County orders white people to wear face masks but exempts others

A new order in Lincoln County, Oregon, requiring face masks be worn in public exempts non-white people in an effort to avoid racial profiling.

The rule does not have to be followed by people of colour who may have “heightened concerns about racial profiling and harassment” said officials.

The announcement was made last week by health officials who said that the face coverings are mandatory in areas where people may come within six feet of others from separate households.

“No person shall intimidate or harass people who do not comply,” officials added.

Trevon Logan, an Ohio State University economics professor said the face mask orders are “basically telling people to look dangerous given racial stereotypes that are out there.”

“This is in the larger context of black men fitting the description of a suspect who has a hood on, who has a face covering on,” Logan said.

“It looks like almost every criminal sketch of any garden-variety black suspect.”

The move came after activists raised concerns about non-white people, saying that the orders could potentially put them in danger.

“For many black people, deciding whether or not to wear a bandanna in public to protect themselves and others from contracting coronavirus is a lose-lose situation that can result in life-threatening consequences either way,” ACLU’s Racial Justice Program director, ReNika Moore said to CNN.