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These last 16 months have been devastating for a lot of my neighbors, friends and acquaintances. Some have gone nearly one and half years without seeing a family member. Weddings have been postponed, funerals held outside and trips postponed.

I have learned over the years that living in a free society where we look after one another means that I don’t have the right to ruin other peoples’ lives by not wearing a mask or getting vaccinated.

I don’t have the right to try to stop our local school district from protecting our children when they insist on a mask. I also don’t have the right to make fun of a person who wears a mask. I don’t have the right to prolong this terrible COVID-19 illness along with its social and economic costs by not contributing to the effort of helping others understand the importance of getting vaccinated and wearing a mask.

Yes, I love my neighbors, friends and this county so I got vaccinated and am wearing a mask when in large groups or inside a building. I want to help my friends and neighbors survive this disease and I do what is right. I want us all to be heroes.

Roger Boughton

Austin, MN