In light of the supossed continuing threat of COVID-19, we the citizens of Columbia do not support our local leaders in requiring the use of face coverings/masks in all public indoor spaces as well as outdoor public spaces where it is not possible to maintain six feet of physical distance. This would require employees and the public to wear cloth face coverings/face masks to decrease the growing rate of COVID-19 infections when there is no evidence supporting such for this mandate will do nothing but harm our community more than do good.

1. Mask mandates should be a choice by citizens. We are not farm animals and can make our own informed decisions about our health and safety on a person to person basis as is our constitutional right to choose.

2. Businesses should be able to decide if they will mandate mask use themselves as it is their own individual rights to do so.

3. Requiring masks to be worn by citizens and forcing businesses to force patrons to wear masks is a infringement on our constitutional rights as American citizens.

4. A mask mandate will hurt the local economy more than help as many people will shop online and travel to nearby towns to shop instead of locally. Update: As of Aug. 28th the city council has now extended their reach to include forcing businesses to close by 10p citing covid-19 concerns. This does nothing but further hurts our local economy.

5. Boone County Missouri in whole has seen 460 total cases with 153 being active COVID and 305 people in quarantine for being associated with a active case and 2 deaths. That is only 0.25% out of 180,000 citizens. The flu virus has more than double those numbers in the same timeframe and no restrictions are in place for it this year or any year prior.

6. Masks themselves can cause health issues including long term complications as you breath in more carbon dioxide then you should as masks are not completely vented and leave behind higher amounts of it as well as become contaminated by touching, breathing, coughing and sneezing into them. They also pose the threat of germs staying alive longer on the fabrics than it does on human skin. In many cases masks will not be washed 1/10th the time as a humans body or hands.

7. There is no supporting evidence of masks helping slow the spread of infection. In fact infections started to rise due to protests starting over two-three weeks ago in which most were wearing masks and not caused by the reopening of our city as it takes up to two weeks for symptoms to occur.

In the end there was no just cause for this mandate to go into effect. The science does not support it and our constitutional rights do not support it either. This is a personal choice issue not a government issue. As of right now there is no health risk for Boone county for this to have even be considered as a ordinance. Let's show Columbia City Council we will not stand for this. Let's all band together and force them to rescind this ordinance or have our day in court over it. Let's hold them accountable for walking all over our constitutional rights along with any medical issues, jobs lost and businesses that suffer or close due to this mandate taking effect and require reimbursement for any fines imposed plus interest from them.

UPDATE: As of Aug 28th City council has now mandated businesses start closing by 10pm citing Covid concerns. This is exactly what we need to prevent. If we do not stand up now the city of Columbia will continue their government overreach and continue hurting the local businesses and citizens with their failed policies. We need to stand with our local businesses and neighbors and show the council that we will no longer take any of this abuse.

If all else fails this petition will serve as a standing ground against this mask mandate for when or if they try and extend this ordinance. Our voices can change that outcome just by simply letting it be known you are against it.

This petition is a replacement of a petition that already had over 1k signatures against this proposal before the council's vote and was taken down without any reason as to why given to the author or signees.

To show your support please share this petition if not donate to help spread the word. The more signatures we can get the more our voice will be heard and taken seriously. 

Thank you everyone for your continued support on this issue.