Two important bills have been introduced by the Republican Women of Baltimore County (RWBC) and are currently under the consideration of Delegate Ryan Nawrocki and Delegate Kathy Szeliga. These bills aim to address critical issues concerning masking mandates and Vaccine Passports, both of which have garnered significant attention not only across the nation but also here in Maryland.
The first bill tackles the matter of masking mandates imposed by lower-level bureaucrats. This proposed legislation seeks to make mask mandates illegal in all settings, including the K-12 schools. The reasoning behind this bill is bodily autonomy and secondly the overall unproven effectiveness of cloth or paper masks in preventing the spread of viruses. Delegate Arikan highlighted that there is a lack of credible research supporting the use of masks. Even properly fitted N95 masks are only found to reduce the possibility of virus transmission by 45%. In her words, "It is not scientific, and there is no concrete evidence that masks work."
There has been a recent resurgence of masking children in Montgomery County Schools, a move that has raised concerns. Delegate Arikan firmly believes that the scientific evidence does not support such a decision. She expressed her dismay about people resorting to double masking once again, emphasizing that this is a worrisome development.
Additionally, Delegate Arikan cautioned attendees of the Resisting Covid 2.0 meeting about the growing threat of AI-generated images and videos, which can blur the line between reality and fiction. To counteract this issue, she advised returning to in-person meetings as the most reliable way to communicate news and opinions since trust in online media is increasingly eroding.
When asked about Maryland State government oversight regarding the vaccine schedule for school-going children, Delegate Arikan underscored the importance of Maryland's religious abstention rights. She shared that they had vigorously fought against the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the schedule three times and succeeded. Parents, she noted, are largely opposed to vaccine mandates, particularly one for COVID-19 in children, and politicians are well aware of this sentiment.
Unfortunately, in Maryland, unelected bureaucrats hold the power to add mandates to the childhood vaccine schedule. This was exemplified when the State of Maryland Health Department introduced the Chicken Pox vaccine. Delegate Arikan expressed concern about this power, emphasizing the need to remain vigilant should such incidents occur again. She pledged to rally her support, often referred to as the "posse of tiger moms," to fight against any such mandates.
In closing, Delegate Arikan encouraged everyone to stand firm in their beliefs and not resort to creating fake COVID Passports, as this could result in legal repercussions. She boldly stated her stance against receiving the COVID shot, “I am not getting the CoVid shot, I double dare you to make me!” The applause and cheers exploded into a standing ovation.
Watch the October 21, 2023 Resisting Covid 2.0 meeting here
RWBC Reporter Karen Tully Interviews Delegate Lauren Arikan
