mask and said I couldn't stay without one. So, I left and immediately called and asked to speak to the optician. No answer.
A moment or two later he called back and asked what he could do for me. I calmly explained what had happened and said that there was no way for me to buy the glasses since the receptionist wouldn't let me in the shop. He offered to come out and fit them for me on the sidewalk. I told him that I am not a second class citizen and that if they didn't serve people without masks they should have told me when I first came in and I would have gladly taken my business somewhere else. I told him what he had done was very probably illegal and that I would have to figure out my options.
Legal advice. It seems pretty clear I was discriminated against just because they did not inform me the first visit or when they called me that masks were required for service. The first visit it was clear I wasn't wearing a mask, and when they called, they had prior knowledge that I didn't wear one. They had multiple opportunities to warn me and failed to do so nor did they ask me if I had any medical conditions that prevented me from wearing one. Does one have to sue for a certain type of discrimination or can a business just deny service for any reason as long as it's not race/religion/ etc.?
I don't want to sue them, but this is too far. Do I have grounds to sue the health department for giving bad requirements to businesses? Our sheriff, God bless him, has already said he will not enforce mask requirements. Our two elected commissioners who sit on the county/city health board both voted against requiring face masks. The rest of the board (all appointees) voted to continue it.
What is my legal recourse from here? I'd appreciate any thoughts even from non-lawyers.
Christian advice: Would this be pleasing to the Lord to fight this fight? My own church (tiny church) wouldn't support me on this, and so I have no local human support on this besides my husband. I want to do the righteous thing here. Thoughts? And prayers!
Anyway, thanks for listening.
A lot of options, Try again when Karen Receptionist is not there Take the business offer to fit you outside, remember businesses reserve the right to refuse service. inform the business you need special accommodations that you cannot wear a mask. Most mandates have a clause that those with exemptions do not have to wear a mask. Shake the dust from your feet and move on to the next business. Taking legal action will only resort in time wasted. You would have to prove pain and suffering and that the business did not try to reasonably accommodate you. Keep in mind that most people are trying to figure this craziness out. And whatever you do considering this business ask yourself am I fighting for justice or because I was offended. There is a time and season for everything.
Thank you. I've come to a similar conclusion. It seems that each person has to reach their "No more" point for themselves. I reached it yesterday. Others reached it long ago, and still others not yet. Real action will come when a whole lot of people say, "Enough." I pray that happens before it's too late.
By the way, I don't have a physical disability. I have a religious objection, and that pushes this into the realm of the civil rights act. I've decided to write a letter to the office in the hopes that we can work out a solution, and also have the opportunity to explain to them why they need to help stand in the gap.
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.
(*Not a legal pede.) I think you'd have a hard time winning since they tried to "make a reasonable accommodation" to your needs. Perhaps call back and see if there is a way for the optometrist to accommodate you indoors in some fashion (like when everyone else is at lunch or something). More than likely he/she would rather have the sale of the glasses and a happy customer, instead of an angry one. I think trying to work it out with someone, if they are reasonable, would be preferable.
I think you're very wise on that. I don't want money or to make them pay or anything like that. I abhor being disobedient to authority or going against the tide. I've always been a good citizen. I just want this foolishness to stop at all levels, and we have to start somewhere and soon.
Refusing to wear a mask isn't enough to stop the momentum that is leading this country over the cliff . Where I am, the vaccine will be available for everyone by the beginning of April. Then they will monitor to see how popular it is and determine their course of action based on our acceptance or rejection. Then they will soft-coerce the rest of us to take it. Then comes the hard coercion. We had best stop this now, because we won't be able to later.
I'm not scared for myself because my eternity is assured, but I am terrified for those I love who are caught in this evil web.
Agreed. If we refuse to stand we will be perpetually in chains. I don't wear a mask either and have yet to be asked to leave. I would simply stop patronizing any business that made it a requirement (and I live in a blue state). I am also not unreasonable if the (small) business fears fines and feels the need to ask, but is willing to accommodate me in some fashion (I will not comply with a large business asking as the threat of fines is not a motivating factor for them). I don't want to risk a business/person sympathetic to my ideas being punished by government, because of some busybody Karen ratting them out. I think it's a balance between both interests. God Bless.
Thanks. I have been asked to leave numerous places, and I do it without a fuss, so I understand your point and agree. Had this business told me the day I first walked in that they couldn't accommodate me, that would have been the end of it.
I also understand that the business folk are trying to figure everything out as we go, and so I try to extend some grace. However, it has been a year now. Surely, they should have put some policies in place to handle folks like me? And then the question becomes, when do we stop accommodating them on their discrimination? When is discrimination okay?
In my state, the governor has removed the mask mandate, and so the county boards are requiring masking, although they have no legal standing They have put the businesses as a front man for their terrible rulings. And I really think they count on our compassion to keep us from stopping this, because we will hurt "innocent business owners". Yet, that business owner was also guilty of discriminating against me and for what reason? Certainly not because I don't wear a mask, otherwise they would have stopped me from coming in that first day.
Anyway, as you can see, I'm a bit frustrated. Thanks for listening.
I agree with you. The government is using the businesses as the lever to force their illegal edicts. It is indeed frustrating and demoralizing seeing so many willingly giving up their freedoms and actively trying to force others to comply with something that has no medical/scientific basis. It's a religion as this point. How you want to to pursue it is up to you, but I wouldn't go tilting at windmills to achieve it. It's going to take many people refusing to have their rights trampled to stop this insanity and becoming a (financial) martyr is in no one's interest at this point, in my opinion. As I said, I would see if the optometrist was amenable to seeing you without anyone else there if he is sympathetic to your beliefs and in fear of fines. I would calmly explain that you would have gone to a different business, had you known they were enforcing illegal edicts by government employees and that you feel very strongly about this matter. Perhaps he is more sympathetic to you than you know and has a mask nazi receptionist he's dealing with. If he is unsympathetic and blows you off, then go somewhere else and you can sleep easy knowing you tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and be a reasonable person. Just my $.02.
That is just what I decided last night. Thanks for that confirmation. And thanks for taking the time to reply. I truly appreciate it.
You're welcome. It's always nice to chat with someone who gives thoughtful and insightful comments, so thanks to you too. Have a great day!